June 2012
BIKE HUB NEWS
Bike Hub is the UK cycle levy
British bicycle industry’s voluntary levy continues to grow and thrive By Phillip Darnton
In its seventh anniversary year, the Transport Minister, Norman Baker, speaking at the House of Commons, singled out Bike Hub projects for special mention expressing his appreciation to the cycle industry for their continued support for initiatives to promote safe cycling, especially to young people. He particularly commended Bike It, The Big Pedal and the Bike Hub app. All these have been funded by Bike Hub, and all continue to have a real impact on the future of cycling. So how successful has Bike Hub been? BikeBiz last
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published a progress review in July 2011, and since then the industry’s voluntary levy scheme has continued to thrive. Contributions in 2011 have exceeded £400,000; or, to be precise, £404,993. The final quarter of the year was particularly encouraging with a total of £120,300. In three out of the four last calendar years, contributions have topped £400,000; at £439,000 in 2008 - £434,000 in 2009 and £376,000 in 2010. Poor weather inevitably depresses retail sales, meaning a stock build-up with distributors, and hence a slacking of new orders to suppliers. So the dip in contributions in the year 2010 is in part offset by the increase at the start of 2011. Whichever
way you look at it, the cycle industry has donated over £3 million, mainly to schemes to get a new generation riding bikes. The figures are all the more remarkable, since there are few of the biggest retailers engaged; not Halfords; not Wiggle or Chain Reaction. The supermarkets are not contributing, nor the mail-order or internet suppliers. It’s all the more credit to the famous cycle brands, Specialized, Giant, Trek among them, and wholesalers like Fishers – and the hundreds of Independent Dealers who have really made the Bike Hub idea work. At just £1 for every £1000 of purchases, the achievement in total is truly remarkable – and it’s unique to the UK. It’s the only market