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The police and five not-for-profit organisations dedicated to supporting local communities across Greater Manchester have been given a bike boost, thanks to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and GreaterSport.
Greater Manchester Police’s Transport Unit, Sale Sharks Community Trust, One Manchester Housing Association, Wigan Borough Armed Forces Community HQ, Barnardo’s BeU Project and Greater Manchester Bridges Outcomes Partnerships will receive their share of 70 bikes to support community members throughout the region.
The bikes have previously been used by local businesses and employers, including the NHS, as part of a range of TfGM schemes to promote and encourage active travel.
All the bikes were serviced and reconditioned prior to donation and will now be used in a range of community projects that will increase access to bikes and support active travel.
The Transport Unit, dedicated to keeping public transport users, cyclists and pedestrians safe, will use their bikes to enable front line officers to increase their coverage across transport networks and have a greater presence in the local communities they serve.
The five not-for-profit organisations will use their bikes to deliver a range of projects that will make it easier for community members to travel to work, connect with each other and embrace a more active lifestyle.
Increased access to bikes through projects like these closely aligns to the delivery of The Bee Network, with a new Greater Manchester cycle hire scheme due to be launched in November 2021.
Greater Manchester’s transport commissioner Chris Boardman said: “I am delighted that the repurposed bikes are going to make such a positive impact to organisations across the city region.
“We have ambitious plans to quadruple cycling levels in Greater Manchester and increased access to bikes, including more visibility of organisations like Greater Manchester Police making use of them in their daily work is key.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve given these bikes a new lease of life. Given the many health and wellbeing benefits of cycling and walking, I know that the bikes will be a hit with the people that can now use them to do their important work.”
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