RideLondon cycling festival to return to Essex for 2023

The RideLondon cycling event will be returning to Essex next year.

Essex County Council said May's bike ride had been such a success it was going to repeat the event in 2023.

The inaugural event in Essex saw more than 22,000 cyclists take part in mass rides of 100, 60 and 30 miles, tracking through the Essex countryside from the start in central London.

Councillor Lee Scott said: “RideLondon-Essex 2022 was a successful inaugural event but we want to make the RideLondon-Essex 2023 even better.

“The RideLondon route is undergoing a process of review and we will be asking residents and businesses for their input to build upon the spirit and success of this year’s event.” 

The event has already raised millions of pounds for charity, with the final total to be confirmed later in the year.

London Marathon Events, which organises the event, is currently conducting a full review of the 2022 event alongside Essex County Council and other event stakeholders.

Feedback from residents, businesses and parish, district, town and city councils will help shape the event for 2023.Hugh Brasher, event director of RideLondon, said: "We are looking forward to building on the success of this year's RideLondon-Essex which saw tens of thousands of people, of all ages and abilities, take part in one of our mass participation rides and millions of pounds raised for charity.

"We look forward to continuing our partnership with Essex County Council and the London boroughs in 2023 and to delivering another truly inspiring festival of cycling." 

Already £1m has been allocated to Essex in 2022 by the trust for projects that will inspire activity, support people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport and physical activity and increase participation. 

Details of the application process for grants from this funding will be announced in September.

Hosting RideLondon is part of the county council’s Everyone’s Essex: a plan for levelling up the county which aims to help people keep fit and active and promotes active travel as part of the move towards net zero.