Dr Bike available to hospital staff during Llantrisant Community Route opening at Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
Credit: J Bewley/Sustrans
- Charity Sustrans has created Cycles 4 Key Workers information point to make cycling easier for key workers amid Covid-19
- The first online map shows offers on bike purchasing and hire, equipment, repair and maintenance services available to key workers in their local area
- It also lists bike stores that remain open, following the UK Government’s announcement last month
- Cycling helps maintain physical distancing and is a reliable way to travel for those needing to make essential journeys.
Key workers across Wales can now find cycle-related offers and locate bike stores that are open in their local area, with a live online map launched today.
The map was produced by the walking and cycling charity Sustrans to make cycling easier for key workers as they travel to and from work each day.
A single repository of information, the map displays four different types of pins for each kind of offer, including: access to a bike; repairs and maintenance; equipment and gear; and for bike stores that remain open across the UK.
The information resource also features links to cycling and walking tips, and other useful content.
Around 40% of the UK workforce are classed by the UK Government as key workers, including NHS employees, cleaners, carers and supermarket workers.
Following the UK-wide lockdown announced by the Government last month, bicycle shops were one of the few retailers listed by the Government to remain open, if they wish to, to ensure transport for key workers and last-mile deliveries can be maintained.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the cycling industry came together to provide assistance and offers on cycles and services to key workers to say thank you for their invaluable work in these difficult times.
Sustrans Cymru Interim Deputy Director, Neil Canham, said:
“It’s fantastic to see how the cycling industry has come together to support the people who are working so hard to get us through this crisis. The online map was created with the needs of key workers in mind and we hope it will prove useful for everyone needing to cycle to work, be it an experienced commuter who may need a spare part or a novice who needs access to a bike.
“In the Covid-19 crisis, cycling offers a healthy and convenient transportation alternative for key workers. And so long as the 2m social distancing is observed, it can help them keep a safe physical distance from others.
“An average commute is 5 miles – a distance that can be easily cycled in less than 30 minutes, with the right infrastructure in place. The Welsh Government has recognised the role cycling can play in helping key workers travel in these challenging times, and we hope this will inspire long-term funding for better walking and cycling infrastructure that Wales needs.”
Lee Waters, Deputy Transport Minister, said:
“Cycling is an important mode of transport in these times, allowing people to make essential journeys including critical workers getting to work. Our entire transport system has been adapting to the challenges of coronavirus and this is a welcome initiative.
“Of course I would like to encourage people to cycle safely, by keeping distance from others and observing general advice on hygiene practices.”
Rachel Aldred, Reader in Transport at the University of Westminster, said:
“I welcome this initiative helping make cycling more accessible for key workers and others making essential journeys.
“Cycling is a healthy mode of transport that can serve many such trips while being compatible with physical distancing. I’d like to see government and transport authorities doing their bit to enable safer cycling, as in Bogota where a large network of temporary cycle tracks has been quickly put in place to support essential trips.”
If you are a key worker and need bike related assistance or access to a bike to get to work during the pandemic, visit Cycles 4 Key Workers: www.sustrans.org.uk/keyworkers – live on Thursday 16th April.
If you have an offer for Key Workers or your bike store is open during the pandemic and it’s not listed on the Cycles 4 Key Workers map, please fill in the form. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/cycleoffers
