June 30th 2014

Bike recycling scheme – Bike Back Derby urgently needs donations, and have set up a permanent collection point at Derby Rail Station thanks to East Midlands Trains.

Anyone with an unused, unwanted adult bike, are invited to drop it off with East Midlands Trains Customer Service Staff at the train station.

Paul Mobbs, East Midlands Trains said “East Midlands Trains are very happy to help out at Derby station, giving our passengers the opportunity to drop off any unused or unwanted adult bikes with any of our customer service staff, which will then be collected by Bike Back Derby. The new cycle parking facilities at Derby station have been a great success and welcomed with open arms by cyclist travelling to and from the station. The Bike recycling scheme is an excellent idea and we hope it will play a part encouraging more customers to cycle to and from the station in the future”.

Bike Back Derby, part of local charity Life Cycle UK, works with prisoners at HMP Stocken and teaches them highly valued skills in cycle mechanics.  On leaving prison, inmates who have worked on our project will have achieved a City & Guilds level 2 in cycle mechanics, currently the highest level awarded.  Once refurbished and checked over by a qualified mechanic, they are sold at affordable prices with the aim of helping people on low incomes to start cycling. The scheme saves old bikes from landfill, teaches prisoners employability skills and provides a supply of refurbished bikes for the community.   The scheme has been set up through Connected, the local sustainable travel initiative, set up in November 2012, following the successful bid to DfT’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Councillor Rawson, Cabinet Member for Planning, Environment & Public Protection said:

Derby already has a high number of people who cycle around our city, and I am very excited about Connected and Bike Back Derby scheme, and the developments it will bring.  Almost everyone has an unused bike in their garage or shed, and the fact that these bikes can now be recycled at the train station is fantastic.  More bikes can be offered at low costs, which will allow more people to take up cycling, which have massive advantages for the city.  I welcome the reduction in congestion and pollution, and look forward to seeing more people moving around Derby sustainably.”

Jon Hughes, Project Manager of Bike Back Derby, commented:

Bike Back is win, win, win all the way. It helps prisoners learn new skills; it helps the environment by reducing waste and it helps people on low incomes get bikes, get cycling and get fit. However, we desperately need more bikes, so please help us keep this brilliant project going by donating your old bike anytime at the train station”.