People have pedal power with NHS bike loan scheme
Cycling in Lanarkshire has seen an explosion in popularity, with a huge increase in people taking to two wheels.
Since Covid-19 restrictions were first introduced, an emerging trend was the notable increase in cycling, with a massive 44 per cent of people across the county having hopped on their bike.
Due to such demand, the cost for bikes increased, which meant families on lower incomes may have struggled to purchase their own.
In an effort to tackle this issue and help people boost their physical and mental health, NHS Lanarkshire’s Health Improvement Team reviewed various avenues to improve access to bikes for both NHS Lanarkshire staff and the wider community.
Initially, partnering with a number of local retailers, this allowed for free bike loans for NHS Lanarkshire staff.
It also involved the promotion of Cycling UK’S bicycle repair scheme, to support residents to access free bike maintenance support.
Further efforts to close the equality gap led to The Bike Amnesty Appeal, which included the rehoming of pre-loved bicycles in collaboration with North Lanarkshire’s restorative justice team. The appeal received more than 70 bike donations in total, mainly from NHS Lanarkshire staff, ranging from child to adult bicycles.
The restorative justice team serviced the bikes for their new owners, and supplied them to residents who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to access one.
Paul Wright, the health improvement senior for active travel with NHS Lanarkshire, said: “we were keen to encourage people to get out on their bikes, but knew there was a proportion of individuals and families who didn’t have the means. In an effort to tackle this, we asked our staff if they had the ability to donate any bicycles they may have had spare, and the response was incredible. We were delighted to support residents to own their own bike.”
Jim Curtis, service manager with restorative justice, added: “we have been providing a bicycle rehoming service for some time. The link with NHS Lanarkshire was hugely welcome during a time of unprecedented demand. The reaction from people receiving a bike is proof of how valuable this service is.”
Further investment from the Lanarkshire Green Health Partnership allowed for helmets, lights and locks to be provided with some of these rehomed bicycles.