Coronavirus – Cycling and walking FAQs

Cycling or walking once a day, either on your own or with someone in your household, is a good way to support your mental and physical health and undertake essential travel while following the latest Government rules on social distancing.

9 April 2020

Is it a good idea to cycle and walk at the moment?

Cycling or walking once a day, either on your own or with someone in your household, is a good way to support your mental and physical health and undertake essential travel while following the latest Government rules on social distancing.

The rules mean you must:

  • only go out on your own or people you live with;
  • keep two metres apart from anyone you meet and at all times, even if that means stopping and waiting for someone to pass;
  • only walk, cycle or run on routes close to home that you know well and match your abilities.

Make sure you follow the latest rules at www.gov.uk/coronavirus at all times and stay home to protect the NHS and save lives.

I’m a key worker and I don’t have a bike, do you know where I can access one please? 

Please see our Coronavirus – Cycling and walking information and advice page for more information about where you may be able to access a bike.

My bike has been in the garage for so long I’m not sure if it’s safe to ride, can you help?

Making sure your bike’s in good health before you go anywhere is vital, now more than ever as we all have a responsibility to ensure we’re taking steps to protect our NHS. 

Check the brakes work, make sure there’s air in your tyres, that none of the fixtures and fittings are loose, and the chain is clean and oiled. Sustrans 11-step M-Check is a good place to start.

You might also want to learn how to repair a puncture before you head out.  Sustrans has a video to show you how.

For other basic bike maintenance tips, such as degreasing and oiling your chain, and replacing and adjusting brakes, visit the British Cycling website.

Under normal circumstances we would advise anyone who is unsure to take their bike for a once over at their local cycle shop. 

The Government has classified bike retailers as an essential service alongside supermarkets and pharmacies and this means they can continue trading, but we understand many shops may be temporarily closed or have changed their opening hours.  Check online before you leave the house and only go if you really need to, following the Government’s social distancing rules if you do.   

I’m home schooling my children and looking for activities to keep them occupied, can you point me in the direction of any online resources?

British Cycling has launched a daily activity to keep kids moving during shutdown and many can be done without a bike.  Find out more about British Cycling’s HSBC UK Ready Set Ride games and activities.

What impact will coronavirus have on CityConnect’s delivery of new and improved cycling and walking infrastructure, as well as its initiatives to help people travel by bike and on foot?

Construction has stopped until further notice on the Castleford to Wakefield Greenway and the Rochdale Canal towpath improvements between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge. 

Both of these routes have been left in a safe and useable condition (apart from sections along the Rochdale Canal, which were damaged by flooding that the Canal & River Trust has not yet had chance to repair).

We are working closely with our partners across West Yorkshire and York to understand the ongoing impact on our work.  

If you have any questions relating to a specific scheme please contact the team via cityconnect@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.