Workers who face a stressful, expensive commute to their office space in London are being urged to give up their bus or tube pass and take to two wheels.
It has always been seen as desirable for staff to use bikes instead of polluting cars, buses, trains and tube trains, but for many it has never been an option.
The Cycle to Work scheme has changed all that, however, HR Magazine reports.
The scheme allows employers to buy bikes and equipment tax-free and rent them out to staff, with money coming out of their paycheck automatically. After a certain amount of time the bike will be theirs, or they can be gifted the transport by the employer.
It is in line with government plans to get transport off the road and improve the wellbeing of workers around the UK.
Alexandra Arikoglu, senior account executive at Westminster Advisers, told the news provider: “The cycle-to-work scheme enables employers to encourage staff to take part in a healthier commute. The scheme is consistent with the government’s theme of encouraging behavioural change, while the savings offered play a vital role in incentivising individuals to live healthier lives, reduce their carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable transport system.”
The Cycle to Work Alliance found that the scheme has created new cyclists. Sixty per cent of people who have taken up the scheme did not cycle to work before it came in several years ago.
