City of Salford Cycling for Health Project Proposal
1) Project Aims
The main aims of the project are to improve cycle provision/facilities and activities for the communities of the City of Salford. The project will be delivered in two phases.
Phase 1
Create a network of Bike Stations around the city of Salford. Each Bike Station will be strategically placed in locations with a community led demand. For example in sports centres, hospital complexes, country park services and large employers.
Phase 2
To develop and deliver other initiatives:-
· “Cycling for Health”
· Community cycle activities.
· Adult cycle training
· Promotion of cycling across the city
2) Phase 1 The Creation Of Community Bike Stations
The proposal of the Bike Station scheme is to identify key sites across the city of Salford that would be ideal for hosting a safe storage unit, which would contain a poll of bicycles for the community to use.
Suggested Bike Station Locations
As of yet there has been no confirmation for any of the sites and neither has there been a set number confirmed for development within the project.
Credible Locations would include -
Buille Hill Park
Salford Quays – the watersports centre
Salford University
Agecroft Enterprise Park – Sustrans Route 6
Clifton Country Park
Irlam Pool – Princes Park
Each one of these proposed sites will be evaluated for its potential and their merits will be influenced by the criteria set out by all the partners involved in the projects, as well the perceived demands from the local communities.
a) Security
These units will obviously be holding cycles, which will be a target for a very small percentage of the community, it is therefore necessary that they are as secure as possible. The containers need to be durable, waterproof, damp proof and above all secure.
Each lock mechanism needs to be covered over so that they cannot be opened with bolt cutters – this is now a standard feature on most of the containers that are purchased for storage.
b) Visibility
The containers need to be quite conspicuous, as to not attract attention, and the location within their site has to be out of the way of the general public. In some situations a container may have to be painted as the same colour as other containers in that particular place.
c) Container Management
There will be key individuals who will be responsible for the “upkeep” of the container and the contents within. These individuals will either be staff from the leisure services of from Cycling Projects, and they will be fully trained and briefed on their roles and responsibilities within the project.
d) Community Bike Station Project Delivery
Only three Bike Stations will be commissioned during phase 1 of the project, although the enabling work will be completed for seven. (due to Salford City Council funding constraints).
1. Cycling Projects will identify seven suitable locations for the bike stations in collaboration with other organisations as appropriate.
2. Cycling Projects will complete a fully documented risk assessment for all chosen bike station locations.
3. Cycling Projects will identify scheme partners based on local knowledge in the field, research and networking.
4. Cycling Projects will meet with prospective partners, to obtain necessary agreements for siting of the bike stations.
5. Cycling projects will specify suitable steel containers for bike storage and arrange for three quotations, and purchase of the best value item.
6. Cycling Projects will specify suitable cycles, helmets, locks, child seats and arrange for three quotations and purchase the best value items.
7. Cycling Projects will train the partner’s personnel in administration of the scheme and in safe cycling and basic cycle mechanics. This will include some instruction on cycling with disabilities.
8. Cycling Projects will identify suitable agencies to carry out maintenance on cycles and other equipment, arrange three quotes where practicable and organise maintenance contracts based on best value. There is a one off charge for this for each bike station. The cost of servicing these contracts is a separate item, not covered in this project quotation.
e) Project Administration
Cycling Projects will manage the overall project delivery and then manage the Bike Stations scheme together with scheme partners. This will entail monthly visits to each station to monitor compliance, usage and maintenance etc.
f) Proposed Guidelines for the Administration of the Project
o The cycles within the containers can only be lent out to members of the community after they have signed up to the programme.
o Salford, City Council, Cycling Projects, Leisure Services and the Primary Care Trust, through flyers, community events, and press releases, will promote the project.
o A “library card” style pass will be given to all those who want to access and utilise the bicycles. This card will also hold all the relevant data of the individual loaning out the cycle.
o Cycle cannot be taken out on loan over night, and the cycles can only be loaned between the opening hours of the partnering service, whether it a country park or a leisure centre.
o However, a cycle can be loaned out over night if an individual is part of a Cycling for Health programme, and they have been given permission by the programme co-ordinator.
o Each container will store one particular style of bicycle in ladies and gents frames. There will be a range of sizes to suit all. Each bicycle will have fitted as standard a lock, mudguards, bell, lock, prop stand, pump and a tool kit.
o The cycle loan scheme will also provide cycle helmets, visibility belts and basic waterproofs.
o There will also be several bikes fitted with baby seats so that more family groups may access the pool of bicycles.
3) Phase 2 Other Initiatives.
With the bike station infrastructure in place, other initiatives will be facilitated
a) Cycling for Health
This is an initiative linking ill health rehabilitation with physical activity through cycling. Similar projects have to be a success in Stockport, Sefton and Bolton.
They are all quality working partnerships between local authorities between local authorities, health promotion teams and Cycling Projects.
Hope hospital and Salford PCT have made enquiries in the past about the possibility of developing such a scheme, and once the cycle loan scheme has been developed the infrastructure is virtually all in place for the Cycling for Health initiative.
b) Cycle Training
To deliver cycle training, wherever appropriate, to participants of the projects, members of the community, and possibly to health professionals as part of an ongoing “community active plan”.
Almost certainly when engaging with the local community there will be a high percentage of people who have never had access to a cycle and they will have limited cycle skills and possibly have no cycle experience whatsoever.
These barriers can be overcome by offering a safe and well structured training process with the aid of the loan bicycles and some wide green spaces and some off road trails.
Such sessions would be delivered by highly experienced and well trained staff from Cycling Projects.
This process is taken in a “stepping stone” approach – whereby a need to gain confidence and ability on a bike, and then they move forward onto trails and then eventually onto the public highways - if they want to.
c) Community Cycle Activities
The community cycle activities will be aimed towards members of the community, with the ultimate aim to engage as many people as possible in cycling as a form of transport and leisure But above all as a form of enjoyment.
Within the community cycling will emphasise its strengths through accessing socially excluded groups. This will be delivered in the following approaches –
o Recycle Schemes involving local youths who would otherwise be part of an alternative youth development programme. Possibly linking with Banardos and New Deal.
o Mechanics Courses – again focussing on the youth and giving them a credible qualification bicycle maintenance.
o Community led cycle rides – Taking people out of their enclosed community and showing them what natural landscapes are on their “doorstep”. Making them realise the potentials in the green spaces in and around the Salford area.
o Working with large employers within the community – make them aware of the benefits of cycling and how it can lead to a healthier workforce.
o Mother and Toddlers cycle events for those “trapped” within their community. Children’s Fun Cycle Activities – utilising the facilities within Clevelys Track.
d) Cycling Promotion.
To promote cycling across the city in partnership with the Highways division, Leisure services, the health promotion team, as an effective and sustainable means of increasing physical activity.
By delivering these aims, the project can facilitate the targets set out by the Salford Primary Care Trust to combat current and ongoing health issues such as CHD, obesity and diabetes.
Regular exercise halves the chances of heart disease, and cycling can play an integral part in delivering a healthy and active programme.
A community-based programme focused on cycle promotion can also help improve social exclusion problems, which are apparent on a grander scale in the more deprived wards within the city of Salford.
4) Current NHS Policy
This project proposal is very timely, as at present there is a national focus on improving the nations health through a variety of exercise and active initiatives.
The NHS through its Improving Working Lives and Communities Directive is attempting to increase the flexibility and health of its communities and workforces through a range of interventions.
Cycling provides a cost effective solution to meeting a number of these key targets.
5) Key Partners
Cycling Projects
Salford City Council
Salford PCT
Salford University
Healthy Living Centres
Sure Start Initiatives
Sustrans
Gov. Office NW
Groundwork Salford and Trafford
6) Summary
Within this proposal we have highlighted the significant scope for cycling within the communities of Salford. The infrastructure to develop and deliver all these initiatives is relatively simple to co-ordinate if it is worked upon as a partnership.
Once the infrastructure is in place then I’m sure that this will certainly help to create and improve Salford’s cycling community, and in doing so will improve the lifestyles of many.
Ian Tierney
Cycling Projects
Page 1 12/05/05
C:\DOCUME~1\CSECCE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\Bike Stations.doc