The ACT has issued a statement praising Tuesday's announcement of a £50m fund to get school-kids out of cars and on to bikes, buses and walking-trains. "Such initiatives offer an important opportunity for IBDs to capture new customers," says Mark Brown, the ACT's new sales and marketing exec.

ACT believes IBDs can benefit from government’s safe routes to school largesse

The ACT "believes backing at a national level will be significant to the independent cycle retail sector, providing further support for the promotion and development of cycling," says Brown.

"We feel this announcement is important for our members and the sector as a whole and we hope these plans for schools will work positively alongside Bike Hub [the name for the UK’s cycle industry’s ‘levy’] to

increase overall cycle usage and promotion.

"The ACT has strategic objectives to promote the IBD sector amongst consumers and therefore any

other initiatives for the development of cycling we view as very positive for our industry."

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