Cycling Routes Safe for Families and Beginners Draw Crowds to South Bank Parks

South Bank Parks opened three new family cycling segments on July 1 that total 9.4 kilometres of car-free pavement between South Bank Meadows and the eastern edge of Riverside Promenade.

Wellness groups have tracked rising demand for low-stress outdoor activity since the start of the year, when local participation logs showed a 22 percent jump in first-time cyclists compared with the same period in 2025. Parents cite the need for routes that avoid busy roads while still allowing children to build confidence on two wheels.

Named routes and local programs

The South Bank Meadows loop runs 3.2 kilometres along a former service road now lined with bollards and timed traffic lights at the three pedestrian crossings. The Riverside Promenade extension adds another 4.1 kilometres of dedicated lane that passes the South Bank Community Centre and ends at the refurbished boat dock near Park Street. Both segments are maintained by the South Bank Active Travel Project, which also runs the free Saturday morning Learn-to-Ride sessions that begin at 9:30 a.m. from the Meadows entrance kiosk.

Equipment hire at the same kiosk costs £4.50 for a child’s bike and £7 for an adult model, with helmets included. The South Bank Active Travel Project reports that 184 families registered for the June sessions, up from 119 the previous month.

Practical steps for first rides

Beginners should start at the Meadows kiosk, where staff provide a printed map marking the gentlest gradients and the single set of traffic lights on the full loop. Riders are advised to arrive before 10 a.m. on weekdays to avoid the after-school rush near the community centre. Helmets remain compulsory on all marked paths, and the project supplies free high-visibility vests for groups of four or more. Updated route conditions are posted daily on the project’s notice board at the boat dock by 8 a.m.