October 20^th sees the first meeting of The Expert Panel on Inclusive Cycling. The panel has been set up by WfW in consultation with the Department for Transport (DfT), and it is made up of providers of inclusive cycling sessions and trade/manufacturers of non-standard cycles from across the UK.

The aim of the panel is to provide a collective, sector-led voice which will:

1. Work together to unlock the demand for inclusive cycling by Disabled and older people and support the growth and development of the sector
2. Have strong links with the DfT and other high-level policy-makers to overcome the barriers to growth and uptake in the sector
3. Offer a unified voice regarding the sector’s key concerns and provide a first point of contact for DfT and other high-level policy-makers
4. Facilitate new partnerships across the sector, including with end-users
5. Collaborate on strategy and/or campaigns to address barriers to cycling and promote the growth of the sector

Rupert Furness, Deputy Director for Active Travel at the DfT, will address the first meeting. Other items on the agenda include a first view of some of the initial findings from WfW’s research on the impacts of Covid19 on Disabled cyclists. The panel will meet on a quarterly basis, and we hope it will transform the landscape for Disabled cyclists, and not-yet cyclists, nationwide.

If you are a provider of inclusive cycling sessions or manufacture/trade non-standard cycles in the UK, and would like further information about the panel or get involved, please contact kay@wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk