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We are pleased to announce that Cycle Shepway are still here and still campaigning on behalf of everyone in our community to make Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh a safer and more encouraging place for cycling in the 21st century. We’re neither a sports club nor a technical forum. What we are is a pressure group.

We would like to say a big hello to all our friends that have supported us over the past years or more, and also to the next generation of cycling enthusiasts who are hopefully going to get involved and help and support us in the future!

Many thanks are due from all at CySy to the boundless energy and tireless campaigning of our founder Jean Baker. As a result of Jean’s recent fund-raising skills, we have benefitted from generous contributions from a number of local councillors to get this website up and running again. Our grateful thanks are therefore also due to ward councillors Lesley Whybrow, John Wing, Georgina Treloar, Rebecca Shoob and Jim Martin for their generous financial support that has enabled us to get this new website launched.

“We’re so pleased to have had the opportunity to support Cycle Shepway in its campaigning for better cycling in our local area. In recent weeks, many people have taken to their bikes for their daily exercise, perhaps rediscovering its pleasures in these troubled times. Cycling is healthy and sustainable, and it should also be safe, so we in the Green Party will do all we can to see routes and facilities for cyclists improved.” – Councillor Lesley Whybrow

So welcome to Cycle Shepway. Please explore the website, follow our news, comments and initiatives. Most importantly, please join our campaign so you can have a voice and contribute your own views and ideas.

Cycling infrastructure for today’s needs

Cycle Shepway wants an infrastructure worthy of the 21st century – at least as good as the rest of the UK, at best on a par with our Continental neighbours.

Today we live in a world of uncertainty, affected by the latest pandemic as well as the underlining climate change crisis and erosion of our eco-system, conflict, displacement of communities and the ever-rising gap between the rich and poor that in turn impacts upon our health.  The current condition of social isolation caused by COVID-19 pandemic is just the latest crisis that is forcing us to rethink how we should live our lives and behave toward our precious planet.

As we emerge from this pandemic, cycling continues to flourish across the UK but it needs to be nurtured and encouraged. Cycling can play its part in maintaining our health and fitness, and it can lead the way towards a greener, kinder and more eco-friendly relationship with our planet.

Since we started campaigning back in July 2007, things have greatly improved in our area and we have had terrific support from Folkestone & Hythe and Kent County Councils. However, we cannot afford to be complacent and simply accept the status quo. We must continue to demand imaginative initiatives and visionary projects from our local councils as well as from the private sector.

Through the determination of all concerned, including the hard work of officers from Folkestone & Hythe and Kent County, our cycle infrastructure is gradually improving, when once it was largely non-existent. With Shepway on National Cycle Route 2 and Folkestone around 50 minutes by high-speed train from St Pancras, the least we can offer is decent infrastructure to help attract cycling visitors to enjoy our coast and countryside.

That’s why Cycle Shepway is so important and why we are relaunching our website to encourage new people to share and participate in our vision for a cycle-friendly future for our area.

Cycle Shepway needs your support

Cycle Shepway have succeeded because of the dedication of the committee and their friends, but we are always looking for new members who can give up a little of their time to provide fresh input and support. If you leave us your name and email address below, we’ll send you news of the events, campaign rides and dates of meetings:

Please let us know your concerns and ideas. Write to the local press, lobby your councillors, make your voice heard. Right now, you can back our campaigns or bring something that needs fixing to our attention like cycle lanes and cycle paths that are sub-standard. Let’s get Shepway cycling!

Dedication: David Taylor (1940-2017)

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This website is dedicated to the memory of David Taylor, who died in December 2017 aged only 77 years.

David was the chair of CySy until shortly before his death and an enthusiastic member of the team. David’s work for the cause of cycling was tireless, and spanned much of the last decade. He was a great friend to CySy, always contributing his inimitable enthusiasm as well as media skills. He was also a great friend to Folkestone, starting the Town Sprucer team in 2013 and also leading many community projects including the Sunflower House in Foord Road.

David was a man who wouldn’t take no for an answer and his views were always thought-provoking and highly-valued. More than anything David was just great fun to be around, and all at Cycle Shepway are grateful to David for all his help and his enthusiasm. He made a huge contribution to getting Cycle Shepway’s campaign for the Cinque Ports Cycleway off the ground, and we hope we are able to celebrate his life by ensuring completion of this wonderful opportunity for a car-free cycle route between Folkestone and Dungeness.


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