It’s been a while since our last post, but we haven’t been hibernating, instead we’ve been working on growing the project as we head towards our third year… That work has paid off and we have some exciting announcements to make, so read on and be merry!
First off, we have listened to your suggestions in that consultation many of you filled in all those months ago and in response to the most popular request, we have secured funding to buy two (brand new, top of the range) e-cargo bikes which will be available for short term hires. They will be two very different styles of bike, so we should have something to suit everyone. Watch this space, as soon as we have an arrival date for the new bikes we’ll let you all know and you can book in for your first hire! In the meantime, we still have our 5 e-bikes and child trailer available for month-long hires, so do get in touch if you would like to hire one.
We have also got funding to expand the project to include more regular Dr. Bikes and Bike Rides as well as Safe Cycling sessions for adults to increase our confidence and knowledge of cycling on the roads (I’d encourage anyone to join these even if you cycle on the roads regularly, as we can all learn something from these sessions). We also plan to run bike rides and activities for kids and their parents, and will be doing an in-depth feasibility study to see how a community library of e-vehicles could serve our local transport needs in a comprehensive and sustainable way. More details on all of this later on. If you are interested in the Safe Cycling sessions or have any comments or suggestions for any of the other proposed activities please do get in touch, we will endeavour to attend to each person’s specific needs to the best of our abilities and resources.
Thanks to the funders whose support is crucial in enabling this fantastic project to exist and grow. The Energy Saving Trust (ebike grant fund) are funding the purchase of the two new e-cargo bikes and associated equipment and Paths for All (Smarter Choices, Smarter Paths open fund) and the National Lottery (Awards for All fund) will jointly be funding the running costs of the project until March next year.
Power to your Pedals!