Community comes together to celebrate cycling boost for east Leeds
A community celebration was held at The Compton Centre, Harehills,to mark the arrival of a fleet of new bikes and bike parking at four community hubs, helping more people in east Leeds overcome barriers to cycling.
12 March 2019
New bikes and bike parking at four community hubs to help get more people cycling
A community celebration was held at The Compton Centre, Harehills, yesterday (Monday 11 March) to mark the arrival of a fleet of new bikes and bike parking at four community hubs, helping more people in east Leeds overcome barriers to cycling.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s £60m CityConnect programme, which works in partnership with local authorities and other organisations to encourage more people to travel by bike or on foot, has funded 14 new bikes and 10 bike lockers, as well as locks, spare parts and advance bike maintenance training for a member of staff to service the fleet.
In addition to The Compton Centre, Seacroft’s Community Hub at Deacon House, Seacroft South One Stop Centre and Halton Library have also benefitted from the new cycling facilities.
All four community hubs are located near to CityConnect’s segregated cycling and walking route between Seacroft and Leeds city centre (CS2), which is the latest section of the award-winning Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway to be completed.
Members of the community were joined by Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, at the celebration, which included pedal-powered smoothies and fruit delivered by cargo bike, e-bike trials, and free bike checks.
The CityConnect team was also on hand with information about routes, as well as free adult cycle training and bike maintenance sessions.
Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, said: “From tackling physical inactivity and obesity to reducing congestion on our roads and improving air quality – encouraging more people to cycle and walk benefits us all.
“This work builds on what’s already been achieved through CityConnect’s community grant scheme, through which 22 organisations were awarded a total of more than £170,000 last year.
“Working with organisations already at the heart of our communities to provide tailored support, helping people overcome barriers and access to employment, education and training via a cost-effective, convenient means of transport, is absolutely vital.”
CityConnect’s community grants scheme invited not-for-profit organisations to bid for grants of up to £10,000 to deliver grassroots initiatives enabling people living and working in their community to access work, school or training opportunities by cycling or walking.
Each project focused on providing local solutions to local barriers with initiatives ranging from pool bikes and bike loans to led cycles and walks, increasing people’s confidence on two wheels, route planning, building employment skills through activities such as bike maintenance, and connecting people with employers through job fairs and work clubs.
