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Free Electric Bikes for NHS staff in London

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Electric bike makers and retailers are stepping up and offering NHS staff free access to eBikes in the UK capital.

Stepping up to help key support workers get to work in the UK capital Fully Charged, London’s largest specialist electric bike retailer is providing eBikes to NHS workers in London for free to ensure they have a healthy and safe alternative to public transport. From today more than 20 eBikes are available on a three-month loan at no charge, with many more being added to the supply soon. The initiative aims to minimize NHS workers’ disruption and chances of infection as they travel to and from London’s hospitals to complete crucial work in treating COVID-19 patients.

Fully Charged, London’s largest specialist electric bike retailer is providing eBikes to NHS workers in London for free to ensure they have a healthy and safe alternative to public transport Click To Tweet
Cycling is playing an important role in this crisis enabling essential workers to travel without using public transport Click To Tweet

“Cycling is playing an important role in this crisis enabling essential workers to travel without using public transport. This role will be equally important when we come to restart the economy without restarting transmission. said Steve Garidis, Executive Director of the Bicycle Association, the UK national trade body for the cycling industry, “The cycling industry has a strategically vital role in keeping Britain cycling and it’s fantastic to hear the stories of businesses pulling out all the stops to help essential workers.”

The eBikes, which are pedal bikes with built-in electric motors to provide assistance, are state-of-the-art and come complete with all the commuting essentials, including lights, mudguards and a lock. The first eBike provider partnering in this project is Gocycle, which is offering twenty of its £1,999 Gocycle GS bikes at no cost to the users in this time of terrible disruption.

Working with Gocycle the scheme is offering twenty £1,999 Gocycle GS bikes at no cost to the NHS staff in this time of terrible disruption Click To Tweet

“At Fully Charged, given we’re able to remain operational, our focus is on supporting the country’s key workers – namely NHS staff who are going above and beyond to help those suffering at the hands of COVID-19.” Said Dan Parsons, Fully Charged Director of Operations, “With cycling exhibitions cancelled, many demo bikes are going unused. Fully Charged is grateful to our business partners for enabling us to get these eBikes into the hands of NHS workers for their use during such difficult times. We hope NHS staff will seize the offer and, moreover, we are calling on the rest of the industry to help provide more support for doctors and nurses in this way.”

Fully Charged has several shops in London and will be delivering the bikes to the NHS staff in the capital who sign-up to the scheme. Its trained mechanics will assemble and conduct pre-delivery inspections on all eBikes prior to them going to their new temporary owners.

eBikes are probably the best solution for essential NHS workers to move around the city Click To Tweet

“We’ve all seen the images of packed tubes in the capital in the last few days. With far less traffic above ground, and the reduced number of trains being made available, eBikes are probably the best solution for essential NHS workers to move around the city. Richard Thorpe, Gocycle’s Founder and Designer added, “The last thing frontline staff need after a long day saving lives is being confined within a crowded train carriage or bus or to be stuck standing in a long queue. Bicycles are part of the solution, but tired legs will appreciate the benefits of an electric motor to assist them home with less effort. It’s a tough time for everyone being on lock down and very hard for small businesses everywhere. We really appreciate the chance to help London’s frontline NHS staff, however small our role might be.”

 

“We are grateful to Gocycle as our first partner in this project and hope that other suppliers follow their example and generous commitment, allowing us to increase the offering to NHS workers in due course.” Concluded Parsons.

Interested NHS workers, as well as cycle industry businesses keen to offer their support to the project, can register their interest via the Fully Charged website here.

 

Tom Atkinson is Reviews & Dep. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @techtrends_tech