Loch Lomond businesses offered free bike racks so visitors 'don't have to lean expensive cycles against the wall'

Businesses all around the Loch Lomond area have been offered free bike racks to encourage cyclists to stop along their way, without having to lean their expensive cycles against rough brick walls.

Love Loch Lomond is running the scheme in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs area, with the only condition being that businesses can demonstrate a need.

Stuart Cordner, chairman of Love Loch Lomond, told the Dunbarton Reporter: “We are delighted to be launching this initiative which will enhance both the cycling experience for visitors to our area and benefit those businesses that can offer cycle park facilities for customers.

“Many visitors arrive with expensive bikes and cyclists are not happy at leaving their bikes against a fence or wall.

“Love Loch Lomond has identified ‘connectivity’ as being of major importance to the delivery of a memorable tourism offering and we have a number of current projects including cycling infrastructure; Waterbus Services; working with Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, walking routes and interpretation panels.

“We hope this initiative will be an integral part of a cycling infrastructure that will ensure Loch Lomond and the Clyde Sea Lochs remains a must-see destination for cycling enthusiasts, holiday-makers and for the growing number of local cyclists.”

Businesses looking to apply can find more details here.

Recently we reported how in a little known scheme administered by Transport for London (TfL), businesses in the capital can apply for free cycling equipment to help encourage staff to cycle to work.

Some of the available free goodies include commuter cycling skills sessions, as well as bike racks and lockers, and sessions with a mechanic to check over bikes.

All the business has to do is register (there must be five or more employees) and complete a short simple four-question tick-box travel survey amongst staff to assess their willingness to try cycling.

In return for the support, facilities and services TfL provides the workplace, they ask that employers actively promote cycling within your organisation in some way. Suggestions include:

• providing other facilities which enable staff to cycle – showers and lockers
• having local cycle maps available within the organisation
• promotion and participation in annual community London or national cycling events
• having a Cycle to Work scheme in place
• arranging discounts with local cycle shops for staff

Employers are also asked to survey staff after a year to see whether the facilities have made a difference.