'Mayor's Cycle Fridays a costly flop' - Caroline Pidgeon

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Oct 2009

Just 436 people took part in the Mayor's Cycle Friday events costing the taxpayer nearly £70 per cyclist according to answers provided by Boris Johnson to Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson. Some rides saw only two or three cyclists turn up!

In a written answer to Caroline Pidgeon the Mayor has admitted that the Cycle Friday events attracted only a handful of people over the eight weeks that they ran. Even a belated attempt to revive interest through the launch of a prize draw was a complete failure, with just 43 people entering the Londonwide competition. Attendance at the Cycle Friday events was also lowest at the end of the eight weeks.

Caroline Pidgeon commented:

"Cycle Fridays have sadly been a costly flop. The Mayor boldly predicted that thousands of commuters would take part but in the end only a few did.

"Cycle Fridays have turned out just like the Story of London events - a nice idea but totally botched in their implementation with publicity that was clearly ineffective. Anyone involved in advertising that had to spend nearly £70 per customer for a free event is clearly doing something wrong!"

"If the Mayor cannot organise such initiatives he should stick to the basics, for example many more people would consider cycling if the Mayor increased investment in off street training."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The Mayor's launch of Cycle Fridays took place on the 7th August 2009.

http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=23132

2. With 436 people taking part and the Mayor's office suggesting that Cycle Fridays cost £30,000 in total the average cost per person taking part was £68.80