If you have previously called our Moped Loan office on 01278 722300, please note this number is no longer used. In future please call our central switchboard on 01278 722100.

By the very nature of the work we do with young people in rural areas, transport has always been a significant problem; public transport is often very limited and in many cases non existent, young people often cannot afford their own and may rely on parents or friends or may simply miss out on the opportunity for work, training or socialising with their peers.

SRYP's innovative Moped Loan Scheme supplies them with an economical moped at reasonable cost while supporting the young person and helping them towards organising their own transport.

In most years, demand has often exceeded supply. As from October 2010, reinforced by its new fleet of 18 machines, SRYP can help more young people towards independence. SRYP recognises the contribution made by funding from the Levels & Moors Local Action in Rural Communities Fund in the purchase of these machines

For young people, certain conditions apply for eligibility; to find out if we can help you and you live in a rural area in Somerset, please telephone the Moped Loan Scheme office, 01278 722100 and speak to one of our staff. You may want to find out how the scheme works and what you need to do and you can download and read or print out our information leaflet at this link.

If you want to make an application you can download our application form. You can either print it out and post it to the address at the bottom, or if you fill it out on your computer, (it is a Word document) you can email it as an attachment to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Or you can telephone the office and ask for a form to be sent to you.

New Skills; Learn how to maintain a moped

In an innovative extension to the Moped  Loan scheme, as well as supplying young people with mopeds, SRYP will be running Moped Workshops where young people can learn the skills necessary to keep a moped on the road. In this way, not only will young people be able to keep their moped on the road, the skills learned will help their employability, perhaps leading to a job in engineering or motor maintenance. Project worker Ewan Black was interviewed about this enterprise on BBC Radio Somerset. You can hear the interview at this link.

Get a poster for this event.

And here's another young person on the road to a more secure future.

Living in Bower Hinton meant that 17 year old Jack Forrester was looking at a future on benefits. “There are so many young people looking for jobs” he said “and with no way of getting to work or college I was stuck. I left school in 2010 and have only had temporary jobs since then, now I have a real career in front of me”.

Jack was fortunate to be one of those to be loaned a moped by the Somerset Rural Youth Project, who now have an additional 5 bikes available thanks to timely intervention from local organisation, Yarlington Housing Group. 

Funding of £28,000 from the housing association has enabled the Youth Project to supply the extra mopeds to young people to help them get into work or training, and within days of hearing the good news, Jack secured himself a place as an apprentice mason. On your bike with Yarlington Housing Association press report.

His training will take several years, during which time he will be required to attend college, and he will be using his moped to get there. “I really enjoy crafts and building, so this is ideal and will keep me outdoors, which is what I really wanted” he added.

His CBT training and safety equipment has also been supplied by Yarlington, who’s newly formed Community Investment team identified the initiative as a way to make a real difference to young people, and to help them fulfil their commitment to ‘support communities to become places where people choose to live, learn and work’.

Following the government announcement of funding of £1billion to help tackle the problem, which has become worse since the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) was scrapped, Yarlington is delighted to be one step ahead, and has already changed the life of one very happy young man.

Yarlington Housing Group supports Moped Scheme, press release print version.

Moped Loan Scheme – well equipped for in-house or on-the-road maintenance ....

The Moped Loan Scheme had been struggling for some time with an elderly and unreliable van to visit Moped Loan users in outlying areas. Fortunately, Frances Nicholson, County and District Councillor for West Somerset was able to intervene. Cllr Nicholson said, “I am absolutely delighted that a Transit van that would otherwise have gone to auction has found a new and exciting life with SRYP and I am very glad to have had a hand in the continuing story of this valuable scheme”.

 A team of volunteers set about converting the donated vehicle to carry bikes to users of the scheme, and with the donation of a toolset have fitted it out for frontline repairs and servicing. With its new signage, the van can now be seen out and about throughout Somerset, delivering bikes to all those MLS users who cannot get to the workshop at Edington in order to get their moped serviced or repaired.

Ewan Black, (kneeling on right in photo) the MLS Project Worker said, “Our new van means a huge leap forward in the services we offer to our young people; I recently serviced a moped high on Exmoor, late on a bitterly cold night - having the van meant I was able to work in a warm and well lit environment, with all the tools I needed to hand. The tools donated also give valuable work experience for students from various motor trades who volunteer their time to keep our fleet of bikes on the road”

Frequently Asked Questions

We are members of the Wheels to Work Association A national body that is the representative organisation for Wheels to Work programmes throughout the UK. Our address Ewan Black, Mobile/text 07970 576303 email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Moped Loan Scheme, Targeted Support Office, SRYP, Unit 2, Suprema Estate, Edington, Bridgwater, TA7 9LF Telephone 01278 722100

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Employers and colleges.

If you would like to help your young people with transport, you can download or print out our Moped Loan Poster or click on the image here and display it in your staff room or work place.

Web links, New moped launch as reported by BBC Somerset