Cycling UK will get you back on your bike!

Cycling UK, the former Meadrow-based Cyclists Touring Club, has told cycling fans not to panic if they were unable to get onto the government website to grab a £50 bike repair voucher yesterday.

There were reports today of the website crashing within minutes of going live as keen cyclists and those looking to return to the activity tried to sign up to take advantage of the first wave of £50 repairs vouchers going up for grabs.

A spokesman for Cycling UK, which is now based in Guildford, told Nub News that it is planning to hold a series of 'pop-up' bike repair clinics in the area next month.

Exact details haven't yet been made available but the organisation says there will be opportunities for everyone to get their bike fixed before the summer is out.

The charity says it reckons there are 16.5 million bikes sitting unused and neglected in the hallways and sheds of England. Many of these bikes will require simple maintenance to start working again, with common complaints such as loose brakes, skipping gears and flat tyres, which are all simple to fix.

James Scott, Cycling UK's director of behaviour change, said: "From 15 August, across the country our Dr Bikes will be carrying out a bike 'triage' service – fixing minor repairs and checking to make bikes safe and roadworthy. That will take the brunt off retailers enrolled in the voucher scheme, leaving them to repair the bikes which need a bit more TLC than an on-the-spot repair can provide."

Cycling UK's Big Bike Revival scheme is being funded by the Department for Transport and will allow mechanics to fix bikes free of charge. For bikes needing more further assistance, owners will be referred to retailers using the government's £50 bike repair voucher scheme.

The government's £50 voucher comes as part of a wider package of measures to make cycling and walking safer for everyone. Other plans include thousands of miles of new cycle routes in towns and cities, bike racks and storage facilities, as well as setting up a new e-bike programme and encouraging doctors to 'prescribe' cycling as an activity.

Mr Scott added: "The government has laid out a truly comprehensive and far-reaching set of measures to improve cycling and walking in England, that will help would-be cyclists on their journey as well as the regular riders."

But he said more funding was needed to make the scheme work. "The £2bn of funding already announced will not be enough," he said.

"However, with a forthcoming spending review, now's the time for the Chancellor to invest in the future and make the Prime Minister's vision of a golden age of cycling come true."