A Derry woman who cycles to work every day has urged commuters of all ages to try cycling this Cycle to Work Day on 7 August.
Shelley Leake who cycles to work every day in the hilly city of Derry
Shelley Leake (55) who works at Gransha Park House in the city described the benefits of her cycle commute.
“It’s so good for clearing your head,” Shelley said. “I don’t feel stressed from sitting in traffic or looking for a car park space. It’s a great feeling when you can cycle past the traffic jams.
“I cycle about 3.5 miles each way which takes me about 25 minutes. You get a bit of exercise in the morning and then coming home again. Even with an e-bike, you are still pedalling and you can switch the assistance on and off, as needed.”
Shelley took up cycling about 10 years ago when her husband, who is a keen club cyclist bought her ‘Minty’ - a beautiful mint-green bike, complete with shopping basket. She was delighted as she had loved cycling as a girl.
“At first we just cycled together for leisure, and we hired bikes on holiday, then I thought I should try going to work on the bike,” she said.
She began cycling to work with her husband as they mainly shared their route to work. They travelled together for years until in May 2023 Shelley had a ‘freak accident’ when her wheel skidded on a wet road and she fell off and broke her ankle badly. That was her only fall after 10 years on Minty.
“I didn’t want that to be the end of it,” she said. “I just needed to get my confidence back and so I gradually got into cycling again.”
Building confidence to cycle on roads
Sustrans’ Leading the Way programme, funded by the Public Health Agency, works with employees at Gransha Park House to enable active travelling. Shelley did a trial session on an electric bike with Sustrans
Active Travel Officer, Kieran Coyle. She was able to borrow an e-bike and then took part in Sustrans’ Women into Cycling Programme last summer which gave her the confidence to cycle on roads.
Would she encourage others to cycle to work?
“Yes for sure but it definitely depends on where people live. The infrastructure still needs to improve but these days there are a lot more cycle paths, greenways and wider shared paths that you can use.
"If your commute involves some hills (like here in Derry where if you’re not going down a hill, you’re going up one) a good option would be to try an e-bike. This helps especially if you’re just starting to cycle and still lets you get some exercise to build up your fitness.
“I think to get more people cycling to work, employers could do more to provide secure cycle parking, showers or changing facilities.”
Despite the barriers, Shelley is determined to continue cycling to work and being a role model for others.
“I’m now planning to get my own e-bike through the Cycle to Work Scheme,” she said. “Cycling is one of the highlights of my day and it means I can enjoy the daily commute, not just endure it. If I can do it anyone can!”
If you’re a business with fewer than 500 employees in Derry or Belfast, Sustrans has an Active Travel Support programme open until 22 August. To apply contact dianne.whyte@sustrans.org.uk