You can get £50 towards the cost of fixing your bike under new government scheme

The vouchers will typically cover the cost for a standard service (Photo: Shutterstock)The vouchers will typically cover the cost for a standard service (Photo: Shutterstock)
The vouchers will typically cover the cost for a standard service (Photo: Shutterstock)

The UK Government will launch its delayed £25 million bike repair scheme on Tuesday (28 July), as part of plans to boost cycling and walking across the country.

The ‘Fix Your Bike’ scheme will allow people in England to claim a £50 bike repair voucher to be used towards the cost of fixing their bikes.

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Where can the vouchers be spent?

The vouchers will allow people to save up to £50 on the cost of repairing their bike at participating bike shops across England.

This will typically cover the bill for a standard service and the replacement of a basic component, such as an inner tube or cable.

Halfords is among the participating shops and said it has thousands of slots available each day for customers to bring their bikes in for a 32-point health check, which will access potential faults.

The vouchers are being released by the government in batches to help manage capacity, with the aim of rolling it out more widely in the future.

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The aim of the scheme is to encourage the public to take their bikes out of retirement and promote more two-wheeled journeys as lockdown eases.

The scheme was originally meant to launch in June as part of efforts to relieve pressure on public transport and improve public health, but was forced to be delayed until bike maintenance shops could cope with the expected spike in demand.

How do I claim a voucher?

An initial 50,000 Fix Your Bike vouchers will be made available online at 23.45pm on Tuesday (28 July) and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

To claim the vouchers when the scheme launches, simply visit the Energy Saving Trust’s Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme website.

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A list of participating bike shops and mechanics can be found on the Energy Saving Trust’s map, with Halfords, Evans Cycles and Cyclefix among those registered for the scheme.

Will bikes be available on the NHS?

The Fix Your Bike initiative forms part of government plans for a "new golden age for cycling", which will see more bike lanes and safer junctions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced that bikes will be made available on the NHS as part of the strategy to boost active travel.

GPs in areas of England with poor health will be encouraged to prescribe cycling to help improve health, with patients able to access bikes through their local surgery.

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Under the plans, thousands of new protected bike lanes will be made, as well as the opportunity for cycle training for children and adults.

The plans will be funded by a £2 billion investment announced in February.

The announcement comes after the government launched its obesity strategy on Monday (28 July).

Mr Johnson said: "From helping people get fit and healthy and lowering their risk of illness, to improving air quality and cutting congestion, cycling and walking have a huge role to play in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face.

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"But to build a healthier, more active nation, we need the right infrastructure, training and support in place to give people the confidence to travel on two wheels.

"That's why now is the time to shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel - so that everyone can feel the transformative benefits of cycling."

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