The Guardian

By Sam Jones

8 August 2006

The green aura surrounding David Cameron faded to a dullish turquoise yesterday after the Conservative leader confessed that he only rides his trusty - and much photographed - bicycle to Westminster once a week.

Mr Cameron told Radio 1 that pressure of work meant that he was no longer able to pedal to work as often as he would like.

"I do it on a Wednesday because it gets me going for prime minister's question time, but I like riding a bike in London," he said. "If you've got a good route to work it's a really nice thing to do."

He also took the opportunity to point out that it was "not true at all" that a car still followed him to work carrying his shoes and papers. "That did happen once or twice and I've now made sure that it will never happen again," he said.

"I have a huge amount of paperwork that I carry to work with me. I now make sure that when I do bicycle on a Wednesday, no car follows me. If I have papers to carry they go in a pannier on my bike and I can promise you that will never happen again."

But Mr Cameron said he was not going to give up his official chauffeur because he was far too busy.

"I just find it really helps me, otherwise I'd never get to see my family I'd never get my work done - I can get a huge amount of it done in the back of the car," he said.

The Tory leader said he had tried to do his bit for the environment by getting his party to consider getting a hybrid battery and engine car instead of the government-issued Vauxhall Omega.

Mr Cameron, who wants more firms to help in the fight against global warming by encouraging workers to cycle, also called on bosses to provide showers in the office. "You know, if more businesses installed more showers at work then more people would would be able to bicycle, so everybody should be thinking what can I do to help with the issue of climate change," he said.