New opportunities to do free cycling activities in Birmingham

I've been asked to help publicise this scheme, which will hopefully get more people cycling. So here is the information from the Sky Ride Birmingham website.

"Be Active by Bike is an exciting new initiative funded by the NHS and delivered by British Cycling which encourages people to start cycling in Birmingham.

 Cycle Hubs have been set up to provide free access to bikes and cycling activities for those who don’t currently cycle. The hubs are perfect if you're new to cycling, or haven’t been on a bike for ages, as they're designed to help beginners gain confidence.


Hubs have been set up at the following locations:
Handsworth Leisure Centre (0121 464 6336)
Court Road Health and Fitness (0121 303 1700)
Nechells Community Sports Centre (0121 464 4373)
Ackers Adventure (07799 454181)
The HUB – Bromford Drive (0121 448 3739)
Ward End Park (07834 517347)

Each hub has 15 adult bikes and includes the following free activities*: led rides, cycle training with qualified Bikeability instructors, community group bike hire.

To access any of these facilities contact your nearest hub. For more information about the scheme, email dawnrahman@britishcycling.org.uk.

*You must have a Be Active leisure card to take part in any activities.

I know Digbeth Residents association were keen to find somewhere local to here for a hub, but hopefully these locations will all be well used and get communities cycling together.
If anyone has cycling events planned, please let us know and if you want to help us launch more bike trains this year, also get in touch.

Joe Peacock

Free Discover Cycling Event

At Birmingham FoE we are keen on promoting cycling, but there's another organisation who dedicate all their time to it, so here's some information about an event they're putting on later this month.

Free Discover Cycling Event to be held on Tuesday 19th April, 7pm at Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, By Pushbikes

Pushbikes are based in our office at The Warehouse and work towards making Birmingham and the West Midlands safer and more pleasant places to cycle and to encourage people to make more journeys by bike. A recent article published in the Daily Mail quotes Mr Bennett, the Chairman of Pushbikes talking about a tiny cycle lane 50ft long - typical of Birmingham's attitude to cycling.
They hold meetings on the third Tuesday of the month at 19:30 which are open to all and are a good chance to come along and air your own views on matters arising, or ones of your own concern.

Topics of discussion which Pushbikes seeks to achieve include:

• Increasing cycling trips to 10% of non walk trips
• Creation of a 500 mile road based cycle route network
• An off-road cycle network
• 20% of pupils traveling to school by bike
• Cycle provision/priority at major junctions
• Cycle parking in (new) residences, public buildings, stations and shopping areas
• Lowering speed limits - 50% of road lengths in residential areas to be 20mph. No speed limit over 30mph elsewhere
• Cycle friendly traffic calming extended in residential areas
• Car free centres - within Queensway and Convention Centre area and selected suburbs.

Lowering speed limits from 30mph to 20mph would encourage more people to travel by bicycle as journeys would seem safer and fears of traffic would be reduced. We have also been campaigning for this for some time. There is also growing evidence of the health benefits and positive attitudes towards lowering speed limits.

Other events coming up organised by Pushbikes include these rides: Dodford Inn near Bromsgrove on Sunday 24th April; Bull's Head near Earlswood on Sunday 29th May.