Welcome to my first article in the Swindon Advertiser and thank you for reading. I’m Rob Derry and I’m a recent inductee to the Swindon BUG (Bicycle Users Group) Steering Committee.

We aim to represent the views of cyclists in and around Swindon by campaigning to the council and promoting the benefits of cycling across the borough. I’ve been cycling since I was a kid and I’ve always had a bike and used it for recreational and travel purposes. I live in North Swindon and work in Dorcan and cycle to work most days, all year round.

Over the last few years the committee has been doing a lot of work with the various departments within the council such as leisure and transport, engaging with councillors and helping to promote various schemes such as the summer of cycling, national cycling week, free cycle maintenance courses and working with organisations such as SUSTRANS to promote the use of the bicycle across Swindon.

Now, Swindon BUG is looking to increase our membership and get more input from more cyclists across the borough. My job is to get more ideas from more people who cycle a lot, a little or never and I’d like you to tell me why you cycle, why you don’t cycle, what could be done to improve your experience as a cyclist or what could be done to encourage you to cycle more or even to dig out the old bikes from the shed or garage and get back on them.

Whether that is for leisure or to pop to the shops or cycle to work, we’re here to listen to your views and requirements and consolidate them as feedback for those that make the decisions across the borough. So if you think signage is poor, roads are too dangerous, cycle parking is inadequate, cycle training is lacking, there are not enough cycle paths or any other changes could be made to enable you to use your bike (more) we’d like to hear from you on our Facebook page (Swindon BUG) or on our Twitter feed (@SwindonBUG). We also have a website at www.swindonbug.co.uk.