Track changes! Bumper Bike Week beckons

The Worshipful the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Ann Holland will formally cut the ribbon at 11am on Sunday 20th June to launch the track at Chalkwell Esplanade.

This opens the way for the next stage of Route 16 - which runs from Basildon to Shoebury East Beach , and is part of the National Cycle Network. The ceremony is one of several key events taking place in Southend to celebrate the forthcoming National Bike Week.

Cycle Southend's very own Bike Crew is currently touring schools throughout the borough to promote safe cycling and remind everyone that cycling is fun and healthy. In addition, the Crew has highlighted two special cycling events and is urging youngsters to take part.

The first of these is Cycle Fun at Shoebury Fair at Shoeburyness High School , Caulfield Road , Shoebury on Saturday 19th June. Here children can try mountain biking, BMX biking and much more. There will be bikes of all sizes available to have a go on.

The second event is a charity sponsored cycle ride - the Junior Bikeathon from 9am till 11.30am on Sunday 20th June starting from Grosvenor Road to the end of Chalkwell Esplanade at Chalkwell Station. Youngsters up to 12 years old are invited to enter this ride, being run by the charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research in partnership with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Cycle Southend. The Junior Bikeathon course is one mile long, but participants can cycle as many laps as they wish to between 9am and 11.30am.

Those who enter as a school team are allowed to divide the funds they raise equally, between their school and the charity. Anyone interested in taking part is urged to contact Cycle Southend on 01702 215003 ext 5338 or visit http://www.cyclesouthend.co.uk/

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Transport and Planning, Councillor Mark Flewitt says: "Our Bike Crew is proving extremely popular throughout the borough, and they are set to spark off a great deal of enthusiasm for these forthcoming exciting cycling activities. We hope as many youngsters as possible will be encouraged to come along to Shoebury Fair, or to take part in the Bikeathon and to find out how enjoyable cycling can be.

"We are delighted to see another new cycle track being opened in Southend, so we are now firmly on the National Cycle Network.

"All these activities illustrate the major improvements to cycling in the borough, we have continually been making since Southend won national status as a Cycling Demonstration Town ."

For more information about this media release please call the press desk on 01702-215000 ext 5505 or e-mail media@southend.gov.uk