Scottish Cycling can today announce ambitious plans to grow the network of youth cycling clubs as a key legacy outcome of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
Clubs are the heart of our community. Supporting a network of inclusive and engaging clubs, where everyone has an opportunity to play their part in the cycling community, is the principle priority of the Scottish Cycling Club Development Team. We passionately believe in the power of the bike club and are committed to inspiring and empowering all Scottish Cycling affiliated clubs.
2023 is a huge year for cycling in Scotland, where the eyes and imagination of not only our nation, but the world, will be focused on the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. This offers us a once in a generation opportunity to build on the excitement of our young people by inspiring them to ride bikes and develop new youth cycling clubs that reflect local needs.
Initial analysis of the current club network and gaps has identified around 23 locations in Scotland that would benefit most from the establishment of new youth cycling activity. As a legacy of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, Scottish Cycling is excited to launch Project 23, where we will work with local communities, groups and volunteers to establish 23 new youth cycling clubs across Scotland.
Our commitment to grow the youth cycling club network is coupled with an ambition to ensure that young people experience less barriers to their participation in the sport. There is already significant work underway within the existing club network, notably through our Rock Up and Ride programme, focused work as highlighted in the Women and Girls Club Toolkit and countless other initiatives on the ground that are supporting young people to engage in cycling. Our identification of new locations for these clubs is also focused on ensuring that transport can become less of a barrier to an individuals participation in cycling. We know from speaking to exisiting clubs, that some participants are travelling between Local Authorities, and in some instances for over an hour to participate in their clubs activities.
People are at the heart of clubs. As a Club Development Team, we have the expertise, knowledge and time to help and guide anyone who shares our ambitions to provide more opportunities for young people to cycle. You don't need to be an experienced cyclist, or even been involved in running a club before. Bring your passion and we can support with the rest.
We are taking a phased approach to our identification of new locations where we want to work with communities to develop clubs, and will be focusing initially on:
- Western Isles (Isle of Lewis/Isle of Harris)
- Clackmannanshire (Clackmannan)
- Argyll and Bute (Oban & Helensburgh)
- Midlothian (Penicuik or West Linton)
- East Renfrewshire (Newton Mearns or Barrhead)
- East Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch or Bishopbriggs)
- West Dunbartonshire (Balloch)
- East Ayrshire (Dalmellington).
- East Lothian (North Berwick/Dunbar)
- Highlands (Skye & Golspie & Fort Augustus & Aviemore)
- Aberdeenshire (Huntly/Banff)
- Aberdeen City
- Fife (St Andrews/Cupar)
- Perthshire (Pitlochry/Dunkeld/Blairgowrie & Crieff/Comrie/Auchterarder)
- North Ayrshire (Largs)
- South Ayrshire (Irvine/Troon)
- Glasgow North (Bearsden/Milngavie)
- Inverclyde (Greenock/Port Glasgow)
- North Lanarkshire (Kilsyth)
