Suffolk cyclists should be able to benefit from new bike racks that are being created in three Suffolk towns.

The county council is creating new cycle parks in the centre of Sudbury and Stowmarket – and has linked up with Greater Anglia to expand the cycle park at Ipswich station.

This comes after Suffolk County Council were awarded cash from the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund to help make cycling safer and easier for local residents.

In Stowmarket parking bays have been installed outside the John Peel Centre, at the Stricklands Road junction with Ipswich Road, and in Wilkes Way.

In Sudbury the parking bays have been installed in North Street near the Masonic Hall, King Street near to Rees Café and by the Belle Vue art work.

The locations for the cycle parking facilities were selected in partnership with Sudbury Town Council and Stowmarket Town Council.

MORE: Cycle fund aimed at encouraging people on to their bikes

Andrew Reid, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Many residents in Suffolk have embraced cycling during the pandemic, so we have a real opportunity here to make cycling safer and easier not just for this unprecedented period, but for the future as well to reap the associated health and pollution benefits

“To get more people cycling long term we need to ensure there are enough places for them to safely store their bikes, so I am really pleased it is now easier to access Stowmarket and Sudbury town centres on two wheels.”

Meanwhile a further 25 cycle spaces have been created at Ipswich railway station as part of a joint initiative by the council and Greater Anglia.

MORE: Extra cycle parking spaces needed at Ipswich station

Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia’s Asset Management Director, said: “We are seeing increasing numbers of people cycling to stations so we’re keen to expand our cycling facilities, especially as it helps people to minimise their carbon footprint for the entire length of their journeys. Since the start of lockdown, the number of people cycling in our region has soared, and the new facilities will help welcome people back to the railway.”

Mr Reid added: “We want more people to choose to make cycling a part of their sustainable journey, and cycling to your nearest station and catching a train to work is a great way to keep healthy, reduce emissions and help make Suffolk a more pleasant place to live.

“We know if we get more people cycling then we need to ensure there are enough places for them to safely store their bikes at the start and end of a journey. I am pleased Suffolk County Council has been able to help fund the cycle parking at Ipswich as well as at other train stations throughout the county.”