THE road for all Winchester cyclists led to The Broadway on Saturday.

An estimated 300 people took part in the newly-formed Cycle Winchester’s Mass Ride.

A ‘bike train’ pedalled around the city picking people up at various points including Kings Worthy, Headbourne Worthy, Harestock, Weeke, Badger Farm and Stanmore

The riders lapped the city centre one-way system before gathering in Abbey Gardens for a rally.

Cycle Winchester is campaigning to make Winchester Better By Bike with an aim to show the city and county councils the potential for cycling to help alleviate congestion and air pollution. Civic chiefs have been drawing up a new Movement Strategy consultation.

Ride organiser Hazel Agombar, of Egbert Road, Hyde, said: “We were thrilled with the turnout - it shows the huge appetite for cycling that there is in Winchester. The launch of Cycle Winchester is proving popular with many people who would simply like to be able to cycle more easily locally. As the city reaches grid-lock and with several new large developments in the pipeline, the local authorities need to listen to residents who want alternatives to the car. The Movement Strategy, which is currently under way, is the perfect opportunity to ensure that decent cycling infrastructure is delivered- so that residents and visitors have genuine choice about how they travel around the city. This includes for example cycle lanes, joined-up routes and priority for bikes at junctions. Too many cars are encouraged into the centre currently, which further discourages cycling. Cycling is good for a city - not just for the cyclists themselves. It improves air quality, reduces congestion, makes the streets safer - and benefits local businessesWhen Winchester is better by bike it will be better for everyone.”

Cycle Winchester is an initiative by the Winchester Cycle Working Group, backed by Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC), Bespoke Biking, Friends of the Earth Winchester, the City of Winchester Trust and Winchester CTC.

Steve Brine MP, who chaired the All-Party Cycling Group in Parliament, said: “Cycle Winchester is a really positive initiative and, like all great ideas, it’s amazing it didn’t exist before. As a keen cyclist, it’s an easy one for me to support but as the public health minister I am right behind anything which aids the active lives and prevention agenda. So many of us want to see cleaner air in Winchester – and across the country – so our ambition for a massive increase in the number of journeys made by bike, is extremely welcome.”

“I have offered Cycle Winchester my full support and look forward to working with them as we seek a transformation of the local environment towards a more cycle friendly city.

One cyclist, Alan Hutchinson, of Fordington Avenue, Fulflood, said: “It was a friendly, jolly event. The Bespoke Bikes stall did good work on my daughter’s bike. Quite as impressive as the number of riders attending was the number who went by and seemed to ignore us. There were lots of cyclists who chose not to come, and I know of others who were taking their children to football matches etc and not riding at all that day. If all Winchester’s riders turned out together, that would be a really impressive crowd.”