Alex Dalland

As part of one of Australia’s largest behavioural-change events – Ride2Work Day, Ku-ring-gai council is holding a free cooked breakfast, bicycle maintenance check-ups and the chance to win cycling-related prizes.

The council is holding the event in support of Ride2Work Day; an event held each year on October 13 by Bicycle Network to inspire commuters to ‘ride to work’; rather than driving or using public transport.

Mayor Jennifer Anderson of Ku-ring-gai Council believes newly developed council infrastructure can help make riding to work easier for cyclists across the government area, meaning cyclists will be able to make their morning commute easier.

“The Council recently completed a 10 kilometre cycle route which means cyclists can effectively ride all the way from Boundary Street in Roseville to Killeaton Street in St Ives,” she said.

“We are committed to extending the cycleway network as far as possible throughout Ku-ring-gai and groups such as Bike North are an integral part of the planning that goes into new cycleways.”

Ride2Work Day has been held annually since 2006, and over 150,000 Australians were expected to take part in last year’s event.

Bicycle Network’s General Manager of Behaviour Change, Tess Allaway, said that riding to work can be a great way to maintain or increase your fitness, while saving money on petrol and parking at the same time.

“Riding to work is a fun, easy and convenient way to fit exercise into our busy schedules, plus commuting by bike saves you time and money,” Ms Allaway said in a recent statement.

But Ride2Work doesn’t just end on the fourteenth. Bicycle Network encourages riders to keep going and form a regular habit. And with a surveyed 43% of new riders who registered in 2015 reporting that they’re still riding to work – weekly or more – when surveyed in March 2016, the day appears to have done just that.

“By registering at ride2work.com.au, you’ll help make a powerful statement to governments and employers that people are riding bikes to work, and that many more will ride if the right investments into facilities are made,” Ms Allaway said.

Cyclists wanting to participate in the Ride2Work event can visit www.ride2work.com.au to register their details. The Ku-ring-gai Council free breakfast event is on between 6.30am and 10am on Wednesday 13 October at Gordon Recreation Reserve in Rosedale Road.