Greener Kirkcaldy Active Travel exchange visit to Forth Environment Link
Finding out about the operation of e-bike library schemes and active travel projects.
We learned a lot about the trackers they use for their bikes (Power Unity Bike Trax modules) which we had hands on experience of how easy they are to fit and how useful the app is for accessing usage data for the e-bikes . This will be invaluable for monitoring and evaluation of our own scheme as well as being able to more accurately plan servicing and repair of the e-bikes in future.
We also had the added benefit of finding out more about FEL’s wider Active Travel Projects, in particular their work is anchored in various secondary schools in the Forth valley area which are bases for a whole range of community engagement, not just active travel.
Of special interest to us was their Bike Buddies, Community Skills Academy and Healthy Minds projects which engage with and support children and families in the communities around each secondary school to have access to active travel opportunities and resources as well as engaging with wider environmental, health and wellbeing opportunities through food, growing, walks, bushcraft and many other outdoor activities. This kind of cross organisation work is a great example and would be a great fit for Greener Kirkcaldy to bring together our Food, Community Engagement, Outdoor and Active Travel work in a more joined up way.
Learning Outcomes
- Be better positioned to secure funding to expand our own e-bikes for NHS scheme- find out how their e-bike hire management for NHS system works
- Better understand the materials, knowledge and staffing required to run a larger scheme- find out the costings for running a scheme of similar scale.
- Share learning to understand which e-bike systems work well in long term and which to avoid
- Find out how their e-bike delivery and maintenance processes work and are staffed