£500,000 funding for CTC's Big Bike Revival
Posted on in Cycles News
CTC, the national cycling charity, has published the results of its 2015 Department for Transport-funded programme, the Big Bike Revival, to encourage people to make cycling a part of everyday life.
The Cycling Minister today pledged a further £500,000 of government funding to get unused bicycles working again, after 24,000 were revived under last year's initiative.
The charity has highlighted how the Big Bike Revival used a series of family-friendly fun events to excite people back into cycling.
CTC brought together a network of 90 bicycle recycling centres across England to host over 1,600 events where people could get their bikes checked and repaired by expert mechanics, learn simple tips to help look after a bike, and donate old bikes to be brought back into use.
Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive at CTC, said: "Almost half of us own a bike but nearly two-thirds have not used it in the past year, which clearly indicates there could be many more people cycling regularly, if it wasn't for some barrier in their way, which we've found could be as minor as the most basic mechanical failure, leaving the bike impotent for years!
"CTC's Big Bike Revival has proved that with some simple promotion of existing local bicycle recycling centres, people are more than keen to take up the chance to revive their bike and learn how simple it is to repair a puncture, or fix a chain, and get themselves more active by cycling again. The Big Bike Revival programme reflects our ethos that we are cycling in the UK."
Cycling Minister Robert Goodwill MP said: "We are determined to create a cycling nation and the Big Bike Revival is a fantastic initiative getting impressive results reviving old and unused bikes so people can begin their cycling journeys. I am announcing today £500,000 funding to support CTC helping people, particularly in disadvantaged communities, use bicycles to get around, access jobs and stay healthy at the same time."
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