Lambeth Council’s Big Shift partnered with Peddle My Wheels to deliver an award-winning Community Influencer project.

The project provided 30 beginner cyclists with bikes. In return, they shared their journeys and experiences with us so that we could help inspire others to start cycling. We hear from Joel, who used his bike to commute to the school he teaches at.

As a teacher, Joel has always tried to be a role model for his students. By joining the Community Influencer programme, he hoped that he would be able to lead by example and help shape the next generation of cyclists.

While Joel had cycled before moving to London, like many others, starting to cycle on the busy roads was a daunting prospect. Due to living near a busy station, Joel found it very intimidating as a cyclist riding alongside the many buses that use the roads. He had heard about someone being knocked off their bike by a bus, which made him even more cautious when riding on the roads around where he lived.

However, Joel was determined to commute to work via bike and didn’t let his fears stop him. Over time, he built up his confidence and was able to cycle more and more, not just on his commute. He now finds that his mornings are much easier now that he commutes. When he can’t cycle to work, his commute is slower, and he needs to leave a lot earlier. Thankfully for Joel, the school he works at offers bike-locking facilities. He had initially used the staff bike shed but found it took too long to use. He then began using the student bike rack, which was a lot quicker. Since the bike rack wasn’t covered and seemed less secure, Joel noted that not many students used it. However, as he proved it was safe to use, he noticed that more and more students followed his example.

Throughout his time as an influencer, Joel engaged his students in his journey. They would often ask him if he had cycled in that day, he would joke with students about racing them if he cycled by, and he would speak to them about his experiences. Teachers can play a pivotal role in the lives of their students, and Joel used the opportunity to influence his students to make a healthier change by choosing to cycle to school. His hard work paid off as he has seen students who used to cycle for fun begin cycling into school.

Joel noted that there is often a mental barrier that needs to be overcome when cycling in London. Focusing on taking small steps at first helped him build up to cycling longer distances and more frequently. He recommended looking for the easiest routes, ones with cycle lanes or through Healthy Neighbourhoods, even if they take a bit longer. He found that not getting caught up with trying to cycle quickly in the beginning was helpful. Starting out slowly and getting to know the roads at quiet times helped him build the confidence to take on bigger roads at peak times. Throughout his journey, Joel felt most proud that he had conquered his fear of the busy roads and now feels comfortable cycling alongside buses during rush hour.

If you’re a teacher looking to start cycling and make a positive impact in your students’ lives, plenty of support is available!

• Anyone living, working or studying in Lambeth can access free cycle lessons through Cycle Confident (opens in a new window). 
• If you don’t have a bike yet, you can use Try Before You Bike to trial a bike before committing to buy it. (opens in a new window) 
• For a cheap second-hand bike, you can visit a Bike Market held throughout the borough (opens in a new window). 
• Finally, for bike maintenance support, you can visit a Dr Bike session where a mechanic can help you with your bike (opens in a new window).