Press Release - 6 October 2005

Members of the Hertfordshire Wheelers and dozens of other keen cyclists will be taking to the Essex lanes this Sunday, 9 October, in a series of bike rides designed to highlight the threat to local countryside from BAA's airport expansion plans.

Just before their departure, eight hardy members of the club who have signed up to the 100 mile Tye Green Challenge ride will be posing with their bikes and the mastermind behind the event - 70 year old William Chastell.  This will take place at the Four Ashes Crossroads, Takeley with village signboard and Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) banner clearly in view.

Other riders will be taking part in the Broxted, Great Easton and Tye Green challenge rides which are 20, 40 and 100 miles respectively, taking in beautiful countryside and picture book villages whose character and in some cases very existence is at risk.

The Hertfordshire Wheelers is one of the longest established cycling clubs in the county, being founded in Hertford in 1928 and many of its members taking part in Sunday's event have sought sponsorship for their efforts towards the SSE fighting fund.

The man behind the three rides is William Chastell, the 70 year old cyclist from Broxbourne who recently cycled 106 miles in under ten hours around the six Tye Greens in Essex.  He had been prompted to design the circuit when he discovered that Tye Green at Elsenham would disappear under concrete if the wide spaced runway option featured in the Government's air transport White Paper were to go ahead.

ENDS

PHOTOCALL/INTERVIEWS
Sunday 9 October at 7.45am, Four Ashes Crossroads, Takeley (nr Stansted Airport)

DIRECTIONS
The photocall will be at The Green at the Four Ashes Crossroads, Takeley (by the traffic lights on the B1256 Dunmow Road which runs from the M11 to Dunmow via Takeley).

(Note:  the SSE campaign office which is the registration point for all cyclists is at the Takeley Youth Centre c100 yards from the crossroads heading towards the M11)

FURTHER INFORMATION
SSE Contacts:
Carol Barbone, Campaign Director, SSE:  M 0777 552 3091 and cbarbone@mxc.co.uk
Peter Riding (who will be present at the photocall and from whom pictures will also be available for media unable to send photographers):  T 01799 502355 or M 07711 160867 and sse@webserve.co.uk
Hertfordshire Wheelers:
William Chastell M 07835 711154
See also www.herts-wheelers.org.uk