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Government launches energy bill cut plan for small businesses

12 Apr 2023

The government has launched a new campaign aimed at helping businesses, charities and public sector organisations reduce their energy bills.
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Indie retailers should start to feel the benefit of business rates drop

12 Apr 2023

Shops, pubs and other high street businesses should be tax cuts of more than 50% after new property valuations came into effect earlier this month.
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ActSmart/IndieRetail address change

11 Apr 2023

ActSmart/IndieRetail have moved office. We’re still in the same business centre but have moved unit.
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Get behind the #ShopKind campaign and help spread the word

4 Apr 2023

With the week commencing 17 April being designated as #ShopKind Week, we are urging all our members to get involved in the campaign by sharing the materials on social media and across their... Read more…

Competition watchdog warns online retailers on pressure-selling tactics

4 Apr 2023

The UK's competition watchdog has announced a crackdown on online pressure-selling tactics that can push consumers into making hasty decisions they later regret.
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Free Easter Toolkit Download!

31 Mar 2023

Checkout Bira's FREE opening times and social media toolkit downloads for Easter!
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Jewellery sector’s Inspiring Independents Top 100 returns for 2023

30 Mar 2023

Retail Jeweller’s Inspiring Independents, the annual list of the top 100 independent jewellery and watch retailers in the UK and Ireland, is back for 2023 with voting open from everyone... Read more…

Local Bike Shop Day set for April 29th

29 Mar 2023

The ACT has announced that the annual Local Bike Shop Day https://localbikeshopday.co.uk/ will take place on Saturday 29... Read more…

Convenience stores saw record levels of theft in 2022, according to ACS report

29 Mar 2023

New figures from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) have revealed record levels of shop theft being committed against local convenience retailers over the last year.
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Local leaders claim up to 40% of shops must be repurposed in next five years

27 Mar 2023

Up to 40% of shops will need to be reinvented into anything from go-kart tracks to food markets over the next five years or “wither on the vine” as demand for physical retail wanes,... Read more…

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Leicester becomes latest to offer a free e-bikes scheme funded by Department of Transport

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

Leicester has become the latest city to offer a free e-bikes scheme to encourage people to leave their cars at home and pedal around the city. The scheme, which is funded by the Department for Transport, means people will be able to loan an e-cycle for an entire month.

People can also attend sessions to learn riding skills and to boost their confidence on the road in the coming months. Cycling UK said 59% of journeys under five miles are driven and says the scheme will show people how cost-effective cycling is.

Bikes in snow

According to a 2019 survey, 18,000 daily trips were taken by cycle in Leicester. Councillor Adam Clarke, deputy city mayor said:

"Making cycling as easy and safe as possible is key in changing the way people choose to travel and helping to tackle the climate emergency. Convenience is key – which is why we also invest in initiatives like our city centre bike park, which offers free secure cycle parking.

"We’re also seeing up to 400 trips per day on Santander Cycles Leicester, the city’s e-bike share scheme and the largest scheme of its kind in the UK. Making cycling easier will be a great scheme to complement this, giving people the chance to take out an extended e-bike loan and try before they buy."

Cycling UK said that by giving people the opportunity to discover the cost, health and environmental benefits of e-cycling, it will help cut down on unnecessary short car journeys. According to research by DfT, the average UK driver now spends £107 on petrol and £149 on diesel per month.

In comparison, cycle to work schemes, such as CycleScheme, allow people to buy a standard £1000 e-cycle for less than £60 per month for just one year, after which time the only costs will be charging and occasional maintenance.
Jenny Box, deputy director of Making Cycling 'E-asier' said: "We’re delighted to be giving locals in Leicester the opportunity to discover the amazing benefits of e-cycling through Evans Cycles, and later, community hubs. Making Cycling E-asier's loans and skills and confidence sessions are completely free, and we hope this will help more people to consider e-cycling as an everyday mode of transport.”

The scheme, which is backed by an £8 million investment from Department for Transport, successfully launched in Manchester in May this year. The initiative will roll out in additional locations across the country next year.

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