GETTING on their bikes and heading towards a healthier lifestyle.

That's Bury mayor Councillor John Costello and council leader Councillor Derek Boden.

And the mayoral "chain" took on a new meaning when Coun Costello and Coun Boden arrived on their bikes to launch a "Bike it in Bury" campaign.

They officially signalled the start of a summer programme of cycling on Tuesday (April 25) as well as inspecting the town's first combined pedestrian and Toucan crossing at Bury Bridge.

The crossing, which opens in two weeks, is one of the first of its kind in the North West and represents one of a number of schemes introduced by the local authority to make cycling safer for all.

Other initiatives include new cycle lanes and off-road routes as well as the launch in May of a safer cycle routes map.

The "Bike it in Bury" campaign is being led by the council's engineering and planning divisions of the department of development and environmental services to raise awareness about cycling issues and the health benefits of bike travel.

It also aims to encourage more people to use their bicycles, particularly for shorter journeys, leaving their cars at home. Another strand to the campaign is to improve cycle safety awareness of car drivers.

Activities planned for the summer include:

"Bike it in Bury" environmental fair and cycle show on Saturday, May 27 at the Castle Leisure Centre. Events will include a circus skills workshop, fitness testing on static bikes, road safety display, riding skills workshop on a range of weird and wacky bikes and a competition to win a uni-cycle.

The Cycle Community Challenge in June, including competitions to find the organisation with the most number of cycle commuters and the individual who achieves the top bike commuting distance during the week beginning June 17. Prizes include a bicycle.

BRAG (Bury and Rochdale Active Generation) Station at the Castle Leisure Centre on Wednesday, August 9 which will feature a British Cycling Federation Challenge with obstacles and riding skills tests for youngsters, a riding skills workshop, displays of unusual and practical bikes, a bike maintenance workshop and competitions. The event is aimed at 11-15-year-olds.

An exhibition promoting the work undertaken by the council, to make cycling a safer and more attractive option to local residents, will go on display at Bury Town Hall, local community centres and other public venues.

A Guide to Cycling leaflet will be sent to local employers to outline what they could be doing to encourage staff to cycle to work and the benefits this could bring to them as employers.

Coun Boden, who regularly cycles to the Town Hall from his Whitefield home, said: "As a council, we have in recent years put together a whole range of initiatives designed to encourage people to use cycles as an alternative means of transport to the car.

"Cycle lanes and tracks are now widespread across our borough and I am sure that the 'Bike it in Bury' campaign will serve to further encourage even more people to consider cycling."

Bury people wishing to know more about the cycling events should call Chris Wilkinson in planning on 253 5269.