Getting students cycLIN in Lincoln

Honours for the groan-worthy name of the week must go to Sustrans for a new student bike loan scheme in Lincoln – called cycLIN.

Excruciating name aside, the scheme seems a good idea. Launched on Monday as part of Lincoln University’s freshers week activities, cycLIN aims to boost levels of cycling among university staff and students.

The scheme will be providing 69 bikes that can be loaned for the academic year. The bikes cost £45 to hire for the year and are supplied ready to ride with lights, locks, rack, stand and mudguards.

The bikes will be safety checked after 4 to 6 weeks, and serviced at 5 months and at the end of the hire period. As well as providing the bikes, the project team will be running support events such as Dr Bike, led rides, and skills sessions both for riding and maintenance.

This is the latest scheme of its kind to hit the East Midlands after Nottingham University launched the largest student bike loan scheme in the UK earlier this month.

The bikes are supplied by Evans and the project is part of the Active Travel Consortium, a collection of walking and cycling charities led by Sustrans, and has been funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

For more information about the project, go to the Sustrans site. Or contact the team on cyclin [at] sustrans.org.uk.