Hundreds of cyclists call for safer streets

"It was by far the biggest Kidical Mass ride we’ve yet seen, which only goes to show more and more people want Brighton & Hove to be more accessible for cycling," says Iliana Koutsou of Bricycles, the local cycling campaign group.

Councillors from both Labour and Green parties took part in the ride along with two candidates nominated for the next parliamentary elections.

"It's great that a good number of our local representatives pedalled along, as well as two hoping to get elected to Westminster," says Duncan Blinkhorn of Brighton BikeHub. "They'll have seen that we need a joined-up network of many more cycle lanes if people are going to feel safe getting around the city on two wheels."

Sussex Police supported the event, providing officers and a vehicle to accompany the ride.

"We're really grateful to them and to all the lovely drivers who gave way to the riders, young and old," said Daren Callow of Old Shoreham Road BikeTrain, "We hope today's considerate attitudes among motorists will blossom so that cycling on the roads in Hove & Brighton is always as joyful as it's been on the Kidical Mass ride."

More than 100 children and adults began at each of three feeder rides at Wish Park, Hove Park and the Level, with two dozen more starting at Black Rock, before they all came together at the Peace Statue on Hove seafront. Then they did a compete circuit of the city centre.

The final tally won't be known until the painstaking process of counting heads on slow-motion video has been completed.

The ride was organised by Bricycles, Brighton BikeHub, OSR BikeTrain, Brighton Multicultural Women's Cycle Club and Clean Air for Brighton & Hove, with funding from Cycling UK's Big Bike Revival.