Train company manager Larry Heyman has put the wheels under an initiative to double the number of cycle parking spaces on the First Capital Connect network.

Larry, who lives in St Albans and was a former district councillor, has been awarded the Cycle Champion award at this year’s National Cycle-Rail Awards.

The FCC integration and partnership manager has been instrumental in the doubling of the number of cycle parking spaces on the network from 2,110 to over 4,200 with the number increasing every year.

The award ceremony was held at the House of Commons five days after Larry had opened another 102 cycle spaces at Bedford station alongside the Mayor of the town.

He said: “The award was an immense honour and totally unexpected. The work we do at First Capital Connect is vital because it greatly improves the facilities for cyclists across our network and encourages far more people to use a really green way to reach our stations.”

FCC also received the Cycle Security award because of its work alongside the British Transport Police which has seen cycle crime decrease by 25 per cent since 2005.