WIREDGOV

Grants of up to £5,000 available for London based cycling projects

• £5,000 are on offer to groups and not for profit organisations across the capital that have the passion to help others discover the joys of pedal power.

The Community Cycling Fund for London (CCFL) is a scheme funded by Transport for London (TfL) and administered by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), to help community groups set up cycling initiatives that benefit people of all ages and backgrounds.

The fund aims to assist the development of projects which encourage people to cycle and to make cycling an activity that is open to all Londoners.

It seeks to support community projects that build the confidence of infrequent or new cyclists from all types of backgrounds - especially groups such as women, children and young people.

Applicants will need to prove they are able to provide access to cycling in deprived areas and to hard to reach groups where cycling is limited by income, equipment, health, ability, skills or information.

Applications for funding will open from 4 September and close on 23 September 2013 and are open to a broad range of groups including; residents' associations, charities and youth organisations.

The money may be used to run local rides, provide cycle training, hold bike events, bike maintenance or other small scale projects that encourage cycling.

Director of Planning, TfL Surface Transport, Ben Plowden said:  'We have continued to improve cycle routes as well as public spaces to encourage more cycling in and around London. 

'With many people taking to cycling these days, it goes without saying that good cycling habits and cycle training should be championed. It is for this reason community groups with the knack to help others cycle have our support.'

Last year, 3743 people including adults and children of all ages benefitted from a broad range of CCFL funded community based cycling activities.

The Mayor's has set out a £1bn Cycling Vision for London which will see improved infrastructure for cyclists and new, safer routes.

This builds on a wide range of TfL initiatives to help increase the number of people cycling in the capital, including: an easy-to-use Barclays cycle hire scheme and its extension beyond central London, free or subsidised cycle training in most London boroughs, and a specific fund to create cycle hubs in cycling boroughs.

For more details on the CCFL application forms and for eligibility criteria, visit www.lcc.org.uk/community

For all media enquiries please contact the TfL press office on 0845 604 4141.

Notes to editors:

• The CCFL supports grassroots cycling projects which include elements of cycle training, bike maintenance, social rides and/or cycle awareness
• The scheme has supported 33,000 Londoners to get cycling since 2007
• A total of over £122,000 was available for funding in 2012/13
• In February 2011 the Mayor and TfL announced £4m of funding for Biking Boroughs to create cycle hubs and cycling communities in Outer London
• The CCFL grants are available pan-London. See case studies