Cycling projects receive cash boost
Community groups and organisations have been awarded funding to help increase the number of people cycling in Colchester.
This is the second round of Small Grants funding to be awarded by Cycle Colchester to provide support to grassroots schemes to encourage more people to travel by bike.
The funding will support a diverse range of projects – from fitting cycle storage and lockers to buying grasstrack bikes and providing bike maintenance lessons.
Cllr Nick Barlow, Colchester Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, said: “It’s fantastic to see the community really taking on board the challenge to get more people cycling more safely, more often. The funding will help to kick start a wide range of projects and we look forward to seeing increased numbers of cyclists as a result.”
Cllr Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s Cycling Champion, said: “The Small Grants Scheme is a great way of giving the community the chance to identify often quite small measures that are needed to encourage more people to cycle. Many of the schemes which received the first round of funding have already started to see some real successes and the good news is that we are looking to offer a third round of funding later this year.”
Will Bramhill of the Colchester Cycling Campaign, said: “Providing this kind of investment is a real benefit of being a Cycling Town and we look forward to seeing how all of the schemes perform.”
Funding has been awarded to the following projects:
- £1,995 to Colchester Rovers Cycling Club to buy grasstrack bikes to help increase participation in weekly grasstrack sessions
- £186 to fit cycle parking at Castle Methodist Church
- £2,000 to fit cycle parking to serve numbers 1 to 72 Claremont Heights
- £2,000 to fit cycle parking to serve numbers 73 to 162 Claremont Heights
- £1,973 to fit lockers for cyclists at the University of Essex
- £1,327 to fit lockers for cyclists at the Primary Care Centre
- £1,900 to Re-Cycle to provide An Introduction to Bike Safety and Maintenance courses this summer
- £2,000 to Footprints Theatre Company to provide a Cycle and Seek family treasure hunt by bike event at Salary Brook on 25 July.
- £1,868 to Colchester Sixth Form College to provide additional cycle storage
- £1,900 to the Childrens’ Support Service Wivenhoe to provide bikes, helmets and storage to support its Wivenhoe Wheels project
- £1,123 to Anglian Cycle Training to provide cyclist training for residents at the YMCA Foyer.
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Tenants at Colchester’s YMCA are getting set to cycle after receiving six pool bikes and cycling equipment, funded through the first round of Cycle Colchester small grants. The bikes are being used by homeless young people aged 16 to 25 who live at the Colchester YMCA to help them experience the benefits of cycling. The bikes are available for them to use to travel to training, education and employment as well as during leisure time.
Colchester YMCA is a supported housing unit offering accommodation and support to homeless young people aged 16 to 25 years. It has the capacity for 44 young people. Sara Ajala of Colchester YMCA, said: “Often our tenants are disengaged from society; neither in education nor work. We provide the support they need to return to employment and education but often finding affordable transport to get them to college or work is a challenge. By encouraging them to take up cycling it will give them the freedom to get around, as well as encouraging them to become more active. We also hope that they will enjoy the social side of cycling too, going out together by bike in the evenings or at weekends.” The idea of creating a bike stable at YMCA Colchester was raised at a Residents’ Meeting, and has been well supported by the tenants. |
The scheme has received a further boost, as under the second round of Small Grants, funding has been awarded to provide training to the young people to help give them more confidence to travel by bike.NOTE TO EDITORS
For more information about Cycle Colchester contact Clare Urwin, Cycle Colchester Communications Co-ordinator, on 07905 244281.
Colchester is one of just 18 towns and cities in England to be awarded Cycling Town status.
£2.1m of funding has been awarded from Cycling England which has been match funded by Essex County Council to promote and encourage cycling, and develop a comprehensive cycle network in the town over the three years up to March 2011.
The project is being delivered in partnership by Essex County Council, Colchester Borough Council, local cycling groups and other key stakeholders.
