Bradford students will be asked to saddle up for a cycling event on Thursday which will help encourage more people to get active.

The Active Travel Street Party will feature bike rides, a mountain bike show and even a pedal-powered cinema. Running for much of the day, the event is part of a bid to promote cycling and walking at Bradford College and Bradford University, and get students to “shake up” their lifestyle. Carlton Street, near both the college and the university, will be transformed into a ‘green street’ where there will be activities designed to encourage travel by foot, bike or public transport.

The event has come from a partnership between the college, university and sustainable travel organisation Sustrans.

Over the course of the day the ‘green street’ will offer entertainment, information stalls, food and freebies for those keen to find out more about opportunities for active travel and sustainable commuting.

Highlights will include an extreme mountain bike show, graffiti art, student art, ‘wacky’ bikes and the pedal-powered cinema in the Henry Mitchell Hall.

Jonathan Curtis, the college’s walking champion and examinations officer, said: “The purpose of this event is to focus on physical activity such as walking and cycling, as opposed to motorised and carbon-dependent means for both staff and students at Bradford College and Bradford University. “We aim to encourage people to shake up their lifestyles and incorporate some beneficial physical activity into their daily lives.”

Increasing amounts of inactivity in today’s society is leading to a number of health conditions. The event runs from 11am to 4pm.