Volunteer Awards 2019 Finalist - Spokes Edinburgh

Spokes, with over 1000 members, is one of the UK's biggest and most effective cycling campaign group. Spokes' two objectives are to promote cycling as part of a sustainable transport and access strategy and to publicise the benefits of cycling for the community and individuals.

Due to the hard work of Spokes volunteers, Edinburgh is surging ahead of other areas in terms of improvements to cycling infrastructure and accelerating bike use. The activities Spokes undertakes to achieve these objectives include political lobbying, research and public meetings as well as running stalls and bike rides. 

Their regular bulletin has a print-run of 13,000 copies, which are distributed to members and named decision-makers across Scotland and are freely available to the public in bike shops and libraries.

Spokes also has a range of cycle maps detailing suitable roads and paths in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Lothians. These are available to buy online or in the shops and have sold over 100,000 copies since 1987!

Research projects include an annual survey of all Scottish cycling investment, traffic counts, and action-research on topics such as cycle parking for tenement dwellers and how to undertake everyday bike journeys with young children.

Spokes is a finalist in the Outstanding Campaigning Group category in the Cycling UK Volunteer Awards 2019.