Bicycles abandoned at Edinburgh Waverley Station in Scotland are now contributing to sustainable travel through a partnership with a local cycle charity, The Bike Station, which aims to make cycling accessible to everyone.

Every year, dozens of bicycles are abandoned or left unclaimed at Edinburgh Waverley, Scotland’s busiest railway station. Despite efforts to reunite them with their owners, more than 60 bikes have remained unclaimed over the last two years.

The maximum time for customers to store their cycles in dedicated cycle racks at the station is two weeks. After this, they are labelled with warning notices before being transferred to a secure storage area. They are held there for six months, and if the cycles are still unclaimed, they are donated to The Bike Station charity for reuse.

The Bike Station charity refurbishes donated cycles and recycles them by selling them at affordable prices, with proceeds from their sale invested into projects to help people across Scotland access cycling, including maintenance classes, training courses, and affordable repair services.

The first batch of 30 abandoned cycles was collected by The Bike Station on 22nd April, and delivered to Polmont Prison, where they will be refurbished by inmates, including servicing and cleaning them@As well as freeing up space in the station’s heavily used cycle racks, the scheme will support sustainable transport, help develop skills, and provide wider community benefits.

Not everyone can afford a brand-new bicycle, and having the chance to cycle can make a big difference to their everyday lives. By supporting organisations like The Bike Station, people can be helped to get around more affordably and sustainably, and also build their confidence.

In March, London North Eastern Railway donated abandoned bicycles to the Newcastle-based bicycle recycling charity Recyke Bok, and for several years, Govia Thameslink Railway has been donating abandoned bicycles to the recycling charity Cycleworks.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with our colleagues at Edinburgh Waverley again. The Bike Station originated in Waverley Station many years ago, and the impact of working together is as relevant now as it was then. Recently, our team collected 40 bikes which will be refurbished and made available through our free-to-access bikes programme, Kids Bike Life, which enables more families to choose cycling in our city”.

Sasha Taylor, CEO, The Bike Station