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Surrey Choices joins forces with Wheels for All to get more people with disabilities cycling

11th November 2021

Surrey Choices joined forces yesterday with Cycling Projects Wheels for All to highlight how cycling can be made accessible to all.

At the Greener Transport Surrey event in Farnham, a group supported by Surrey Choices, displayed how people with learning disabilities and autism can access and enjoy cycling.

Many people with disabilities have never had the opportunity to ride a bike, so can lack the confidence and skills to cycle. The Wheels for All Cycling Project provides specially adapted cycles on a safe track environment for people to learn and have fun. Groups from Surrey Choices have been cycling for pleasure during track sessions at Woking and Ewell for a while now. These cycling sessions provide many health and well-being benefits for riders.

In addition, Nigel Fisher, Surrey County Coordinator for Cycling Projects, was at the event to promote the wider environmental benefits of cycling and the expansion of its ‘Bike Buddy’ programme into Surrey. Bike Buddy is a new inclusive cycling programme that supports disabled people, who want to make cycling journeys in their local area. Cycling projects loan specially adapted cycles and provide training, so that people with disabilities can opt to cycle as a means of transport.

Surrey Choices also provides travel training for people with disabilities. Supporting people to make journeys independently, whether on foot, by cycle, or public transport, can significantly reduce the number of car journeys undertaken by family and friends who support them.

Speaking at the COP26 Regional Roadshow Cheryl Knight, Travel Lead at Surrey Choices, commented: “Our Travel Choices programme is focussed on training young adults with disabilities to travel independently to and from school or college. Travelling independently on public transport not only reduces young people’s reliance on family and friends but helps the environment by reducing their carbon footprint.”

Greener Transport Surrey was a transport-themed event organised by Surrey County Council and partners to mark the UN Climate Change Conference. Focused on showcasing opportunities to reduce carbon emissions through transport, it was live-streamed globally online and into the main event in Glasgow.