HALFORDS SUPPORTS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE ACT
- New infrastructure act gives cycling same priority as roads
- Halfords YouGov research says 55% want Government to do more to improve cycling safety
Halfords, the UK’s leading cycle retailer, welcomes the Government’s new infrastructure act. The act means the Department for Transport will have to improve the existing network of existing cycling routes and infrastructure. It also means that civil engineers will have to give strong consideration to cycling when planning for the future.
Emma Fox, Commercial Director at Halfords says: “This act will help create the cycling revolution that the Government promised several years ago. It’s important that cyclists everywhere are catered for and having the right infrastructure in place will help everyday cyclists go to school, to work or cycle just for fun and enjoyment.”
Halfords recently commissioned a YouGov state-of-the-nation report on cycling safety which reveals how important cycling infrastructure is to the nation and what they think can be done to improve it. 40 per cent of those questioned believed that there should be dedicated cycling lanes on every road, while 16 per cent supported New York style high rise cycle ‘Super Highways’. A further 20 per cent called for more places to park and lock their bikes.
Emma Fox continues: “Support on a national level is vitally important. According to our recent research the announcement will be welcome by most across the UK – over 55 per cent believe the Government should give more attention and investment to cycling safety.”
-ENDS-
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4468 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken in November 2015. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
For further information please contact Halfords@z-pr.com or 020 7896 3404
Halfords is the UK’s leading retailer of automotive, cycling and leisure products and, through Halfords Autocentres, also one of the UK’s leading independent car servicing and repair operators. Halfords customers shop at 465 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland and at halfords.com for pick-up at their local store or direct home delivery. Halfords Autocentres operates from around 300 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices.
The Halfords Group strategy is based on three pillars:
· Supporting Drivers Of Every Car
· Inspiring Cyclists Of Every Age
· Equipping Families For Their Leisure Time
The Getting Into Gear strategy for the Retail business is based on executing in five key areas in order to deliver a significantly-enhanced customer experience:
· Service Revolution
· The H Factor
· Stores Fit to Shop
· 21st Century Infrastructure
· Click with the Digital Future
Halfords employs approximately 11,000 colleagues and sells around 9,000 product lines in store, increasing to around 160,000 Retail products online. The Retail offering encompasses significant ranges in car parts, cycling products, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes and camping equipment. Halfords’ own cycling brands include Apollo, Carrera, Boardman and 13 cycles, augmented by a range of other brands of cycles and accessories, including Kona, Mongoose, Raleigh and Pinarello. In Auto, the Halfords Essentials and Halfords Advanced ranges are sold alongside brands such as Generic Electric, Bosch, Garmin and TomTom. In Travel Solutions, Halfords sells a premium range of equipment including camping brands such as CampinGaz and Outwell. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a while you wait fitting service for consumables including bulbs, blades and batteries as well as child seats, in-car entertainment systems and a ‘werepair’ service for cycles.
www.halfords.com