Officers from Brent’s Safer Transport Team (STT) have launched a scheme to identify unwanted bicycles handed into the police that could be donated to local primary schools and children they nominate.

As part of the ReCycle scheme, refurbished bicycles are being given to individual pupils who have not had access to cycling before, giving them a chance to own their own bicycle.

All bikes used for the scheme are being marked with BikeRegister to protect them from theft and details of each cycle are being logged on the national BikeRegister database.

Brent STT together with Sustrans and Dr Bike identified four schools in the borough that wished to take part in the ReCycle project.

Officers then made minor repairs to the donated bikes and marked and registered them ready for distribution. Brent Council provided funding to pay for padlocks, helmets and hi vis jackets for each bicycle donated.

Unwanted bicycle parts were taken to a local scrap yard where money was raised and put towards further bicycle repair costs. The bicycles were delivered by STT officers in early September to all four participating schools.

Acting Sergeant Debbie Hicks said: “Children are now actively being encouraged to cycle to and from school and some, through no fault of their own do not have access to a bicycle and are missing this fantastic opportunity for fun and exercise whilst being environmentally friendly.”

A stockpile of bikes is currently being maintained so that the scheme can continue each term across the borough with other schools receiving bikes, including a special needs school.

AS Hicks said: “This is an exciting new scheme that puts to valuable use bicycles that otherwise would have been destroyed, and at the same time promotes cycle safety and maintenance for children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the simple fun of cycling.”

For more information and images: Angela Singleton, Selectamark Press Officer. Mobile: +44 (0)7905 623 819 or email:[email protected]

For further information and images contact: Jodie Fisher, Marketing Executive for Selectamark.

Phone: +44 (0)1689 487829
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @bikeregister