22 | Aycliffe Today Business
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Cycle shelter
installation at
Sabre Rail
DR BIKE AND OP
SPOKE AT 3M
A new cycle shelter was officially unveiled
at Sabre Rail last month.
The shelter provides storage for up to 20
cycles and is available for use by staff and
visitors to the company.
The £5000 shelter was funded by Local
Motion, the sustainable transport project for
South Durham, and was officially opened
by representatives from both Sabre Rail and
Local Motion. A lot of employees are already
taking advantage of the shelter and there are
more bikes in there every week.
By introducing the new cycle shelter, Sabre
Rail has increased the transport choices for
staff and demonstrated their commitment to
encouraging active travel.
Sabre Rail operations manager Brian
Capeling said: "A lot of our staff are keen
cyclists and we wanted them to feel able to
cycle for their journey to work too.
"By introducing a cycle shelter, employees
know that their property is safe and secure
whilst they’re at work and are more likely to
make the change.
"It’s a great space saver for us too as one
car park space can hold up to ten bikes so
we’re reducing parking problems for visitors
and staff who have to drive."
Local Motion Travel Ranger Steve
Shepperson added: "We’re aware that one
thing preventing people from choosing
to cycle to work is a lack of secure cycle
storage at their workplace so we’re really
pleased to see Sabre Rail installing a cycle
shelter to directly address that barrier.
"Hopefully it will result in more people
thinking about getting back on their bike and
changing their travel habits as choosing an
active mode of travel for just one journey a
week can have a fantastic impact on people’s
health and wellbeing."
To find out if your company is eligible
for funding for active travel initiatives,
including cycle shelter installation,
contact Steven Shepperson: steven.
shepperson@durham.gov.uk / 03000 268
007 / 07827307812Local Motion.
Team Local Motion popped into 3M last month with Dr Bike and Operation Spoke to
give employees’ bikes a bit of a health check and security mark them for free.
Dr Bike is a
service which
checks that bikes
are safe to ride.
The mechanic
demonstrates
how to do a
simple check
of the bike
to ensure all
the working and moving parts of it are
healthy; carries out any simple repairs and
adjustments needed, and advises on how to
look after the bike.
Dr Bike is an invaluable service for
employees who commute to work by bicycle
and a very effective way for employers to
encourage their staff to think about using
a more active form of travel. By choosing a
more active mode of travel, such as walking
or cycling, employees help to reduce
congestion around the workplace and build a
healthier workforce.
Operation Spoke is a Durham Constabulary
led operation working with other partners,
including Local Motion and local cycle
retailers, to significantly reduce crime by
uniquely marking and registering cycles in
County Durham.
Marked and registered bikes are easier
to be identified by police should they go
missing, meaning they can be quickly
reunited with their owners.
ROAD
BIKE VS
ELECTRIC
BIKE
Durham Constabulary provides a bespoke
marking kit for bikes which would normally
retail at £30.
Thanks to funding from Local Motion these
kits are available free of charge for owners
of medium to high value cycles, for a limited
time only.
To arrange for Dr Bike and Operation
Spoke to visit your workplace for free,
contact Steven Shepperson: steven.
shepperson@durham.gov.uk / 03000 268
007 / 07827307812.
Daniel Wright, an employee at Sabre Rail,
tasked himself with giving an electric bike a
go and comparing it to his normal road bike.
Before starting he classed his road bike
as light, fast and fashionable compared
to an electric bike which he thought of as
heavy, cumbersome and geeky. Could he be
converted?
An electric bike assists the rider by
reducing the resistance in the pedalling
motion by electricity which is supplied by
a battery to a motor. It is fitted with an
illuminated display and has various modes:
economy, sport or normal.
Daniel recorded the journeys on the Strava
app to compare how the electric bike faired
to his road bike.
Taking into account the sleet, wind and
cold weather that accompanied his electric
bike journey, it shaved a good time off his
standard road bike time.
In fact, the electric bike with Daniel on it
was always faster than the road bike. Plus,
he made it to work and back on one charge.
"If you’re looking to get fit, lose weight or
challenge yourself then use the conventional
pedal power," says Daniel.
"But if you’re looking to commute to work,
or leisurely take up cycling in your spare
time, and don’t want to exert yourself, then
seriously consider an electric bike.
"I was really impressed. If you are
considering being more sustainable then this
is a very good and viable option. It can also
be covered in some cycle schemes."
It seems Daniel might be a convert after
all!
If you’re also based on Aycliffe Business
Park, then you can join Daniel on Strava and
record your journey.
Find ‘Aycliffe Industrial Estate’ and get
started.