C2W scheme, efforts to widen it?

[Riverman]

I've been reading about the history of this and I wondered whether C2C or any other cycling organisation has run a campaign to try and improve it, widening access, maybe increasing rates, or offering higher incentives for bikes between £300 and say £1k?

This may not be possible in the current economic climate but given that there's a general election coming up, change is definitely in the air.

Personally, I'd like all bicycles to be subsidized, although I admit that is probably economically difficult. It would however bring an end to Bicycle Shaped Objects which I'm sure would be very welcome here.

A bike scrappage scheme might be interesting.

 

[Riverman]

I've been reading about the history of this and I wondered whether C2C or any other cycling organisation has run a campaign to try and improve it, widening access, maybe increasing rates, or offering higher incentives for bikes between £300 and say £1k?

This may not be possible in the current economic climate but given that there's a general election coming up, change is definitely in the air.

Personally, I'd like all bicycles to be subsidized, although I admit that is probably economically difficult. It would however bring an end to Bicycle Shaped Objects which I'm sure would be very welcome here.

A bike scrappage scheme might be interesting.

 

[thomas]

A bike scrappage scheme might be interesting.

haha, that would be amazing. It could be a combination of the car scrappage scheme too - Scrap your old crappy car, for a bike worth twice as much as it

 

[thomas]

A bike scrappage scheme might be interesting.

haha, that would be amazing. It could be a combination of the car scrappage scheme too - Scrap your old crappy car, for a bike worth twice as much as it

 

[marinyork]

I agree it needs expanding Riverman. I doubt it will be. The point about it was that it was easy to set up because it got through on the budget one year and then piggy backed on already existing legislation. The idea of parliamentarians discussing primary legislation to expand it is a very distant hope. Politicians regard bicycles as toys and simply don't understand how much bikes cost or the large price rises the last couple of years. It was fortunate it was set at the level it was.

The best hope is probably vastly expanding such schemes that already exist out there such as subsidised repaired bikes for £30-50, like some universities do. Some universities pay this out of their own travel budgets and are decent stuff. So the way forward is really though the cycling "charities" and "organisations" that do this sort of thing. Given that it is usually obligatory for a politician to tour a local "charity" and then claim they cycle a bit at the weekend to pretend they are interesting in cycling this is the way forward.

 

[marinyork]

I agree it needs expanding Riverman. I doubt it will be. The point about it was that it was easy to set up because it got through on the budget one year and then piggy backed on already existing legislation. The idea of parliamentarians discussing primary legislation to expand it is a very distant hope. Politicians regard bicycles as toys and simply don't understand how much bikes cost or the large price rises the last couple of years. It was fortunate it was set at the level it was.

The best hope is probably vastly expanding such schemes that already exist out there such as subsidised repaired bikes for £30-50, like some universities do. Some universities pay this out of their own travel budgets and are decent stuff. So the way forward is really though the cycling "charities" and "organisations" that do this sort of thing. Given that it is usually obligatory for a politician to tour a local "charity" and then claim they cycle a bit at the weekend to pretend they are interesting in cycling this is the way forward.

 

[postman]

This idea of mine could be a 'runner' to give retired or unwaged people the chance to keep fit by discounting bikes on a similar C2W scheme.
And making weekly or monthy payments .

 

[postman]

This idea of mine could be a 'runner' to give retired or unwaged people the chance to keep fit by discounting bikes on a similar C2W scheme.
And making weekly or monthy payments .

 

[Riverman]

Hey guys, have you seen this?

http://www.eta.co.uk/Car-scrappage-scheme-should-apply-to-bicycles/node/12033

 

[Riverman]

Hey guys, have you seen this?

http://www.eta.co.uk/Car-scrappage-scheme-should-apply-to-bicycles/node/12033

 

[marinyork]

Well strangely enough the boiler replacement scheme was reannounced to great fanfare today. I don't really take it too seriously when you consider that it should have been done years ago rather than throwing money in the wind in winter fuel payments.

 

[marinyork]

Well strangely enough the boiler replacement scheme was reannounced to great fanfare today. I don't really take it too seriously when you consider that it should have been done years ago rather than throwing money in the wind in winter fuel payments.

 

[Riverman]

It might have been abit more sensible to have brought this in before the winter arrived. The boilers of some unfortunate people would not have broken down and less people would have spent the night in the freezing cold.

 

[Riverman]

It might have been abit more sensible to have brought this in before the winter arrived. The boilers of some unfortunate people would not have broken down and less people would have spent the night in the freezing cold.

 

[marinyork]

Well I just meant that something as sensible as this (in terms of energy security, quality of life, health and a bit in the green direction) has taken them yonks to do. That should mean cycling is due for a bit of help in about ooh 20 years.

Really I think the money is in trying out various integrated work travel plans and subsidised bicycles. Charities already do this with LAs but things are patchy and charities bicker with each other, money dries up, blah blah blah. I'm not criticising this just saying that it goes on but at a too local level. More poor people might start cycling in the long term now cycle training at schools has taken off, this is going to take a long time to filter through though.