Bike reuse is changing lives across Scotland – providing affordable access to bikes while reducing waste and supporting communities.
Our latest report, Bike Reuse in Scotland, highlights the sector’s powerful social, environmental, and economic impact.
With the support of our partner, Cycling Scotland, funded by Transport Scotland, our Affordable Access to Bikes Project shows how bike reuse organisations offer more than just transport – they help change lives.
Based on improved data collection, this report shows evidence-based impact of bike reuse in Scotland.
Data from the 12 months spanning November 2023 to October 2024, shows the vast potential of bike reuse:
The report is also pleased to present two short videos, showcasing rural examples of circularity in Fort William and Crieff.
Cycle Crieff work in partnership with a bigger local reuse organisation, Remake Scotland. Their collaboration meets a need in a rural area enabling affordable access to bikes:
Lochaber Environmental Group’s Bike Shed illustrate how they nurture this life-cycle approach to bike reuse in their short film:
“The journey of each individual bike, from being discarded to being brought into use again, is an inspiring metaphor for their transformative power. Reuse of bikes promotes meaningful change across society, in our personal, social and political landscapes.
We really cannot overstate the power of bike reuse. At the Affordable Access to Bikes Project, I’ve seen first hand the difference a refurbished bike can make. Organisations work to make bikes available to those who need them most. The fact that they are refurbished and saved from landfill is beneficial for the environment, but the social outcomes are equally as strong. We’re proud to put forward this report, to show the true potential of bike reuse for our communities, our economy and our planet.”
– Chris Sanderson, Affordable Access to Bikes Coordinator, Circular Communities Scotland
“Increasing fairer and affordable access to bikes is crucial to enable more people to travel by bike in Scotland, and the knowledge sharing and peer support across bike reuse organisations has contributed to over 8000 bikes being re-used, saving 200 tonnes from landfill.
By working together, project stakeholders have helped many more people benefit from a low-cost, sustainable way of getting around, and helped protect the environment by reducing waste in the process.”
– Kath Brough, Head of Grant Funding and Partnerships, Cycling Scotland