UK's biggest student bike loan scheme gets ready to ride

Posted: 4th Sept 2010 | Source: Sustrans

Students in Nottingham will be taking to the saddle as the UK's biggest student bike loan scheme hits the city this autumn. Ucycle Nottingham - a scheme from sustainable transport charity Sustrans - will be launching its bike hire scheme on 8th September.

The project aims to make the city cleaner, greener and more sustainable by offering students at Nottingham Trent University and The University of Nottingham the chance to travel around the city cheaply, easily, and more actively by making walking and cycling part of their daily lives.

With most halls and student residential areas located within a five-mile radius of the universities, cycling is an easy, affordable and more sustainable way to make short everyday journeys thus helping cut traffic congestion and getting more people active in Nottingham.

Matthew Easter, Sustrans Regional Director for East Midlands, says,

"This project represents a real investment in Nottingham's future as a sustainable and healthy city. Ucycle not only benefits the students who get the freedom to travel how and when they choose - it offers great health benefits by getting people more active and creating a cleaner less congested city with reduced road traffic . It is a perfect example of how easy it is to put something in place that enables lots of people to make their everyday local journeys without always having to rely on cars."

Ucycle Nottingham is being delivered by Sustrans, and is funded by Nottingham City Council (including via EMDA), Cycling England, the city's two universities and the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The £3.32million project was conceived following a Nottingham Cycle Town proposal, which brought together partners across Nottingham to promote cycling including the Greater Nottingham Transport Partnership (GNTP). The project began in September 2009 and runs until July 2011.

Cllr Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for Transport & Area Working, says,

"Nottingham City Council is very committed to encouraging the use of sustainable and public transport. As a bike rider myself, I know that Nottingham is a great city to cycle around, particularly with our extensive network of cycle routes. I encourage as many people as possible to cycle - it's good for you and good for the environment."

Phillip Darnton, Chairman of Cycling England says,

"It's wonderful that Nottingham's teaching hospital and universities are so committed to the project since, as large employers they can have a significant role to play in changing people's travel behaviour. I am sure this exciting new bike loan scheme will prove to be one of the main tools in Ucycle Nottingham's ‘kit bag' to get both staff and students cycling more regularly for everyday journeys."

440 bikes will be available ready to ride and can be hired for the academic year. They come complete with lights, lock, mudguards, rack and servicing plus there is cycle training and support from the Ucycle Nottingham team. The bikes will cost £49 to hire, with a deposit of £100, and the scheme is open to all students. As well as hiring the bikes, they will also benefit from a range of initiatives including new and improved cycling information and advice, , Students will also be offered cycle training to improve their cycling confidence and maps of the city to help them explore Nottingham by bike.

Professor Alan Dodson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Infrastructure at the University of Nottingham says,

"The launch of the Bike Loan scheme is the highlight of the very successful Ucycle Nottingham project. The opportunity for our students to inexpensively hire new bikes for their journeys in and around our campuses gives a tremendous boost to our campaign to improve the sustainability of our university activities. The scheme will complement the numerous Ucycle initiatives over the last year which have benefitted both staff and students. A small number of the bikes in the scheme will be earmarked for staff use in travelling between our Nottingham campuses."

Grant Anderson, Environmental Manager at Nottingham Trent University says,

"With a strong commitment to helping the environment and promoting healthy lifestyles for students and staff, Nottingham Trent University is delighted to be involved in the Ucycle scheme. We're really looking forward to everybody enjoying the benefits that the scheme is aiming to bring to the city."

Over the last 12 months the Ucycle project team have been working with staff and students at both universities and the Nottingham Universities Hospitals Trust to increase levels of cycling with events and rides. Events have included Dr Bike Maintenance events, the Big Bike Wash, Bike Buddying, and a Brighten your Bike winter riding safety campaign. As well have running events and communicating the benefits of cycling to staff and students the project staff have been working with partners to complete infrastructure improvements to new and existing cycle routes, They have also worked hard to improve facilities for cyclists including, shower facilities, lockers secure storage and covered cycle parking. These events will continue into 2010/11.

Steph Knowles, Health and Wellbeing Coordinator, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, says,

"Modern life has meant more of us are much less active with many of us not reaching the recommended 150 minutes a week. Being active reduces the risk of a number of health conditions, helps reduce stress and anxiety and has a number of social benefits. Cycling and particularly cycling to work is an easy way to fit in physical activity. It helps to lose weight and is a great form of aerobic exercise that is affordable and has the added benefit of getting you places. Some of our newer cyclists have been amazed at how quickly their fitness has improved just from cycling for 20 minutes a day. Q Active has been promoting cycling to work as part of it's commitment to supporting staff to improve health and wellbeing in the Trust. We're delighted to be able to work in partnership with Ucycle Nottingham to improve our staff's health through cycling."