The power of the pedal
Gareth Thomas |
TEDxPlymouthCityCouncil
• January 2022
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Gareth didn't set up Bikespace to save the planet. He set it up to support young people outside of mainstream education, and latterly vulnerable people, and refugees, by providing vocational training.
The pandemic at the start of 2020 proved the power of his vision. Plymouth saw a rise in food banks and losses of jobs. It saw young people feeling lost without the stability of education and adults struggling to cope with isolation.
Bikespace was able to remain open throughout the periods of lockdown. Its staff all wanted to keep working and didn't stop for a single day.
Support continued for the young people and adults. Aside from a short period at the start of lockdown, they were able to safely stay in the workshop, fixing bikes.
Adults were Initially sent care packages, and then one to one sessions were held outdoors under a temporary shelter.
And of course, the bike industry boomed. The workshop remained busy, even through the winter.
Bikespace is thriving. And is now part of a national pilot to trial electric cargo bikes to speed up and green up local goods deliveries. It features a number of local creative businesses that have signed up to participate.
They've assembled a set of sensors that fit into each bike and capture a range of data as the bikes travel the city, resulting in numerous data products that can inform urban planning and help bike users plan journeys better, and new ways for the businesses to share data with each other.
For Gareth, it is not a choice between jobs, individual wellbeing, and the planet. They
are intrinsically linked.
His 20-year journey with Bikespace and the last two years especially, have reinforced his belief in the power of the pedal to deliver sustainable and positive social change.