Commuters urged to use pedal power

COMMUTERS are being encouraged to get on their bikes as part of the Edinburgh Cycle Challenge.

Employers will compete to see who can get the most staff to cycle for ten minutes or more between 10 and 30 May.

Once a company is registered for the challenge, individuals can log their cycle trips online for entry into a daily prize draw.

There are also prizes for the teams with the most people cycling, including a spa taster day at Stobo Castle and a Ridgeback hybrid bike.

The contest is arranged by the Bike Station as part of its "A Better Way to Work" project.

Challenge co-ordinator Esther Halcrow said: "We are encouraging companies to get as many staff as possible to get on a bike for just ten minutes at a time, and experience the enjoyment, speed and practicality of cycle commuting.

"With just under half of Edinburgh's residents living less than five miles from their workplace, 'A Better Way to Work' aims to help people realise that alternatives are cheaper, more sustainable and faster."