Press release, [embargo] 00:01 Wednesday 1 September 2021
Cycling opportunities in Poplar go up a gear as community cycle hub launches to overcome barriers Safety, confidence and bike storage are some of the top barriers to cycling being addressed by Chrisp Street Community Cycles, a holistic community “cycle hub” pilot that has launched in Poplar, Tower Hamlets. Environmental charity Hubbub, in collaboration with housing association Poplar Harca and walking and cycling charity Sustrans, has transformed an empty high street shop into a bike library with a difference. The project not only lends out kids and adult bikes and accessories to the local community for free, but also provides cycling advice, guided rides, free bike repairs and even access to a disco bike. The scheme has been part inspired by a group of women taking part in a project for those who may be less likely to cycle, including Muslim women and women of colour in Bow, Tower Hamlets. The project, which Hubbub runs in partnership with charity Cycle Sisters, aims to overcome barriers through weekly social rides where women can cycle in a supportive and social environment. In line with the Tower Hamlets Bike Life (2019) report, this project also found that safety concerns and storage were the two of the biggest barriers preventing women from cycling. Building on this, Chrisp Street Community Cycles will pilot whether access to training, social rides and free bike loans will encourage more residents to cycle. The Tower Hamlets Bike Life report also found that only 6% of women and 16% of men cycle at least once a week in Tower Hamlets and overall, 36% of residents feel that they should cycle more. The new hub will be testing whether some of the barriers can be overcome – for example it will provide ’learn to cycle’ sessions and family and social rides to increase skills and confidence. It will also provide bikes for both children and adults to borrow for free to overcome storage issues, with Tower Hamlets being the second most densely populated borough in the UK. 1 The Government aims for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030, as recently set out in its Decarbonising Transport report. Covid lockdowns have