Raleigh has been awarded a contract to supply 5,000 bicycles to Birmingham City Council. The company, which was founded in Nottingham in 1885 and made its last bike in the UK in 2002, was selected through a tender process that specified the criteria for an especially sturdy bike suitable for inner-city journeys.
The first batch of 1,500 Big Birmingham Bikes will be delivered at the end of January. A further 1,500 will arrive in mid-February and March, with the remaining 2,000 due to be delivered shortly afterwards.
Lisa Trickett, a Cabinet Member at Birmingham City Council, said: “The bikes are for our Birmingham Cycle Revolution project and will help shape the future of cycling in the city. The bikes and hire schemes will give people who cannot afford a bike a chance of having one, with 3,000 of them loaned free to people who can demonstrate that they will take care of them.
“Meanwhile, 1,000 will be available for long-term hire and a further 1,000 will be held at local Cycle Centres for day hire and short-term loans.
“On its own, it would be madness to give 3,000 bikes away, but it is only one part of a package of measures that include infrastructure and behavioural changes. We are putting cycle lanes around canals and around the MAC arts centre, we are improving cycle lanes on major routes around the city, and we have a range of schemes that involve working with schools.”
To qualify for a free bike loan, users will need a Birmingham City Council leisure card and must complete cycling proficiency and maintenance courses. For more information, visit the Birmingham City Council Web site.