Hundreds of bikes destined for scrap at Glasgow’s waste centres are being saved and revitalised for people who can’t afford one.
Glasgow City Council’s household waste and recycling centres have tied in with community charity St Paul’s Youth Forum (SPYF) to make sure discarded bikes with potential for further use can be sent to refurbishment by HMP Barlinnie Bike Works.
The bikes are repaired, refitted and sent back to SPYF before being distributed to people identified through a network of support that includes schools, doctors surgeries, social work, housing associations and other charities including those supporting refugees.
More than 200 bikes have already been diverted from the scrapheap at the council’s waste centres since October 2025 and SPYF has 150 young people on a waiting list for a refreshed bike. The council’s waste management team is aiming to provide the charity with 500 bikes for reuse by the time a pilot programme ends in March 2026.
Cllr Laura Doherty, City Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets, praised the scheme as a great boost for the environment.
Cllr Doherty said: “This is a great scheme that’s a win-win for the environment. We want to reduce the waste the city produces but also encourage active travel and this remarkable scheme manages to do both.
“Most of the bikes we receive at our waste centres can be salvaged and brought back to life for further use. The staff and prisoners in HMP Barlinnie’s repair shop deserve great credit for the skill they show in making discarded bikes fit for purpose once more. This is a great example of what can be done when you seek to re-use materials rather than throw them away.
“But ultimately the scheme is about supporting young people to get on a bike and follow a more active, sustainable lifestyle. St Paul’s Youth Forum has done a fantastic job on this scheme. Anyone leaving a bike at one of our waste centres should know there’s a good chance it will go to a great cause.”
Bikes left at waste centres would previously go to metal recycling and the council’s waste management team was keen to find a way to re-use these bikes as it’s a more efficient use of resources. After receiving a recommendation from Cycling Scotland, the team contacted SPYF, who have run a successful bike refurb and redistribute project since 2022.
Ricky Baxter, Cycle Hub coordinator at SPYF, described the impact of giving away bikes to those in need.
Ricky said: “People look at an old bike and maybe can’t see any value in it, but by the time it goes through our whole system, and it’s given out and the difference it makes to the end user, it’s great.
“When you’re dealing with families who don’t have a lot of money, or people who’ve got no bike, or a school with no bikes, and being able to give them that bike for free and just see the happiness: it’s tremendous.
“You can buy a second-hand bike for £100, but in a lot of communities, £100 is a lot of money that’s maybe needed for feeding the family that week. By trying to keep it for free, it’s encouraging active travel and so it’s a win-win for us.”
The pilot programme has been backed by the Scottish Government’s People and Place fund and supported by SPT, working with Cycling Scotland, who will monitor progress with the pilot to see if it can be introduced in other areas.
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