The Gambia is set to benefit from 380 bikes sent to Africa by BTN bikeshare, a charity supporting communities in Africa.
The bikes are donated to Re-cycle, a UK based charity that redistribute the bikes to countries such as Ghana, The Gambia, South Africa and Zambia.
According to the charity, this is the second and final batch of bikes from the old BTN bikeshare fleet being donated to charity. Last month, the charity announced that around 100 bikes were being donated to ‘Cycle of Good’ who support communities in Malawi.
Councillor Elaine Hills, co-chair of the environment, transport and sustainability committee said: “Now the cycles have reached the end of their time on the streets of Brighton & Hove, I’m pleased we have been able to make a further donation to charity to reduce waste.”
He said the old BTN bikeshare bikes have been tremendous servants to the city, covering more than four million miles since 2017, and it’s great they will be given a new lease of life.
“By redistributing the bikes globally, we’re also showing that schemes like ours can be sustainable and innovative. We’re doing everything we can to reuse, repurpose or recycle,” he said.
Re-cycle has also sent over 130,000 bikes and hundreds of thousands of spare parts to countries across Africa over the past 25 years. During this time, the charity added, the bikes and spare parts have helped thousands of people in rural communities across the continent.
Charlotte Ward, Re-cycle’s director says “We are very grateful to Brighton & Hove City Council for donating these bikes to Recycle. They will help transform so many people’s lives across Africa by giving them access to affordable and sustainable transportation.”
