The Council are inviting people to find out all about sustainable travel and reducing pollution in the city at the Fresh Air Fayre on 21st June along Royal Avenue in Royal Victoria Park.
People are invited to bring or borrow a bike, try an electric car, have a look at a car-club vehicle, and cheer on local Councillors who are taking part in a fun race across the city – using different modes of transport, at the event taking place between 10am and 3pm.
The race will feature the Charging Around the UK vehicle – which is midway through its 2,000 mile journey across the country to demonstrate how easy it now is to get around by electric car, thanks to a nationwide network of charging points.
The racers will set off from in front of the Bandstand on Royal Avenue at 12pm, shortly followed by a parade of local school children showcasing their own take on cycle fashion – without the lycra.
Royal Avenue will be closed to traffic for the day, to allow visitors to bring a bike or borrow one of the new “nextbikes” and ride on a traffic-free route.
Cllr Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge), who will be taking part in the race as the Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This is an imaginative and fun way of highlighting some of the many different ways you can get around Bath quickly and easily to make the most of the city’s various shops, places to eat and attractions.
“Bath & North East Somerset Council is keen to encourage more people to consider alternative modes of transport in order to help tackle congestion.”
The fun racers will use a combination of electric cars, Park & Ride buses, electric bikes and bicycles from Bath’s new nextbike scheme on their route – which starts from the Royal Avenue Bandstand and takes in Lansdown Park & Ride, Milsom Street and the Royal United Hospital to showcase clean travel choices around Bath.
Among the other ‘clean’ modes of transport on display during the day will be the urban freight consolidation centre, which helps to keep large HGV delivery vehicles out of the city centre and the car sharing club that lets people rent a car for a few hours from designated bays around the city when it suits them.
Public transport will also be represented by First Group and their hybrid Park & Ride buses, and Bath Bus Company’s bus link to Bristol airport. Free demonstrations of adult cycle training will be provided by CyclingInstructor.com, and local secondary schools will be displaying their unique wheel weaving cycle art.
For families wishing to make a real day out of this fun event, there will be a range of other activities, music provided all day by Progressions Jazz, and food vendors will be in Royal Victoria Park as well.
The event is being held by Bath & North East Somerset Council thanks to Local Sustainable Transport Funding from the Department for Transport.
