Would-be cyclists have just days left to apply for the next stage of a free bike giveaway in Birmingham.
Hundreds of people across the city have already put their names into the hat for Big Birmingham Bikes, with the first wave of 1,500 cycles given away earlier this year. Now applicants have a second chance, with another 1,500 bikes set to be awarded next week. The closing date for the second draw is Monday 30th March.
Part of Birmingham City Council’s £24.3 million Birmingham Cycle Revolution, Big Birmingham Bikes is a ground-breaking initiative aiming to encourage people of all backgrounds to get cycling regularly.
In December, Raleigh bikes was awarded the contract to provide 5,000 Big Birmingham Bikes that will help encourage more cycling in the city. 3,000 of the new Raleigh bikes will be given away to people who are keen to cycle but unable to afford it. The remaining 2,000 will be used to hire out around the city.
To qualify for a free bike loan, users must be aged over 16. They will need a valid Birmingham City Council leisure card and have taken and passed the learn-to-ride Bikeability Level 2 and cycle maintenance courses. Bikes will be allocated by a postcode lottery to people who register on the scheme and pass the necessary courses.
Big Birmingham Bikes Project Manager John Carrigan said: “The response to this scheme has been phenomenal and the first successful applicants are already enjoying their new bikes.
“The popularity of this scheme clearly shows that many people across Birmingham are interested in cycling but struggle to meet the cost of a new bike. The giveaway is just one part of our overall work to get more people cycling in Birmingham. We’re putting cycle lanes around canals, improving cycling lanes on major routes around the city. We also have a range of training opportunities.”
To apply go to: www.birmingham.gov.uk/bbb Successful applicants will be informed by email or phone.
They will then need to either complete cycle training up to Bikeability Level 2 and attend a two-hour cycle maintenance course, run across 22 new cycle centres across the whole city, or sign a disclaimer to say that they are already up to Bikeability Level 2. More details are available at www.birmingham.gov.uk and www.bikeright.co.uk/westmidlands/bigbirminghambikes.
