Promoting cycling in Haddington

Haddington has many features which make it an easy place to cycle with a compact town centre, little through traffic, good off-road cycle routes, a relatively flat terrain, and a surrounding rural hinterland with many quiet roads. However, the town no longer has a cycle shop, the nearest being North Berwick (7 miles) or Dunbar (12 miles). This means that many people are put off using their bicycle because they are unable to perform minor repairs. This is especially the case for those without access to a car.

We want to encourage cycling in Haddington through providing practical support & information, and normalize cycling as a means of transport in the area, beyond young kids scooting along the pavement.

Do many people in Haddington own bikes but not use them because they don’t know where they can cycle or how to conduct simple running repairs? We would like to bring the hundreds of unused bikes in sheds & garages of the town back into use.

The plan

With support from Cycling Scotland’s Community Cycling Innovation Fund, and starting in the Spring next year, we plan to:

• Produce a simple leaflet showing off-road and quiet cycle routes in Haddington, with how long each route takes and how many calories they use up. Many of these routes are not obvious to those who are more used to travelling by car.

• Arrange three bicycle maintenance sessions where you can bring your bicycles along for free basic servicing, including minor repairs such as punctures, replacement of brake blocks and cabling. Expert advice will be given where more complex work is required, provided by The Bike Station’s Dr Bike.

• Run a cycling-themed stall at the Haddington Farmers’ Market.

More details will follow. Please get in contact, or leave a comment below, if you want to get involved.

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