New Government Scheme Offers £50 Vouchers To Get Your Bike Fixed

People in England can get a £50 bike repair voucher through a new government scheme launching later today (Tuesday).

The initiative aims to encourage more people to get about on two wheels to help tackle obesity, fight the spread of coronavirus and protect the environment.

PA

An initial 50,000 vouchers will be made available online at 11.45pm on a first-come, first-served basis. They are being released in batches to manage capacity and the workload at repair shops, with further vouchers to be rolled out in due course.

They can be used at mechanics or repair shops that have also registered with the scheme and cover up to £50 ($64) worth of repairs, with any excess costs paid as usual. Up to two vouchers can be claimed per household.

You will be able to register for a voucher here and can locate participating repair shops in your area here.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said cycling has a 'huge role to play' in tackling health and environmental challenges.

He said: "To build a healthier, more active nation, we need the right infrastructure, training and support in place to give people the confidence to travel on two wheels.

"That's why now is the time to shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel - so that everyone can feel the transformative benefits of cycling."

The scheme is one of numerous measures announced by the government designed to tackle obesity, with Public Health England research indicating that overweight or obese people are at greater risk of serious illness or death after contracting Covid-19.

Consequently, GPs in disadvantaged areas will be able to prescribe cycling to patients, who will be granted access to bikes through their local surgery.

It is also hoped that increased cycling will help to minimise public transport use during the pandemic, reducing the chance of the virus spreading between commuters.

As you might expect, Halfords is feeling pretty happy about this big cycling push and has registered with the Fix Your Bike voucher scheme, with thousands of repair slots available.

Chief executive Graham Stapleton told the BBC: "We think the government's 'Fix Your Bike' voucher scheme will not only help individuals become more confident about keeping their bikes maintained, but will help speed up the cycling revolution."

Topics: UK News, Interesting, Health

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey