A MONTH after the first ever Yorkshire Bank Bike Library was launched in Yorkshire, the scheme has reached a major milestone, with more than one thousand bicycles having been donated.

The unwanted cycles have been given by the public to donation stations right across the county. They are being repaired and reconditioned for use at a Bike Library, to ensure all children across Yorkshire have access to a bicycle.

Yorkshire Bank and Welcome to Yorkshire is now calling for more individuals and businesses to volunteer to be a donation station as part of the scheme, which Otley Olympic cycling heroine Lizzie Armitage helped launch.

Liz Tattersley, bike libraries project manager, said: “The reaction from the Yorkshire public has been absolutely fantastic, and to have had a thousand bikes donated to the Bike Libraries initiative is a brilliant milestone.

“The scheme has been really well received by people right across the county and even beyond, but now it’s a question of increasing capacity as we prepare to launch more Bike Libraries.”

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive, Sir Gary Verity, said: “Since the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in the county last year, we have talked a lot about the legacy of the event, and what our hopes for the future of cycling in Yorkshire are.

"This milestone, and the success of the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries already, is a testament to how determined the people of Yorkshire are to make this county a cycling heartland now and for future generations.”

The first Bike Library is located at Fearnville in Leeds, and was launched in July, one year after the ‘grandest ever’ Grand Départ of the Tour de France began in Yorkshire.

Helen Page, customer experience, products and marketing director at Yorkshire Bank, said: “We are delighted with the support the county has shown to the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries so far.

"To receive over a thousand bikes is a fantastic achievement. These bikes will be re-distributed to the eight initial bike libraries across Yorkshire, offering the opportunity for everyone to have access to a bike.”

There are donation stations located around the county, and more libraries will be opening across Yorkshire during the coming months.

Visit bikelibraries.yorkshire.com for more details.

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