Skyride, a mass participation cycling event designed to encourage thousands of people to explore the centre of London by bicycle, has been launched by mayor Boris Johnson and actress Kelly Brook.

The Mayor of London's Skyride event, which is set to take place on 20 September, will see a number of roads through the centre of the capital closed to traffic in order to allow people to follow a 15km (9.3-mile) route between Tower Hill and Buckingham Palace. A range of activities will also be provided to create a carnival atmosphere, including the Skyride Street Zone featuring professional BMX and mountain bike riders. The Skyride Active Zone will provide tips on health and wellbeing from British Cycling and Bike4Life as part of the government's Change4Life initiative.

Participants will also be given the chance to receive a free bike makeover at the Skyride Style Zone, while the Skyride Family area will provide a designated location for kids and families to learn new bike skills with free sessions from British Cycling professionals. Johnson said: "It's been a great summer of cycling in London, with more and more people discovering that ours is a fantastic city in which to go by two wheels. We had some 11,000 at our Hounslow event, and the central London extravaganza promises to be the biggest and best yet."

Brook added: "It doesn't matter if you're an experienced cyclist or getting back on your bike again for the first time in ages, the Mayor of London's Skyride will be a great day out for all ages and abilities."