plans to put cycling “at the heart” of Otley have been rubber-stamped.
Members of Otley Town Council have agreed to a strategy that will help to the Tour de France 2014’s legacy live on in the market town.
The plans have been drawn up with the help of the biking community to help improve cycling in Otley.
The scheme aims to make cyclists feel safe on their bikes, provide cycle storage facilities and to help improve transport around the town’s main streets.
Luke Minshall, lead contributor to the project, said: “There has never been such an amazing exciting time to really put cycling at the heart of the community.
“We have an opportunity to ensure that there is a legacy from the Olympics and from the Tour de France.
“This really maps out our approach to get it right and to really involve the community, and reap the benefits that cycling can bring to a town and its economy.”
The scheme, which is called Do You Ride?, also looks at a variety of different disciplines such as BMX riding, mountain biking and road cycling.
Otley Sportive, a local cycling organisation, has seen the launch of a new set of rides to help encourage people into cycling.
They are also due to hold their annual Sportive in September.
Councillor John Eveleigh, leader of Otley Town Council, said: “Pulling together this strategy has been an amazing collaborative effort from across the cycling community and wider, and I’m pleased that the town council have adopted it.
“Now the hard work begins and although the strategy has some far-reaching and ambitious aspirations, if we all work together we can achieve those ambitions.”
Otley has helped to put cycling on the map by hosting the annual Otley Cycle Races every year as well as championing home-grown talent such as silver Olympic medallist Lizzie Armitstead.
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