Dr Bike – the mobile bicycle repair and maintenance experts are setting up repair and refreshment stations on two key COP26 cycling diversion routes to encourage people to leave their car at home and get on their bikes during the climate change conference.
The Dr Bike stations on Kelvinhaugh Street and Broomielaw will have two mechanics on hand to provide expert bike advice as well as a free comprehensive 20-point bike safety check which could include replacing inner tubes, cables and brake blocks as required.
Whilst your bike is being checked, free refreshments will be available, including organic vegan sausage rolls, chocolate cookies and hot beverages. Biodegradable ponchos will be handed out, as will rechargeable lights to ensure everyone can use their bikes safely through the winter.
The Dr Bike stations will be available from Tuesday 2 November until Thursday 4 November as well as Monday 8 November, Tuesday 9 November and Friday 12 November. Station operating hours will be 0730-1000 and 1600-1800.
Provision of the stations have been made possible through the Scottish Government’s Smarter Choices, Smarter Places travel behaviour programme.
Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability & Carbon Reduction, said: “Cycling is one of the greenest ways to make those every day journeys and COP26 is the ideal opportunity to consider travelling actively instead of taking the car.
It’s easy to be discouraged if your bike needs adjusting or you have a flat tyre, and so these free repair and refreshment stations are a fantastic, practical way to help people get back on their bikes and have a healthy, sustainable snack at the same time. Encouraging a shift to sustainable forms of transport can make a major contribution to Glasgow’s effort to tackle climate change as well as offering many health and wellbeing benefits. We are seeing more and more people embracing cycling as a viable, convenient way to get around and the council remains committed to supporting this shift with plans recently unveiled to build a network of active travel infrastructure that reaches into every corner of the city.”
Nicola Blaney, Head of Events Resilience at Transport Scotland, said: “Dr Bike’s hub stations are a popular and well-established initiative which give cyclists the opportunity to have a pit stop while getting a free bike check from experts. We are pleased to be supporting this initiative as part of our aim to deliver a safe, secure and resilient transport network during COP26, particularly during the winter weather, with active travel and public transport at the core of its delivery.”
The council is urging people to leave their car at home during COP26 and to use public transport, walk, wheel or cycle instead. Whilst some cycle ways have been temporarily closed as part of the COP26 security operation, alternative routes are available and have been signposted accordingly.
Full details of all the road network, footpath and cycle way closures are available on the Get Ready Glasgow website. The website also has details of diversions and day-by-day ‘heat’ maps which show where there will be congestion relating to COP26 events.
