Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival scoops top award

The nationwide project scooped first prize in the Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year category at the Cycle Planning Awards 2016 in London.

The Big Bike Revival has helped people get their unused bikes back into working order with free bike checks, cycle servicing, maintenance workshops and training, as well as other measures such as led rides and cycle training – benefitting many deprived communities in the process.

Over two weeks during the summer of 2015, nearly 32,000 people attended over 1,600 events at 93 bike recycling centres up and down the country, with 24,000 bikes being revived.

The success of the scheme – developed by Cycling UK, the national cycling charity – led to further funding from the Department for Transport this year, with The Big Bike Revival Summer of Cycling this time running throughout July and August, and hundreds of led rides now set to follow nationwide in October. The Big Bike Revival was also launched in Scotland for the first time this month, with funding from Transport Scotland.

Survey data showed that over half of the people who benefitted from The Big Bike Revival last year were non-regular cyclists, with 59% of them cycling more after the project. There were 3,500 new instances of cycling to commute to work and to the local shops. Over 1,000 of these regular journeys usually would have been by car before The Big Bike Revival.

These figures led to The Big Bike Revival being named Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year at the Cycle Planning Awards 2016, held at Glaziers Hall, Southwark, last Friday (23 September).

We are very proud to have won this award and delighted that The Big Bike Revival is clearly inspiring and encouraging so many people to discover, or rediscover, the gift of cycling.”

Ian Richardson, Cycling UK’s Director of Cycling

Organised by Landor LINKS in partnership with Southwark Council, the awards were presented at the end of the Transforming London Streets Conference. There were eight categories in total, including Most Cycle Friendly Workplace and Cycling Champion of the Year.

There were 15 entries in the Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year category, which was sponsored by Brompton Bike Hire. Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival came out on top from a final shortlist that also included Heathrow Cycling Partnership, Lambeth Council’s Positive Spin, and the Southwark Council Behaviour Change Campaign.

First prize comprised a Brompton bike, a certificate and an unusual life-size, sculpted glass head, complete with cycle cap. In London to receive the award were Cycling UK’s Hannah Wilson, Big Bike Revival Project Manager, and Daisy Goaman, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator.

Ian Richardson, Cycling UK Director of Cycling, said: “We are very proud to have won this award and delighted that The Big Bike Revival is clearly inspiring and encouraging so many people to discover, or rediscover, the gift of cycling.

“Thanks to the project, thousands have learned how to carry out basic bike repairs, such as fixing a puncture, and how to cycle safely on and off road. They have also been able to donate their old bikes, buy a recycled bike and get advice about local cycle routes, clubs and activities.

“With direct support from our Cycling UK Development Officers, dozens of bike recycling centres have been doing a fantastic job to help people cycle for more of their everyday journeys – which is good for your health, wellbeing, the economy and the environment.

“Tweets about the project last year had a combined reach of 17.6 million and Facebook adverts reached 2.2 million. We also reached over 3 million people through local and national media coverage.

“Perhaps the most impressive statistic was that for every £1 spent, up to £6.12 was returned in economic value, using the DfT WebTAG toolkit.”

Michael Foster, Sales Manager at Brompton Bike Hire, said: “Brompton Bike Hire is delighted to support the Cycle Planning Awards and all the fantastic work done by the Big Bike Revival.”