Organisation
Lambeth Council - Big Shift programme
Theme
Transport
Start Date
Sept 2023
End Date
Aug 2024
Goals
Reduce traffic, Shift modes
Community Influencers was a two-year project delivered by Lambeth’s Big Shift programme alongside Peddle My Wheels.
Each year, 30 novice cyclists were given a bike, cycling equipment, and cycling training, and we followed along with their journeys as they built their confidence cycling in London.
The Challenge
Lambeth’s Climate Action Plan (opens in a new window) commits to the goal of Shift Modes to enable at least 85% of journeys in Lambeth to be made by walking, cycling or other public transport modes by 2030. As part of this commitment, Lambeth has invested in improving cycle infrastructure as well as cycle confidence, to encourage and support active travel for Lambeth Residents.
Cycling in London can often be daunting, to both completely new cyclists and to people who may have cycled previously elsewhere. The Community Influencer project aimed to show how easily cycling can be incorporated into someone’s daily life and inspire others to give it a go.
Action Taken
Through the Lambeth Council’s Community Influencer Project, 30 beginner cyclists have been provided a bike and training and will document their journeys over the year. It was funded through Lambeth Council’s Big Shift programme to encourage people to consider more sustainable and active ways to move around their local areas.
Peddle My Wheels (opens in a new window) would check in with the influencers once a month and receive monthly feedback forms and pictures. The influencers were provided with support and guidance, not just on how to cycle but also on how to influence others to give it a go. They were also provided with information about cycling schemes in Lambeth so that they could support others in doing so.
The Results
The influencers’ experiences offered insight into the ease of using cycle ways, cycling through green spaces, securing their bikes to hangars, and how residents can benefit from the multitude of cycling support schemes available through the Big Shift programme of works across the borough.
Community influencer Claire has remarked on cycling to Balham for shopping,
“It actually probably took the same amount of time that it would in the car, so we know that we can do that. I think that gave us both a bit more confidence.”
Experiential accounts like these reassure residents that these changes are possible and not as challenging as they may have thought. Further to this, these personal accounts give perspective beyond the environmental impacts, articulating health and wellbeing benefits as well as practicalities;
“Getting around most of the time, you can walk to the location, but for those mid-range journeys where it’s a little bit too far to walk with kids but not long enough to drive, I found that I was just driving for the sake of it, and it was a bit easier. This cargo bike will help me change that.
After only two months on her bike, Joy, one of the Community Influencers, says she doesn’t use her car anymore.
Now that the project has ended, we have received nothing but positive feedback from the influencers. They have told us that cycling has made a real change in their lives and that they have felt able to influence others to give cycling a go, too.
The impact of the Community Influencer Scheme was recognised in its second year as it won the Mode Shift 2024 reward for the best Community Engagement Project.
