July 18, 1998 17:50

OK COMMUTER!: BEAUTIFUL SOUTH SADDLE UP

[a]Beautiful South[/a] members have come to the aid of Hull's cycle users via a new bicycle storage facility they've set up...

THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH's PAUL HEATON and DAVE ROTHERAY have come to the aid of cycle commuters in their hometown Hull - by setting up a bicycle storage facility.

Called Blazing Saddles, their scheme aims to keep citizens' bikes safe and secure while their owners are at work. Heaton and Rotheray thought up the business idea while travelling through Europe with The Beautiful South and seeing how other European cities catered for cycling commuters, according to a story in the Hull Daily Mail this week.

The pair's facility was opened by Deputy PM John Prescott today (Tuesday, August 18). The Labour Government is pushing initiatives to ease vehicle congestion in UK cities by promoting alternative methods of transport to cars.

As well as providing secure storage for bikes, Blazing Saddles will also operate a bike repair shop and sell accessories.

A similar bike park set up in Leicester last year attracted more than 10,000 users in its first 12 months.

Details of The Beautiful South's new single and forthcoming album will be announced in NME next week.