Kidical mass bike ride returns to the streets of Shrewsbury

A mass bike ride for families will be held on the streets of Shrewsbury at 10am on Sunday 21st April. It follows the success of the inaugural Kidical Mass Shrewsbury last summer which saw two hundred riders get into the saddle for a morning of family fun.

The ride is free and organised by local residents. It is also timed to coincide with a national action day for Safe Streets Now, a campaign highlighting the need for safer walking and cycling options for local communities.

Riders will meet at 10am at the William Clement Memorial obelisk in the Quarry Park near Stop Café at St. Julian Friars. Cargo bikes, bike seats, trailers, and those still using training wheels are all welcome to take part in a ride through the town centre which will be closed to traffic.

Riders under 12 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. The event is sponsored by Dave Mellor Cycles of Frankwell.

Copthorne councillor Rob Wilson, who helped organise the ride with local residents, said:

"It’s great to see Kidical Mass return to the streets of Shrewsbury in 2024. We’re excited to be able to offer children the chance to ride on the road safely in a huge group. There were so many uplifting stories last year of families who dusted off bikes from their sheds so that they could join in. We’re hoping to see an even bigger crowd for this second ride and we have plans to make it a regular event with a ride every third Sunday of the month from now until September."

Mum of two Alice Reynolds who joined the previous ride with her family, sais: "Last summer's bike ride was a magical experience. It was wonderful to see so many children enjoying the freedom of being able to cycle safely on the roads of Shrewsbury without being worried about the danger posed by cars. As a family we had great fun and we’re looking forward to more events over the coming months."

The Kidical Mass ride is designed as a fun, free, family event. But it also raises awareness about the need for safer streets for children and young people. The ride coincides with a national day of action for Safe Streets Now, a campaign asking local authorities to do more to facilitate safer communities for walking and cycling, which was set up after a number of road deaths in Birmingham last year. 

Rob Wilson added: "We’ve just had the consultation on “Shrewsbury Moves” from the Big Town Plan, which I hope gives our town a way towards a safer future with more transport choices – especially for children. This fun mass bike ride is a way of reminding everyone that children deserve to be safe on our streets. Jump on your bike, come along, and help make this event even bigger than the last one!"