The Mayor of Waltham Forest hopes he has helped encourage more people to cycle as he comes to the end of his year-long tenure.

Mayor Richard Sweden became the borough’s first openly gay mayor after being unanimously elected by his fellow councillors last summer, but hopes it is his use of his tandem bike that will be his lasting legacy.

The keen cyclist eschewed the traditional mayoral car in favour of using the two-seater bike with his chauffeur to attend the majority of events.

And while Waltham Forest Council puts together a bid to become one of Boris Johnson’s ‘mini-Holland’ cycle havens, which will benefit from funding for improved cycling infrastructure, he hopes he has helped encourage more people to use the alternative mode of transport.

He said: “It’s been tremendously exciting and a great privilege to be mayor, especially in the Olympic year. The Olympics have made a difference to cycling with the success of Sir Bradley Wiggins and my tandem bike has gone down terribly well.

“I hope I might have made a difference too. I’ve sought to use it to encourage people to think about other ways of getting around other than a car.”

He said that he used it with councillors present at last year’s Waltham Forest Mela, and said he had tried to change the thinking amongst some Asian communities where he said the car is seen as a status symbol.

Mayor Sweden said: “I was surprised to find that out. The car is something to keep and use as a status symbol. But a bicycle is a cheap and easy form of transport in developing countries. However, that’s why it’s so good. It’s healthy too. A highlight has been spreading the word about the bike.”

The mayor has also managed to raise nearly £40,000 for his chosen charity, the Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme, which engages with disabled people and young people in deprived areas through sport.

He also visited dozens of street parties during the Games and the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

He said: “I’ve derived great pleasure from meeting people and celebrating the difference we have in our borough. It’s been a fantastic experience and I have really enjoyed myself.

“It’s made even more worthwhile by the money we’ve managed to raise for the sports programme.”

The mayor is to formally step down at a council meeting on Thursday before his successor, likely to be deputy mayor Cllr Nadeem Ali, is named.