Free bike repairs scheme to get cyclists on the road

CYCLISTS are able to get free bicycle repairs worth up to £50 from today as a new scheme launches.

The Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme has gone live at about 100 shops across the country.

A total of 30,000 bike repairs or maintenance jobs will be part of the Scottish Government scheme on a first-come basis.

Registration is not required – cyclists can simply attend the participating shops until the £1.5 million fund has expired.

The scheme is designed to get older bicycles back on the road and encourage active travel.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme is a critical part of our Covid-19 response and a key element in our wider green recovery. This step will help encourage older bikes back on to our roads and on to the new temporary infrastructure that local authorities have delivered through the Spaces for People initiative.

“At the same time, this will keep the many people who have rediscovered cycling during the lockdown period on their bikes through the winter. I’m pleased to see the increases in cycling and I’m confident active travel will play a big part in helping to manage on our public transport network.”

The scheme is being delivered through Cycling UK, which promotes the use the bicycles.

Suzanne Forup, Cycling UK’s head of development for Scotland said: “This scheme will help to fix flat tyres, loose brakes and clunky gears to get people across Scotland on their bikes.” n A CLUSTER of 13 cases of Covid19 linked to a pub in Aberdeen is being investigated by public health officials.NHS Grampian says the cases are associated with The Hawthorn Bar in the city centre.

The pub’s owners said that some customers who visited on Sunday July 26 have since tested positive for the virus. All those who tested positive are showing only mild symptoms, though the health board says there may be further cases linked to the cluster.

The Hawthorn Bar had physical distancing measures in place and contact tracing is being carried out. n YESTERDAY’S figures from the Scottish Government showed 31 new Covid cases, a positive test rate of 1.1%, one of the largest increases for several weeks.

There were no new deaths of people who had tested positive, meaning the total under this measurement remains at 2,491.