OVO Energy is staging a series of Night Ride events across the UK designed to inspire greater cycling participation, and encourage a low carbon mode of transport.
OVO Energy, the UK’s leading independent energy provider took cyclists on a tour of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks as part of its series of Night Rides. The aim of the events is to address the barriers to cycling participation and inspire more people to adopt cycling as a lower carbon mode of transport.
Manchester will host the final stage of the Tour of Britain this year, but was also the second location of four Night Ride events taking place this summer, across the UK. Setting out from cycling hotspot Popup Bikes, cyclists followed a route that took in some of the city’s most iconic landmarks including Manchester Arena, Manchester cathedral, Manchester opera house, Manchester Central Library, Albert square and even along Deansgate.
According to research from British Cycling, 69% of the UK’s cycling population is male. The OVO Energy Night Ride in Manchester aims to inspire greater participation from women and overturn this gender disparity, and in the process reduce our collective carbon footprint.
As Title Sponsor of the Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain, OVO Energy sees cycling as an everyday action more people can perform, to support the pursuit of a zero carbon future. To encourage this, OVO Energy wants to shine a light on the barriers to cycling; in particular, road safety. As such, the Manchester Night Ride event set out to increase people’s confidence on the city’s roads.
Adrian Letts, CEO of Retail, OVO Energy, said:
“Inspiring greater participation in cycling is part of OVO Energy’s ambition to power change and encourage the adoption of a low carbon form of transport. If we can help more people make changes in their everyday life to support the pursuit of a zero carbon footprint, we can have a positive impact on our future.”
“Manchester has a proud history in cycling, and by hosting a Night Ride event in the city hopefully we can encourage more people to feel confident taking to the city’s roads on their bikes.”
Following the OVO Energy Night Ride in Manchester, Night Rides will be taking place across the UK, in Bristol on the 18th July and Glasgow on the 8th August.