Image: © Kois Miah/Sustrans
People seeking asylum in East London are being provided with access to bikes, as well as training, in order to help widen access to essential services.
Many people seeking asylum are housed in temporary accommodation without the funds to use public transport.
As a result, many must walk long distances to access essential services such as supermarkets, health centres and colleges.
In order to address this, Sustrans and Newham Council have teamed up with Brompton to loan bikes to 50 people seeking asylum.
Participants from Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Chad and Kurdistan will have access to the cycles for six months, along with training from provider Cycle Confident.
This will teach them the key skills for riding safely in London, as well as getting to know the best cycle routes in the area.
It’s hoped the scheme will enable people seeking asylum to make everyday journeys in a fraction of the time and open up opportunities for them to travel much more widely.
Rokhsana Fiaz, mayor of Newham said: “I am thrilled… to offer 50 bikes to residents who are amongst the most marginalised because they are refugees.
“We know that for these residents in Newham, it is particularly hard to meet the costs of travel, as well as contend with the cost of living crisis.
“This bike scheme will help ease the challenges they face, support their wellbeing, and show how in Newham they are being supported by trusted partners working with the council.”
James Cleeton, Sustrans’ London director said: “I’m proud that Sustrans is making such a positive impact on the lives of people who are living through circumstances which are unimaginable to most of us.
“It’s great that we have been able to bring together a group of organisations to redress some of the inequalities faced by people who are experiencing transport poverty.”
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