EPD24: Students asked to get on their bikes

Students and staff at UEA are being asked to go green and get on their bikes as part of a new scheme to boost the number of people cycling to and from campus. The try-before-you-buy initiative provides people with the free use of a bicycle and accessories for up to a month, so they can decide whether cycling is for them.

Duncan Yuile, who works at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at UEA, was one of the first people to take advantage of the scheme and said he found cycling to work improved his quality of life. He added: “I arrived at work feeling fresher, more energised and happier.

And it saved me a fortune in petrol! Thanks to the try-before-you-buy scheme I now have the confidence to go out and buy a bike.” Personal travel advisor Kerry Davis said: “People may not have cycled since they were at school, and alongside the loan equipment we are able to offer advice on the best route to take, how to cycle safely and where to park on campus.”

The scheme currently has five bikes available for loan - three road bikes and two state-of-the-art fold-up bikes for people who commute by train and need to get from the station to the UEA. The university spends about £100,000 annually creating new cycle facilities, including new or improved cycle paths, parking provision, showers and support for cyclists such as the weekly cycle health check service and cycle map.