Manchester has been selected as the European Capital of Cycling 2024.
The city council and its partners presented the successes and benefits of cycling in Manchester in a bid to win the award.
The council also announced their vision of the future of cycling in the city region. More information on this will be announced in early 2024.
In the bid, the council used the examples of the National Cycling Centre and “mile upon mile of new cycleways being built.”
Manchester has also hosted “some of the biggest events in world cycling,” such as the Tour of Britain on September 3, 2023.
The award is run by ACES, a Brussels-based organisation which is responsible for the assignment of prestigious awards, including “World Capital of Sport” and “European City of Sport.”
In October 2023, Manchester broke city records for having the highest level of usage on the Oxford Road cycle lane.
The Council have announced that Manchester’s new title as the Capital of Cycling was the “perfect choice.” There are hopes that the award will spark a “transport revolution to get even more Mancunians in the saddle.”
While this award ranks European cities, Manchester has previously been rated as the fourth worst UK city for cycling in 2023.
Manchester city council posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) celebrating the award, which faced backlash from site users.
One complaint focused on how the cyclists in the promotional video were wearing black, which is regarded as a unsafe colour to wear because the cyclist is less visible to other road users.
Another user asked “Is this a joke?”. Similarly, a different user questioned whether “This is a parody, right??”.
The council is “confident this accolade will act as a springboard for further investment and participation throughout the city.”
Details on the opportunities this award hopes to provide will be announced in 2024.
