CYCLING
Erika Severini
“My cargo bike is safe for my
children,” said Rachael. “Most
drivers are considerate and
if anyone needs to get past
I just pull over. I wish more
parents had the confidence
to give it a try.”
Cargo bikes can be hired at
www.londonbikehub.com/
in-your-area
by people
who saw me out
and about on my bike,”
she said. “They dismissed me as
irresponsible.”
But Rachael says that cycling while
pregnant helped keep her fitter and
more active than she would have been
otherwise, and she managed to laugh
off the criticism: “Cycling is a great way
to get some family time, stay fit, see the
borough and have some fun,” she said.
It turned out to be much harder to
keep cycling after her second son was
born and Rachael began relying on the
car as the easy option to get around.
However, she then discovered the
council’s free ‘cargo bike’ hire scheme and
the family was able to start incorporating
cycling into their life again, and
Rachael said: “Having a cargo bike
has helped me stop relying on the
car and I now take my two children
to school by bike.”
The family have since bought
their own cargo bike, which
nearly always causes great
excitement when Rachael rides
it to the supermarket, takes
the boys to school or takes
them to the park – with many
people asking where she got it.
Rachael Nolan
STARTING THEM (VERY) EARLY
When Erika Severini was expecting
her first child, and sensing she had
started labour, she jumped on her
bike and arrived at hospital before her
contractions became too overpowering.
Her husband managed to get there 45
minutes later, in time to see their son
Gabriel born. The experience appears
to have rubbed off on Gabriel, now six
years old, who has been cycling since he
was four and often joins his parents and
little brother on weekend bike rides.
Erika, who works in Ealing,
said: “The perception
around cycling is that it’s unsafe,
especially for children, to be on the
roads and this is stopping families
from getting out and about on their
bikes. However, with all the support
available, including free cycle training
sessions – especially those for families
– and guided social rides, it makes it
much easier.”
MORE INFO
■
Video:
ealingnewsextra.co.uk/video
■
Web:
www.ealing.gov.uk/wow
■
Facebook:
facebook.com/ealingwow
■
Twitter: Follow #Ealingwow
■
Email [email protected]
to sign up to receive email updates.
around ealing
Autumn 2016
47