Glasgow residents who can’t afford public transport will be able to get free bikes in deprived areas

Glasgow residents who cannot afford to use public transport will be offered bikes to use for free as part of a number of projects across the city.

Free annual bike hire will be available to residents “living in the most deprived areas of Glasgow”, according to a council report.

Nextbike, in partnership with Bike for Good, will deliver the Bikes for All programme with £28,000 of funding from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) People and Place programme. It is one of five projects to benefit from £774,818 of funding from the SPT People and Place programme in Glasgow this year.

One of the programmes called Play Together on Pedals is receiving a £126,218 grant to provide pre-school children with access to bikes.

The bulk of the money, £495,600, will be used for work by Bike for Good, which runs a range of programmes including providing free refurbished bikes, long-term bike hire and maintenance training. The charity also runs a safe cycling initiative, which offers cycle training and confidence-building rides, among other activities.

Another scheme receiving £50,000 in cash is the Women on Wheels cycle centre in Govanhill, which encourages women and their families to take up cycling.

Glasgow City Council has worked with organisations to develop proposals for how to use the funding.

A council report said: “The fund will enable the GCC to continue to support community groups and third sector organisations that provide essential services to Glasgow residents of all ages and abilities.”

In April the SPT decided to award £774,818, which was allocated to the council and accepted by officials under delegated powers.

Councillors sitting on the municipal administration committee will be informed on Thursday of the acceptance of the funds.

Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from across the country