Since providing free e-cycle loans to NHS employees in Sheffield through the Making cycling e-asier scheme, bikes and skills and confidence sessions have been snapped up by those looking to save money during the cost-of-living-crisis and whizz to work with confidence.
The loans and opportunities to try e-cycles isn’t just limited to NHS staff. Cycling UK is inviting communities across Sheffield to celebrate Cycle to Work Day on Thursday 3 August by signing up to the scheme, which is available across several locations in the area.
By driving less and cycling more, NHS staff have cut down on shorter journeys to and from work, which previously they might have driven, and in doing so made the daily commute more enjoyable.
Dr Jaimee Wylam, public health registrar at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Since falling off my bike as a child, I have always felt nervous cycling on busy roads, however I recently noticed that, according to Google Maps, it was quicker for me to pedal to work than it was to get the bus.
“I decided to face my fears and sign up for a free one-hour e-bike skills and confidence session. First the team showed me how to use the e-bike, and then we did some practice in a safe space.
“I then signed up for a free one-month loan, and despite being nervous initially, I really enjoyed my first pedal home and continued to use the e-cycle to commute most days.”
Sarah Ellison, sustainability lead at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, added:
“Making cycling e-asier is giving staff at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust the chance to try e-cycling instead of driving for short everyday journeys.
“Cycling regularly has so many mental and physical health benefits and supports our mission to combat climate crisis. E-cycles open these benefits to more people than ever.
“We have heard lots of great stories of people enjoying their free loans and sessions, getting active at times they wouldn’t have previously and sometimes even taking the plunge and buying their own.”
Jenny Box, deputy director of Making cycling e-asier, commented:
“The success and interest in our e-bike loans from NHS staff in Sheffield shows how a bit of an electric assist can be for everyone – whether you’re looking to save money, time, get fit or make your commute a bit greener.
“The loans and skills and confidence sessions are completely free and available to everyone over the age of 18. As people struggle with the impact on the cost of living and look for greener ways to travel, we hope we can help many more people to consider e-cycling as an everyday affordable mode of transport.”
Sheffield residents can access free one-month e-cycle loans from Evans Cycles, alongside loans and skills and confidence sessions which are available at Making cycling e-asier community hubs Green Estate and Shipshape.
Funded by Department for Transport, people can sign up and find more information about the scheme via Cycling UK’s website.
One month e-cycle loans are based on a first come first serve basis with limited availability.
Confirmed Making cycling e-asier partners supporting the delivery include Evans Cycles, Raleigh Bikes, Specialized, Tier Mobility, Islabikes, Wheels for All, Bikeworks, Fusion Media, Modeshift, Cyclescheme, Bike Right, Sharebike, Transport for Quality of Life.
For more information, please visit cyclinguk.org/making-cycling-e-asier.
ENDS
For more information, please contact the national Cycling UK press office. If you would like to speak to a member of the press office during working hours (0900-1700) please call Joanne Clark on 07917 243925 or email publicity@cyclinguk.org. Out of hours, call 07584 271 300.
Cycling UK, the UK’s cycling charity, imagines a world where the streets are free of congestion and the air is clean to breathe, where parents encourage their children to cycle to school and everyone shares the exhilaration of being in the saddle. For more than 140 years, we’ve been making our streets safer, opening up new traffic free routes and inspiring more people to cycle more often. cyclinguk.org
The Department for Transport works with its agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps the UK’s businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country. It plans and invests in transport infrastructure to keep the UK on the move.
The new executive agency, Active Travel England, delivers the government’s cycling and walking priorities, enabling more people in England to choose walking and cycling for their everyday journeys.
