'If anything, we've got too much demand!': Preston Station launches permanent cycling hub

A local community project has officially launched its very first cycling facility, right in the heart of Preston Train Station.

Built just beyond the station entrance on Butler Street, the Preston Pedals Cycle Hub offers secure storage for bikes, alongside an all-day repairs service and a range of refurbished bikes and parts for sale.

While operating in a trial period throughout the summer, the Cycle Hub today formally celebrated its opening with a launch event attended by volunteers, Avanti West Coast staff, and Mayor of Preston Nweeda Khan.

“It’s been great,” said Preston Pedals director Fran Ibison. “If anything, we’ve got too much demand!

“There’s a few cycle shops left in Preston, but sadly, we’ve lost some over the years. There’s plenty of need for servicing and things like that.

“We’re constantly getting a supply of donated bikes [to sell], and it’s our ethos to reuse and hope to avoid wastage.

“There’s a lot of bikes that get abandoned at train stations, and a lot of them are locked down in the tunnels beneath Preston Station. Avanti have been very helpful, and they’ve also been very supportive today.”

Preston Pedals first launched in 2022 as an offshoot of activism group Climate Action Preston.

The project worked as a more concrete endeavour for volunteers to dedicate their time towards, allowing them to better serve their local community while also making Preston greener.

According to Fran, the Preston Pedals’ main aim to create a ‘cycle culture’ in Preston - particularly as for many people in the city, cycling can remain an inaccessible endeavour.

According to government figures, women make up only a quarter of the UK’s regular cyclers.

For riders over 70, men make more than nine times as many cycling trips as women, while for those in their 30s, men made five times more.

According to charity Cycling UK, women are significantly less likely to cycle due to safety concerns: there are not enough well-lit cycle routes; not enough segregated cycle lanes; and over the past seven years, the charity has seen no reduction in the number of women being abused by drivers - despite improvements for men.

And with women making significantly more ‘school run’ trips than men on average, Fran said that concerns for her children’s safety was another reason she had hesitated to cycle in the past.

“I’ve got kids myself, and you always feel like you’re in a vicious cycle,” Fran said. “You want to cycle, but then a lot of people end up driving, and you want to feel safe with your kids.

“We’d love to do something like setting up a Bike Bus. Manchester have got some of those going, where there’s a group of parents and a group of kids who cycle in a group, play music, and just make it a fun experience to get to school. Everybody feels a bit safer.

“There’s also a bit of a short of storage around Preston where it feels safe and there’s CCTV. That’s something we want to address.

“There’s also a cycle lane that connects to an old Victorian park, but it’s still not lit, so there’s also things like that, where it’s not really considered how a woman may feel at night.

“There’s different aspects to it. We want to make cycling something that you can just do every day, rather than thinking of it as just a way to stay fit.”

Now looking ahead, Fran said she hopes the Cycle Hub will make cycling a more accessible option for people who want to travel within Preston.

While the Cycle Hub already offers an affordable repairs service in their workshop, the team also plan to eventually host teaching sessions where people can learn to repair their own bikes at home.

“I’ve got so many friends who might puncture something, and then they get scared and think they have to take it somewhere and get it fixed,” Fran said. “Really, it’s something you can manage yourself. It can be quite empowering.

“I’ve always felt confident riding, but all of this is about the community with other cyclists. You can sometimes feel a bit on your own out there.

“It’s nice to have a place to meet people, compare notes, and have ideas.”

Mayor of Preston Nweeda Khan said: “It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate the opening of the Preston Pedals Cycle Hub.

“This new hub gives Preston Pedals a permanent home and a space to continue to grow their work and help many more people discover the joy of cycling.

“I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has played a part in making this happen. This was a real team effort, and they should all be proud of what has been achieved.”