The college’s cycling officer has been busy in recent months working on a host of new projects – and in March, opened a new bike shelter at the Langside campus.
In a nut-shell, Juan Victor Aranibar Loayza has created a repair workshop, has donated refurbished bikes to students who really need them and has set up a safe space for women cyclists giving them confidence to get back on the saddle again.
As we come out of the winter season, Victor expects more students and staff to start cycling to the campuses. He said: “The winter has an effect on how many cyclists there are,” and that “in the summer months, there could be more.”
One of the standout initiatives that Victor was involved in was through Women on Wheels – a cycling group led by women for women.
The programme focuses on building confidence and creating a safe space by breaking down the barriers that could put women off.
Victor said: “Some women are just looking for more of a space where they can connect with others like them, and women focused and led initiatives are important in providing these spaces and opportunities to them.”
Alongside this, the college set up a refurbishment scheme with the support of Transport Scotland.
This offered the chance for five students across the different campuses the opportunity to own a bike without paying the heavy price tag.
Those interested in obtaining one had to show that they needed it. Victor said: “It’s not just about wanting a bike – we need to know you’ll actually use it.”
But, what if you already have a bike and it needs fixed? That’s where “Dr. Bike” comes in – a series of cross-campus workshops set up throughout the year where Victor and others carry out repairs, as well as occasionally handing out free biking accessories such as headlights and tail lights.
All together these projects are moving forward with the aim of promoting and providing opportunities for cycling and more eco-friendly methods of travel in general, hoping to turn into a more appealing option for everyday travel.
