Phoebe, a newly-qualified doctor from Manchester, shares her experience of cycling as a student and how she benefitted from owning a bike. Interviewed for our Cycling Opportunity report, Phoebe believes a scheme to support people on a low income or not in employment to access a cycle would help students and others like her.
Hear more about Phoebe's experience of cycling and the benefits she discovered.
“I went to Newcastle University.
“In the final year, it's a known problem that financially, a lot of the medical students struggle because you no longer get student finance.”
Almost fully qualified, Phoebe had a number of placements at hospitals around Newcastle.
However, with varying shift times and a tight budget, she didn’t feel confident relying on public transport for her travel.
“I didn't want to pay for the trams into placement every day because it’d be very expensive and I didn't really have the disposable income.
“So, for my birthday, I spoke with my parents and my dad said he'd help pay for me to get a bike, so that I'd be able to cycle to and from placement without any issues.
“We ended up getting mine from a bike recycling charity in Newcastle, where they take donations of old bikes and do them up, then sell them on at an affordable price.
“And so that's really when I got into cycling regularly.”
Saving money while cycling
Phoebe quickly began feeling the benefits of having a bike.
“I’d cycle to and from placement and it was so much quicker.
“It saved me a lot of money, and then I used it not only to get to placement, but just to get anywhere around Newcastle - if I was going to see friends, it was really convenient to just cycle.
“I don't remember how much the bike was, maybe £130, but the metro in every day was about £4 or £5.
“I was in placement five days a week for the year, so, that was way more - I don't know how much off the top of my head, but it was a lot!”
While the benefits of cycling for mobility and money saving are clear, our research has found that 1.9 million people in the UK want to cycle but are priced out by the cost of a cycle and accessories.
Gaining freedom through owning a cycle
Phoebe is glad to have made the change to cycling, but looking back, she can see why some may find it daunting at first.
“When I first started, it was a bit hard - especially going up hills!
“But very quickly you become accustomed to it.
“I play netball, and even though I was only cycling for 10-15 minutes, I could see the difference when I was doing sports or other exercise, I was a lot fitter.
“Cycling is one of the things that, whilst it's environmentally friendly, it also has personal benefits, the health side, financial side, freedom with your own schedule.
“It works for me, and it doesn't feel like a slog or something difficult to do.”
Phoebe also found that her travel habits to her hospital placement helped create a culture of cycling.
“Out of a group of maybe 20 of us, there were four or five of us who cycled regularly.
“I think we all did it for the same reason, just that it was mainly quicker and easier to get about.
“One of my friends says she hates walking to places now because cycling is so much quicker!”
Phoebe feels that other people could benefit from owning a bike like she has if they're given the right help. Credit: Tom Hughes
Introducing a scheme to help others
Since graduating from Newcastle, Phoebe has returned home to Manchester and begun full time work as a doctor.
She’s also brought her newfound cycling habits home with her.
“I like cycling to Sale town centre a lot, whether it's to grab some groceries or just to go for a shop.
“Quite a bit of my family live around here, so it’s useful and convenient to cycle to them.
“I don’t have a car at the moment, so it’s the best way to get about.”
Phoebe was fortunate to have had help from her parents to set her up with a bike, but thinks that more should be done for other people on a low income or not in employment.
“I think if there was some initiative that meant that you were able to get a bike at an affordable price, it would be really useful.
“I think people - definitely students - would take advantage of it. In a lot of cities they would.
“I think having a bike to get around gives you the freedom to do what you want to do on your own timescales.”
Our Cycling Opportunity report proves that a voucher scheme to help people on a low income or not in employment buy a cycle would have significant benefits for public health, wellbeing and access to education and employment.
Read more in the Cycling Opportunity report and discover our findings.
