Students will start pedalling around Leeds in ever greater numbers this term, as a successful bike loan scheme expands in size.
Velocampus Leeds will almost double its fleet of bikes to 350 – a year on from becoming the first scheme of its kind in the UK - to help students at The University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University get around more actively.
The loan scheme is part of UTravelActive, a Lottery funded project led by sustainable transport charity Sustrans with additional funding from the two universities, NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council.
Students who benefited in its inaugural year included Tamara Bloom, who was a novice cyclist when she started cycling her daily commute from Chapel Allerton.
Tamara, aged 24, said: ”I’ve found riding a bike to be the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to travel as well as the most enjoyable - much more fun than a crowded bus! It’s also been the best way of getting exercise rather than having to find time to get to the gym or go for a jog.”
University of Leeds student John Pelletier also cycled to university every day, often beating the buses and cars on his journey in, and saving £3.20 in daily bus fares.
He said: “I’d recently lost weight and wanted to keep it off – and was really pleased to shed even more pounds by cycling to university every day.”
The 21-speed hybrid bikes are security stamped and coded. Each bike will be loaned out for the year, complete with lights and lock, on a first come first served basis.
UTravelActive project manager Lisa Brannan said: “We have been delighted with the take-up from students for this scheme. Cycling is the healthiest, most convenient and cheapest way for so many students to get to and from campus – and will also help to reduce traffic congestion throughout the day.”
Other UTravelActive activities include safer route planning and advice; self-help bike maintenance sessions; and bike buddying social rides, walks and events where novice cyclists team up with someone more experienced.
UTravelActive is part of a portfolio of projects being delivered by a Consortium of the leading walking cycling and health organisations and funded through the Big Lottery Fund's Wellbeing Programme. The Programme provides funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve wellbeing.
The Consortium is led by Sustrans and includes British Cycling, CTC, Cycling England, Living Streets, London Cycling Campaign, the National Heart Forum, the National Obesity Forum, the Ramblers’ Association, Campaign for Better Transport and Walk 21. It is delivering a portfolio of projects that will enable 2 million people nationwide to become more physically active by walking or cycling as part of their daily lives by 2012.
The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across
the UK since its inception in June 2004.
Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity. Its vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. It is achieving this through innovative but practical solutions to the UK’s transport challenges.
Sustrans’ flagship project, the National Cycle Network, is now around 12,000 miles and runs within one mile of over half the UK population. During 2007 over 354 million trips were made on the Network. It is maintained by a team of 2,400 volunteer Rangers.
Sustrans is an active member of Stop Climate Chaos, a coalition of environmental, development, women's, faith-based and activist organisations campaigning to stop climate change.
Project Manager Lisa Brannan recently visited Nantes University to find out how their successful university-based ‘Velocampus' cycle loan scheme operates and learnt some valuable tips from the team there.
<>
