How rise in pedal power across the UK is creating new job opportunities

GET on your bike and find a job in the cycling sector.

Rising petrol prices and the push to be greener have seen bike journeys increase 11 per cent since before the pandemic in 2019.

And as more people take to two wheels, more jobs are being created in the industry.

A new report from The Bicycle Association shows that expanding cycling even further could deliver up to 130,000 new jobs by 2030.

This represents 6.5 per cent of the Government’s Green Jobs Taskforce goal of two million new roles.

Cycling in Britain is a bigger employer than the steel industry, supporting 69,000 jobs ranging from technical positions to sales, training, administration, construction and delivery.

Experts estimate the sector delivers £7.5billion in economic value, including £1.2billion in direct economic benefits and tax, with a further £600million from cycle tourism, events and infrastructure.

The Bicycle Association says promoting cycling to replace cars for journeys from two to ten miles could also improve high streets, leading to an uplift in local spending.

The Bicycle Association’s executive director Steve Garidis said: “It is time for the Government to recognise the value, opportunities and needs of the cycle industry, as well as the role we can play in ensuring the UK meets its net zero and economic growth ambitions.”

Roles in the cycling industry include cycle technicians, with an average salary of £31,000, bicycle designers and engineers, averaging £36,000, and local authority cycling leads, paying on average £45,000.

Jeyda Heselton is the founder of Fettle, a network of bike repair stations.

The 31-year-old set up the company after working in the transport sector and discovering that bikes are projected to outsell cars across Europe by two-to-one within eight years.

The firm recently opened repair workshops in a number of Kwik Fit centres in Bristol and London.

Jeyda, from South London, said: “Private car travel in cities is set to decline but bikes are booming.