Evans and Halfords join government’s £50 Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme – here’s how to claim

Evans Cycles and Halfords have both confirmed they will be taking part in the government's £50 Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme and have explained how to claim.

The Department for Transport initiative has been launched in the hopes of getting more people on bikes as the UK comes out of coronavirus lockdown.

With people returning to work, the government is concerned more people will jump in their cars, causing further traffic problems on the roads.

The government has now confirmed registration for members of the public to claim their voucher will open at 11.45pm on Tuesday, July 28 on the Energy Saving Trust website.

How bike repair vouchers work

Members of the public can claim a £50 voucher towards the cost of repairing their bikes, which the government hopes will get more people commuting by cycling and riding for fun.

The scheme will only be available in England.

Evans says it has expanded its team of mechanics by 32 per cent in anticipation of the new scheme, with four dedicated bike-building hubs being set-up to ease the burden on their regular workshops.

The high street chain will also be offering up servicing within 24 hours guaranteed (subject to availability of parts), with all pre-booked services being carried out within a day.

An Evans spokesperson said: “It is truly amazing to see so many people getting back on their bikes. The past few months have presented significant challenges to both customers and staff, and we’ve worked extremely hard to meet unprecedented demand, safely and responsibly while providing hundreds of free bike MOTs to key workers across the country.

“The new voucher scheme presents a fantastic opportunity to help revive any bike that might benefit from a bit of care and repair. We hope the public embrace the opportunity of the funding, so that more people can discover that life really is better by bike.”

How to claim your bike repair voucher

To claim your voucher, you can visit the Fix Your Bike scheme website here to register for a code from 11.45pm on Tuesdyay July 28.  You can then take your bike into a registered by shop to claim your £50 discount on a service.

Evans says the cost of their Road Ready Service is £35, with the remainder of the voucher being put towards additional parts or repairs.

Halfords customers can visit the Halfords website to book their bike maintenance slot, either before or after they have registered for their voucher.

Once you’ve booked a slot, the Halfords mechanic will carry out a free 32-point check and will diagnose any faults or repairs needed. The store can then carry out the repairs or you can return at a later data. The voucher will be put towards the cost of the repairs.

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Halfords CEO Graham Stapleton said: “When it comes to bike repairs, we’ve noticed a change in customer mind set, with more cyclists turning to us to help with the smallest of fixes, as they dust off their old bikes and seek to avoid public transport. It’s a trend that’s being driven by busy lives and lack of time for consumers who don’t want to carry out awkward maintenance jobs.

"As part of the scheme, our thousands of highly skilled bike mechanics will offer each cyclist a free 32 point bike check and diagnosis, which will help them decide how best to spend their voucher. We think the government’s ‘Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme’ will not only help individuals become more confident about keeping their bikes maintained, but will help speed up the cycling revolution.”