Workshop recap: Building Scale

Hi from Lisbon!

We’re back on our tracks and getting our bike buses rolling again after the Easter break and eager to share the insights from our workshop on *Building Scale: Growing a Bike Bus*.

Intense concentration at the Building Scale Workshop at the Global Bike Bus Summit

If you there, you crushed it, it was absolute gold! The ideas that came out of this session will be invaluable across our many bike bus communities. But if you missed it, here’s the scoop.

We ran a World Café-style workshop with everyone rotating between tables on different topics, tackling challenges and brainstorming practical strategies to scale up their bike buses, one post-it at a time.

Here’s a tour of the ideas you came up with!

WORKSHOP RECAP

🏫 SCHOOLS & COUNCILS

It takes a village…and a kerb. Schools are more than destinations, they’re launchpads for bike buses. From newsletters to eco reps in classrooms, there are many ways schools can get involved.

What about councils? You dreamed up protected cycleways, 20 mph school streets and maybe even a cycling champion in every borough.

Also, can we talk about the police helping marshal? That’s some Barcelona-level logistics and in some cases, it could be a real game-changer.

Meanwhile, you raised the need for actual bike parking, not spaces taken over by scooters (justice for bikes!).

🚨MARSHALS

They are the real MVPs. Whether volunteers or paid, marshals are the backbone of any bike bus, but they need support.

You proposed training, insurance and DBS checks to professionalise the role. And YES to perks: free coffee, museum passes, discounts at bike shops and even childcare support.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILIES

The wheels on the bus train! Communication is queen: flyers, newsletters, WhatsApp groups, school fairs and themed rides.

You also asked, “Can we make it more accessible? Yes, please. Let’s do bike swaps, repair cafés and let’s get pre-loved bikes.

Shout-out to the person who said: send kids home with quiz sheets about bike buses so parents get hooked too”. Genius.

📣 MEDIA

Using media for the good! The kids want in, and they might want to make films about it. Inspired by Sam’s experience, someone said why not get celebrities on wheels? We’re listening!

From press releases to radio shoutouts, stickers (there are never enough bike stickers), noticeboards and bike bus influencers, ideas were flowing.

And yes, let’s invite the politicians. If nothing else, they probably need the cardio.

🌱 COMMUNITY

This was about gaining scale with heart. You thought big and local. From bike libraries to using retired volunteers, training (Bikeability) and youth group partnerships, you brought the community spirit.

Add to that: art projects, awards schemes and of course, Kidical Mass.

And naturally: social media. Did the bike bus even ride if it’s not on Instagram? (but yes, let’s talk privacy, we can spread the message without spreading the faces).

Bottom line? This wasn’t just a workshop, it was a blueprint for a movement. You turned scaling into storytelling, strategy into celebration and logistics into community joy. Keep sharing, creating and above all, keep riding together.💚🚲