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Bristol council investigates complaint against community bike project run from man's home - and gives scheme its backing

L-Dub Community Bike Project has provided hundreds of bikes to people in past six years, many free to local kids

A man running a project from the back garden of his council house that refurbishes unwanted bikes so they can be given a new lease of life feared the operation would have to close after a neighbour complained – only to learn that following a visit from a housing inspector, Bristol City Council had decided to support the scheme.

A neighbour of Ian ‘Scotty’ Scott, aged 48, had lodged the complaint due to his use of the garden of his Lawrence Weston home, as well as some disused land behind it, to store bikes for his L-Dub Community Bike Project, which he set up six years ago.

Since then, it has refurbished hundreds of bikes, giving them away free to underprivileged children aged 2 to 5 years, while those aged 5-16 pay £30 and adults £50 for the bikes.

Earlier this month, the council served him with a notice of inspection following the complaint by the neighbour alleging that he was in breach of his tenancy agreement due to the number of bikes stored in his garden and the land behind it.

“When I received the letter I couldn’t believe it,” Mr Scott told Bristol Live. “Everybody around here knows what we do and we have managed to make a difference in so many people’s lives.

“The thought that somebody would report us using land that has laid untouched for decades to run something that is trying to make a positive impact in the community is shocking to say the least.”

But far from ordering him to close down the operation, the council’s visit resulted in him receiving its backing – including help in obtaining permission to construct a more permanent workshop which he has already applied for.

 “We are working with organisers of the bike project to help it continue to operate with the necessary permissions required,” a Bristol City Council spokesman explained.

“It is currently running from the back garden of a council property and we are in discussion with the occupants to safeguard the future of this community scheme.”

“It’s ironic really, because in trying to get us shut down by complaining they have actually sped up our application by quite a few weeks,” said Mr Scott.

“Although we have been operating well for the past few years on our own, to have that backing would be a massive help and allow us to reach so many more young people who really need it.”

Mr Scott said that his decision to set up the scheme was partly based on his own experience as a child in the area.

“There is something so freeing about having a bike, especially as a kid on an estate who might not have much of a chance to get out or explore – it’s like a passport to all these new experiences,” he said.

“I find it really depressing to see so many kids sat on their iPads or game consoles, getting no exercise in body or mind, when there’s so much for them to do outside with a bike.

“I feel really lucky that I was given that opportunity as a child, and now it’s great to be able to pass that on to other kids in the area - it feels like paying it forward in some way. We receive a lot of pictures and videos from parents of their children just loving their bikes and that makes it all so worth it.”

Among the organisations that donate unwanted bikes to the project is Bristol Waste, which said that often bikes are left at its recycling centres that only need minor work to return them to top condition.

 “It’s a no-brainer for us to provide these items to our partner organisations to be refurbished and redistributed, often at affordable prices and targeting to those who may not otherwise be able to afford a brand-new bike,” a spokesman said.

Besides attracting attention from the local media, the story is now getting interest from national outlets, with BBC’s The One Show due to pay a visit tomorrow according to a post on the project’s Facebook page.

Mr Scott is currently appealing for help from scaffolding firms that can donate manpower and materials over the autumn and winter to cover up the area where mechanics currently work, and can be reached on 07561 836923.

A well-wisher has also set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for the scaffolding, saying:

This guy is doing a bike project for community's and has no shelter to work under. Due to the weather he is out in all weather's providing bikes for the community. We have asked for help from others but yet nothing he has provided bikes to many from the age of 1 up to adults. We are reaching out for you guys to help please. He has helped many others by giving bikes to the community whether it's to go to work or just a family bike ride. He also repairs them in all weathers so just a little helping hand to this project in providing shelter is all we ask.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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16 comments

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

There's  another BristolPost article about L-Dub: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/petition-launched-counci...

There's a petition to hopefully let him continue his great work: https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=70&RPID=4267...

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

Not so good news about L-Dub:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/kids-bike-project-labelled-great-2087092

Quote:

Ian was ordered to halt the project when he called the council on Friday to enquire about clearance of a pile of rubble he had gathered while clearing up the wasteland, which he claims has been left untouched for more than 35 years after garages were pulled down.

Avatar
alansmurphy | 5 years ago
0 likes

 

"Since then, it has refurbished hundreds of bikes, giving them away free to underprivileged children "

 

“I find it really depressing to see so many kids sat on their iPads or game consoles"

 

Hmmm, modern Britain...

 

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to alansmurphy | 5 years ago
0 likes

alansmurphy wrote:

"Since then, it has refurbished hundreds of bikes, giving them away free to underprivileged children "

 

“I find it really depressing to see so many kids sat on their iPads or game consoles"

 

Hmmm, modern Britain...

I know, right?

You're supposed to connect them to a TV and play games on them, not sit on them.

Avatar
kamoshika | 5 years ago
0 likes

Excellent news! I hope Mr Scott is going to send a note of thanks to the neighbour who put in the complaint, for bringing it to everyone's attention laugh

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StraelGuy | 5 years ago
0 likes

Superb stuff!

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

Looks like a friendly scaffolder has stepped in to help him out as well as the GoFundMe reaching its target: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/how-l-dub-community-bike...

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

The GoFundMe has reached its target, but I thought I'd put in a tenner anyway.

Avatar
Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
3 likes

Good to see Marvellous Marvin not telling them all to get cars, for a change.

Avatar
brooksby replied to Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
3 likes

Bmblbzzz wrote:

Good to see Marvellous Marvin not telling them all to get cars, for a change.

Dont forget the great bristolian underground railway 

Avatar
Redvee replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
3 likes

brooksby wrote:

Bmblbzzz wrote:

Good to see Marvellous Marvin not telling them all to get cars, for a change.

Dont forget the great bristolian underground railway 

 

The service that goes to the Arena at Temple Meads?

Avatar
brooksby replied to Redvee | 5 years ago
0 likes

Redvee wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Bmblbzzz wrote:

Good to see Marvellous Marvin not telling them all to get cars, for a change.

Dont forget the great bristolian underground railway 

 

The service that goes to the Arena at Temple Meads?

Yes, but you don't have to use the underground.  You could use the extensive network of electric guided buses instead, the one that covers the entire city and will help to reduce the use of private cars.

Avatar
clayfit | 5 years ago
4 likes

What a star.  

If we all pop over to gofundme, he should have that roof in no time.

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StraelGuy | 5 years ago
9 likes

Top bloke laugh, I've just chipped in a tenner.

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CygnusX1 | 5 years ago
17 likes

Take that, NIMBY!

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dreamy | 5 years ago
19 likes

Ian Scott, you're a top man.

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