Many parents are worried about their children walking and cycling to school. Sunday, 19th May 2024 will be the 4th Eastbourne ‘Kidical Mass Bike Ride’ to support these vulnerable road users. But this time the ride will be bigger and better than ever as it is linked to the annual Spring Water Festival.
Meeting at the Dolphin water fountain, in Eastbourne’s Gildredge Park, the ride will, as usual, have experienced bike marshals, to keep the children safe. Plus this year there will be a puppet show, a ‘band on a bike’, and an art installation.
The puppet show starts at 1.30pm and the ride at 2pm. Those taking part should wear helmets and ideally wear a ‘watery theme’ with slogans, so perhaps something blue.
Eastbourne has very poor infrastructure for cycling, scooting, and wheeling. Apart from small children on the footways, very few children are able to scoot or cycle to school, due to the traffic levels. In fact as congestion has worsened the County Council has built nothing, in the last four years, for cycling.
The exception is the shared path from Polegate to Firle, along the A27, built by National Highways. This showed what can be done when there is a will to deliver.
If you want your children to be able to cycle around town, then come and join in or turn up to support the ride. It is not just here as many other local towns and cities hold similar Kidical events.
Sorry, but on previous rides it was found balance bikes and kick-scooters are not really able to cover the route.
As the event gets nearer there will be more information and relevant updates on Bespoke’s Facebook and X feeds. Everybody is welcome!
