Bicycle User Groups (BUGs)

Bicycle User Groups (or BUGs for short) originated in the 1980s amongst the large corporations in Toronto, Canada. The idea spread to the UK in 1993 when the first group was established at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. A BUG is a loose association of staff who cycle - or who would like to - and it works to improve conditions for cyclists and to persuade more people to give cycling a try.

A BUG should be open to all, it’s not just for hardened lycra-clad enthusiasts who bike to work every day, come rain or shine. It is for ‘bike users’ as opposed to ‘cyclists’ and the difference is an important one. A bike user may pedal to work just a handful of times a year. Nevertheless, their views and ideas are as valid as those of a five-days-a-week cyclist.

Newcomers to cycling (and that is what you are aiming to generate) will, almost certainly, start off by cycling just occasionally. It is important that the BUG understands their needs and concerns and makes them genuinely welcome.

An opportunity, not a threat

Sometimes a site manager will get the wrong idea about a BUG and see it as a threat: a bunch of Green revolutionaries who will not rest until they have everybody cycling and all the car parks turned into forests!

In fact, the BUG is the site manager’s friend and your group should make this clear. The BUG is a way of focussing cyclists’ views and coming up with a coherent plan. A single representative can then feed your ideas into the site manager’s (and others’) agendas. The result is that the hard-pressed manager has to meet with one BUG rep instead of having a constant stream of individuals submitting different (and sometimes contradictory) ideas.

Structure

BUGs can be quite formal and hold regular meetings with an agenda, a chair and a minute taker. Or they can be very informal and just get together occasionally when there is something particularly important to discuss. Or there are ‘virtual BUGs’ that rarely meet in person but correspond by email and via an intranet site. Choose a structure that suits your organisation and that reflects the amount of effort and time people are prepared to contribute.

What does a BUG do?

Obviously, your BUG will come up with ideas for making your workplace more cycle-friendly. It may help carry out your organisation’s travel survey and site audit. It is likely to get involved with publicity and promotion, especially during Bike Week.

In addition to all this practical work, a BUG might have a strong social dimension too and organise leisure rides after work, sponsored rides, treasure hunts, barbecues... you name it. A BUG member might also be chosen to represent the interests of your organisation’s cyclists at external meetings, for example, at your local cycle forum or commuter club.

Here are some other typical BUG activities:

Produce a regular newsletter.
Set up a BUG website or intranet site.
Organise a Doctor Bike event.
Arrange regular lunchtime talks or presentations about cycling.
Run a cyclists’ information service supplying free maps, leaflets and other advice.
Organise an official ribbon cutting to mark the opening of new cycle facilities at your workplace. Invite the local media and win your organisation some valuable publicity.
Operate a ‘bike buddy’ scheme. Novice cyclists are paired with a more experienced rider who will cycle to work with them.
Produce a site map showing the location of cycle parking stands, showers, etc.
Organise a cyclists’ breakfast during Bike Week.
Provide volunteers who will help mend punctures and carry out emergency repairs for fellow members of staff.
Conduct a quarterly ‘cycle census’ to count the number of bikes on-site and record any changes and progress.
Get a local bike shop to set up a display of commuter bikes and equipment in the staff restaurant or a similar prominent place.