Bike recycling events to set old wheels spinning again
Tuesday, 16 November 2021
We're once again thrilled by the response to our latest call for unneeded bicycles, with 75 bikes now set for new homes and cyclists.
The Bike Recycling Scheme sees unwanted and outgrown bikes donated and then refurbished, made road-worthy and found new homes. The refurbished bikes are available to those residents on limited incomes who are in need of a bike to get to work or school who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford one, or for children in care.
Many of the donated bikes have helped the homeless or long-term unemployed to get back into paid work or volunteering. Other bikes have provided a source of transport and independence for children in care and staff who work in the NHS.
We collected around 75 bikes, during our 5 bike recycling events at the start of November. These have gone to the workshop to be refurbished, ready for re-homing.
Bikes of all shapes and sizes were donated and even the bikes unsuitable for riding again will be used for spare parts so nothing is wasted.
Councillor Steven Dixon, our Executive Member for Sustainability, said:
This is a fantastic recycling scheme which gives bikes to others who may be unable to afford one. We are always looking at different ways we can reduce waste and encouraging residents to re-use and recycle their unwanted bicycles is a great way to achieve this.
Cycling is good for our health and wellbeing, as well as supporting the environment and being great fun. However, as bikes age or people outgrow them, many end up in sheds, garages or back gardens, no longer used.
It doesn’t matter about the condition or what type of bike it is, adult’s or child’s, BMX or old vintage, we’d love to have it. If you have a bike at home that you or one of your family has outgrown, give it a new lease of life and let someone else benefit from using it.
Since the Bike Recycling Scheme started in 2017, more than 1200 bikes have been saved from the scrapheap and found new homes.
If you have a spare bike that you'd like to donate to our bike recycling scheme, drop it off at the Luton depot (Unit 42, Portland Court, Kingsway, LU4 8AU), Monday to Friday (excluding Wednesday) between 9:30am and 3pm.