Peter Hayman

Cyclists’ Touring Club was formed by early cyclists who appreciated riding man’s best invention (by popular vote) and wanted to share their experience and spread the word.

Now suddenly, after a century of burning half the planet’s oil, the bicycle has its place again in re-defining how people get around. The machine and the CTC have both evolved and are now needed more than ever. The traditional values of the CTC, of the enjoyment and companionship of cycling, are as relevant today as are its accumulated knowledge, advocacy, promotion of cycling and long-standing care for the environment.

As well as simple transport to get around, cycling can open up all sorts of pleasures and new discoveries. The efforts put into cycling are all rewarded with interest.

Cycling can take you to an elevated state of being.

CV. Some of my earliest memories are of enjoying my trike and then a much loved two wheeler. Riding over Hampstead Heath to school was a mixture of effort and exhilaration like most cycling. After a time in the Merchant Navy, it was a cycle over Highgate Hill to study Industrial design at Hornsey College of Art. Commuting by bike continued with a move to Scotland in ’69 to work on machine tool design, then some free lance jobs, while British industry kept going. After fitting out my wife Anne’s law offices in Kilmarnock, I’ve stayed on assisting her. Having my own desk has allowed some cycle campaigning.

In the early 90s the bicycle was used as a way back to health and fitness. A CTC Ayrshire section Audax let me check progress before going on a cycling tour of the family down south, coupled with seeing the Tour de France. I joined CTC and have enjoyed cycling with the group in the beautiful West of Scotland countryside ever since. Trips with section friends followed, to the Alps, a ‘bike’ Hotel on the Adriatic and cycling in the Pyranees, again linked to the Tour de France. Then we did the UK, enjoying the variety of countryside and weather of LE~JOG.

Becoming serious about cycling soon led to Rights work in Ayrshire and representing Glasgow DA on CTC Scotland. CTCS organised regular Open Days with LAs around Scotland and I took on one in East Renfrewshire. It tied in with the official opening of cycle lanes up the A77, which I had proposed. Spurred on, and with Anne’s indulgence, I then devised and organised the first Glasgow Cyclefest in 1999 under the banner of the CTC backed Scottish Cycle Development Project.

Now living in Glasgow I have also been a long-term member of Go Bike! (Strathclyde Cycling Campaign) and represented them at Velo-City and on CTCS, and am now their Convenor. This year CTCS appointed me Vice-Chair and also backed my offer to be Councillor for Scotland.