Encouraging bicycle use for local journeys
Inspiring people who have access to a bike, but don't cycle, to start cycling.
| Location of intervention | National program |
| Contractor/delivery partner | Cycling UK |
| Scheme implementation dates | Yearly from 2015 onwards |
| Cost of scheme | £1 million in 2019 round |
| Funding source | Department for Transport (DfT) |
| BCR | Not available |
Why we did it
The Big Bike Revival was designed as a campaign to inspire and incentivise the large proportion of the population (42%) of who have access to a bike, but do not cycle, to start cycling.
37% of adults agreed that journeys completed under 2 miles in a car could easily be completed via bicycle. Helping travellers to fix their bikes can therefore facilitate an eco-friendly mode shift and supports the DfT’s vision of achieving a step-change in cycling levels.
How we did it
The Big Bike Revival is now in its fifth year. In this time, it’s grown from 2 weeks to 6 months of events offering free cycling activities. It focuses mainly on repairing bikes to road safety standards but also includes events such as social rides, route planning, cycle skills sessions and maintenance workshops, making a more well-rounded project.
What we did
In 2018, Cycling UK reached more than 40,000 people with the Big Bike Revival in England, fixing bikes, teaching skills and leading bike rides. Moreover, the demographics of people engaging in Big Bike Revival is consistent. In 2018 alone it engaged with 47% females, 47% of people identified as non-white ethnicity and 52% of beneficiaries lived in deprived areas as understood from the bottom 3 deciles of the Index Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scale.
Big Bike Revival in 2018 engaged with more delivery centres allowing Cycling UK to engage specifically with 40,036 beneficiaries, 12,808 of which have an improved perception of cycling safety and creating 13,065 new utility cycling trips.
How we did it
During the 2018 scheme 1,077 free events were delivered across England. This resulted in 20,908 people reporting they exercised more now after the programme and 7,334 non-regular cyclists increasing their cycling activity.
The benefits of this scheme will be seen in the long-term improvements to health and reduction in premature deaths due to the increased activity. There is also a cost-saving from the increase in journeys completed carbon-free.
Key figures
- Big Bike Revival is consistent. In 2018 alone it engaged with 47% females
- 13,065 new utility cycling trips created
- 7,334 non-regular cyclists increasing their cycling activity