Inclusive bike scheme launches at UHI Inverness

UHI Inverness has been chosen as the Scottish base for the Inclusive Cycling Experience, a free cycle loan scheme that gives people with disabilities and long-term health conditions improved access to active travel.

Seventeen cycles, including a four-seater fun train, trikes, hand cycles, tandems and adaptable bikes, have been provided by Cycling UK and will be available to hire from a storage unit on the Inverness Campus for the next two years.

The bikes have been provided thanks to funding from the Motability Foundation. Regular skills sessions will be run by Cycling UK community development officers Iain Bamber and Katie Noble to allow users to become familiar with the cycles.

They have been designed to be used by people of varied abilities, including wheelchair users and those with sight loss.

UHI Inverness offers a number of Supported Education classes and has students of all physical abilities. The cycles will be available to UHI Inverness students and the wider public.

The partnership was launched at an event attended by UHI Inverness students and the sessions were introduced this month. Initially the cycle loans will be for one day, but that could be extended to one month. Guidance will also be given to access funding to purchase an inclusive cycle if users opt to buy one.

Cycling UK is a national charity that aims to make cycling accessible for all. It is launching just one other similar scheme in the UK that will be based in Manchester.

Cycling UK’s Programme Manager James Palser said: “We’re providing inclusive cycles that can be used by people with long-term health conditions or disabilities to offer an inclusive cycling experience to meet the needs of the community.

“We will be offering cycles out on loan, and we will be providing weekday try-out sessions lasting one to two hours to improve skills and confidence for anyone in Inverness.

“The whole idea is for us to support people and enable them to take part in active travel by travelling in a different way and it is important to allow people to experience that in a way that meets their needs.

“Inverness is an ideal place for us to test this scheme because it is a small city with new infrastructure. It also has a good mix of urban areas and links to allow people to travel around Inverness, but also has access to beautiful natural surroundings and we’re hoping people will use our cycles to explore their local area in a tailored and personal way.”

To book a session or a cycle loan either scan the QR code on the storage container at the back of the UHI Inverness building or visit:  Inverness Inclusive Cycling Experience Booking | Cycling UK

It has long been the ambition of the college to host these bikes. Kelly Mackenzie, the ICT Project Manager at UHI Inverness, began discussions with UK Cycling in 2019 and the charity provided the funding to purchase the cycle storage container.

“I’m so pleased that the scheme is up and running and our collaboration with Cycling UK has resulted in a really successful launch with many of our students of all abilities trying out the cycles. It was great to see them get so much out of it,” said Kelly.

“We’re now looking forward to hosting the skills and confidence sessions and seeing people out and about on our inclusive bikes. I really appreciate the support and funding we’ve received from Cycling UK and the Motability Foundation.”