Five cycle hubs have opened this week within three communities in Hull.
Local cycling charity R-evolution has teamed up with Hull City Council to provide the new cycle hubs, offering:
- free safety checks on bicycles;
- free bicycle repairs on site (punctures, brakes, gears and adjustments);
- free demonstrations on how to fix minor repairs;
- free confidence-building sessions for those lacking cycling experience;
- free community guided rides with professionally trained lead riders;
- “Build a Bike” workshop sessions for young people as part of six-week courses.
Working with community partners, the cycle hub project aims to create a sustainable community cycle model and encourage people to choose active travel for commuting to work, for days out and as their first choice of local travel.
The hubs will work closely with each community to make sure bikes are repaired and safe to ride, and will aim to lend bikes to those who need them in order to join in with the project.
Each hub will be staffed by two trained volunteers, who will be trained by R-evolution to a City & Guilds Level 1 Cycle Mechanics qualification.
The volunteers will be trained at the charity’s Cottingham workshop as well as gaining onsite experience at the hub events each week, learning how to take over the project and develop ideas for the project and their community.
The locations and opening times of the five cycle hubs are…
| Partner | Venue | Day and time |
| Tigers Trust | Tigers Trust Arena, West Park, Walton Street, HU3 6GA | Mondays 10am-3pm |
| Goodwin Development Trust | Thornton Village Hall, Walker Street, HU3 2EZ | Wednesdays 10am-3pm |
| The Peel Project | Peel Street Park, Peel Street, HU3 1QS | Wednesdays 4pm-7pm |
| Time Bank Hull & East RIding | Marfleet Community Centre, Swanfield Road, HU9 4PX | Thursdays 11am-3pm |
| Child Dynamix | Shelley Avenue Sports Centre, Shelley Ave, HU9 4RN | Thursdays 4pm-6pm |
R-evolution also plans to run “twilight” sessions, where the hubs will be taken out of their surroundings and into other parts of the community, such as The Hut, the Child Dynamix youth club in Preston Road.
John Marshall, CEO of R-evolution, said: “Our mechanics love nothing better than getting out into the community and encouraging people to get on their bike.
“We have worked with Hull City Council to plan a range of activities that will provide people with safe bikes and the confidence to enjoy cycling. We’ll also be training people up in local communities to help out with the project”
As well as benefitting the local economy, cycling supports the council’s ambition to encourage more people to use sustainable forms of travel, as well as the Government’s strategy to tackle obesity by encouraging GPs to prescribe cycling as a way to lose weight.
For more information, contact R-evolution on 01482 844422, email info@r-evolution.org.uk, or visit the R-evolution website.
