A new £1m Government-backed campaign to encourage the nation to “dust off their bikes and ride more” was launched yesterday (12 Mar).
The ‘Big Bike Revival’, a programme of events to be delivered by CTC, is designed to help people cycle more safely and with confidence, by giving them the skills to fix and maintain their bikes.
Robert Goodwill, transport minister, said: “We are serious about getting people on their bikes. Cycling is great for our health and means less congested cities and less pollution.
“Now spring has arrived, there is no better time to bring out that bike gathering dust in the shed. The Big Bike Revival will help you sort out the punctures and minor mechanical problems that we have all used as an excuse not to get out on two-wheels.”
Paul Tuohy, CTC chief executive, said: “Knowing so many bikes are lying dormant gathering dust in people’s homes, the Big Bike Revival aims to bring them back to life and give people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities the incentive they need to re-engage with cycling.”
The Big Bike Revival will begin in May and will work with bike ‘re-cycle’ centres, which recycle second-hand bikes to get them back on the road.
I must admit I have 2 bikes languishing in a relative’s garage since we moved house a couple of years ago, one being a Claude Butler that I restored from a wreck. I don’t really have a use for them anymore. I think the political class obsession with cycling is expensive and pointless. I hope the NHS are ready to cope with any increase in cycling injuries, bearing in mind that cyclists do crash without the involvement of other vehicles, resulting in 248 ksi in 2012.
Paul Biggs, Staffordshire
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Another £1.000.000 to the aid of cyclists and what for, road restructuring, no how to mend a puncture. That said its obvious that a cycle needs some maintenance and this monies is going to give cyclists the skills to do their own thing like check tyre pressures. If CTC are going to do this then are they being paid? If so by who….Us.
Further monies some £15.000.000 is being given to charity, Sustrans for creating cycle parking at numerous train stations or increasing the already available parking at some others.
I just wish that some government had spent £16.000.000 at some time in the past for proper training on motorcycle safety or road structuring or encouraged more use of bus lanes. Then maybe we would have seen a much greater drop in incidents and collisions involving motorised twv over the last decade or so.
Bob Craven Lancs…Space is Safe Campaigner
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