Forestry England has launched it's first cycling strategy
The strategy sets out how we will develop our cycling offer to meet people’s needs as England’s favourite place to cycle, embracing new opportunities and innovating to meet the needs of a changing society.
Our Growing the Future: 2021-26 strategy defines our long-term aspirations and it is clear that we need to retain the familiarity so valued by many of our core cycling visitors whilst changing to reflect the needs of wider society.
You can find key information about our cycling strategy on this page or download the full or summary plan at the bottom.
Connect with the nation’s forests and enjoy England’s favourite off-road cycling experiences
Setting the scene
Since the 1990’s we have created an extensive network of cycle trails, providing the broadest range and some of the best off-road routes in England, used for social, recreational, wellbeing reasons, for personal development and for competition. We have brought people and communities together, encouraging them to be active on their bikes.
We have, and continue to, benefit from significant contributions from many passionate communities, cyclists and volunteers whose dedication and support strengthens our offer. We work with a wide range of partners and employ a growing number of specialist recreation and cycle based support staff to create the superb cycling available in the nation’s forests.
Our cycling plan
Setting a clear direction so we can enhance our cycling offer whilst still maintaining, growing, shaping and caring for the nation’s forests, this plan will shape and influence our cycling facilities to meet people’s needs as England’s favourite place to cycle.
This plan aims to increase cycling activity to help address health and well-being inequalities, overcome access barriers and creating lasting behaviour change, meet government agendas as well as providing for existing visitors. We will embrace new opportunities and innovate to meet the needs of a changing society over the next five years.
Our approach
Developing high quality, cost effective experiences through offering variety and accessibility to a wider audience, we recognise that e-bikes are likely to play a large part in peoples choices.
Our sustainable approach, meeting our wider organisational strategy Growing the Future, will deliver for people, for wildlife and for climate.
Themes
We have identified four themes to shape what we do and measure our success:
1. Priority audiences
To continue to be and to strengthen our position as the leading provider of off-road cycling experiences.
2. Communities
To broaden our offer to meet the needs of a diverse audience; for our measurable visitor demographics to better reflect the communities that the nations forests serve.
3. Partnerships
To create new and strengthen existing partnerships with national and local organisations to enhance understanding, value, health and wellbeing, and to benefit local economies.
4. Sustainability and currency
To maintain high quality provision; to identify and fill gaps in our knowledge; to make innovative and bold evidence based decisions that ensure our cycling offer helps meet the needs of new and existing visitors, our staff, volunteers, local communities and society overall.
