Pedalling for a Purpose: Biddulph Mayor, Nigel Yates's London Cycling Challenge

On Wednesday 9 April 2025, the Mayor of Biddulph, Councillor Nigel Yates, will set off from the Life Stream Church car park in Biddulph (ST8 6NN) on a four-day challenge to promote sustainable travel and to explore our country's fabulous waterways.

Nigel is passionate about active travel infrastructure, encouraging walking, cycling and safer routes around Biddulph. As Town Mayor, he wanted to extend this enthusiasm beyond the town boundaries, showcasing accessible paths and waterways whilst enjoying a cycle ride with friends.

Nigel and his team of four will travel from Biddulph to Regents Park in London over four days using canal towpaths, with very minimal use of roads. The route is as follows:

• Biddulph Valley Way NCR55 From Biddulph to Birches Head

• Caldon Canal to Etruria Industrial Museum

• Trent and Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction

• Coventry Canal to Hawkesbury Junction

• Oxford Canal to Braunston

• Grand Union Canal to Paddington

• Regents Canal to Regents Park, London (Finish)

The team will arrive at Tamworth at the end of Day 1, calling in at the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Headquarters in Wolseley Bridge (ST17 0WT) enroute. Day 2 sees the team travel to Blisworth in Northamptonshire for their overnight stop. At the end of Day 3, Nigel and his crew travel to Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire. At the end of the final day, the team complete their adventures at Regents Park.

Nigel has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise awareness of this event: https://gofund.me/c5e4c0f5. Any funds raised will be split between his Mayoral charities and the Canal and River Trust who aim to maintain canals and rivers for future generations, protecting and revitalising the nation’s canals.

Councillor Yates said: ‘It is so important for me to conclude my Mayoral year by raising awareness of issues that I’m truly passionate about. I’m delighted that this challenge starts a year of bike related activities across the Staffordshire Moorlands. Working with the Recycling Centres, we will re-home bikes and introduce people to cycling activities through the work of Outside Arts. We are calling this a ‘Chain Reaction’ and hope to reach hundreds of children and families during this time, to celebrate and promote cycling’.

A cycle event is also taking place on Nigel’s last day of the tour that ties together with the new Chain Reaction project which is a Staffordshire wide initiative with lots of different partners to donate unwanted bikes and reduce waste in Biddulph

Pedalling for a Purpose: Biddulph Mayor, Nigel Yates's London Cycling Challenge created 20.3.25