Scotland cycle repair scheme

The Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme is providing free repairs and maintenance, to get thousands of people across Scotland on their bikes.

Cycling UK's research and evaluation manager previews some fascinating data emerging from the Scheme.

With a third of Scottish households having access to an adult bike and Covid-19 reducing public transport options for many people, the Scottish Government funded 30,000 bike services and repairs up to the value of £50 starting in August 2020.  By April 2021 over 23,000 bike repairs had been completed at over 315 bike shops, active travel organisations and independent mechanics under the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme, with the final repairs to be completed by June.

Cycling UK is administering the project and have collected over 4,000 follow up surveys from repair recipients so far.  From interim data, there are already glimpses of a bigger, fascinating picture. So far it appears that repair recipients in rural areas were just as likely as their urban counterparts to say they had started or intended to start cycling for journeys that they had previously taken by car, demonstrating the impact of the scheme in encouraging a modal shift to cycling in all types of community across the country.  “[Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme] allowed me to get my bike properly repaired when I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise,”  says Sarah, from the Isle of Skye, who has been using her bike for essential journeys.

The data so far also shows huge wellbeing benefits for repair recipients alongside greater transport flexibility. The full dataset will provide a nationwide insight into the motivations and influences on cycling behaviour.  Final reporting on the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme will be complete by July 2021.  For more information, please contact Corra Boushel, research and evaluation manager on corra.boushel@cyclinguk.org or follow Cycling UK in Scotland on Twitter and Facebook.

Scheme website   -  FAQs and find your local participating bike shop

Transport and travel responses from the Scottish Household Survey 2019