Cycle to Work scheme
Cyclescheme – give your people up to 50% off a new bike
Cyclescheme is a free initiative that lets employees get up to 50% off a new bike and pay for it in instalments by sacrificing a percentage of their salary. It’s easy to set up and administrate – find out more at www.cyclescheme.co.uk
If you’re already signed up to Cyclescheme, make sure you promote it to your staff – include it on the staff pages of your website and in staff induction information. A template letter can be downloaded below <<hyperlink to updated letter>>
Pool bikes
Having a pool bike scheme allows staff to borrow a bike to travel to meetings or for leisure use at lunchtimes. This can save your company money, by reducing business car mileage claims. Download our guide to pool bikes with information on how to set up a scheme. You can either provide the bikes yourself or contact a local bike shop to enquire about lease bikes. Saddles & Paddles in Exeter offers a lease scheme to employers for £125 per year, per bike, Bikes are upgraded to new models every year , receive regular servicing for free and can be provided with helmets, locks and lights.
If you choose to purchase your own bikes, remember someone will need to maintain them - staff won’t want to ride a rusty old bike to a meeting!
Your nearest bike shop can be found on our Cycle shops and Cycle hire pages.
Business mileage rate for cyclists
When your employees travel by bike to meetings for example, you should reimburse them for every mile they travel, just as you would do for car journeys. Of course, it doesn’t have to be as much as the cost of petrol per mile – which saves your company money too. Most companies pay 20p per mile.
See the HM Revenue & Customs information on mileage rates
Holiday miles
You could offer your staff/team an extra day of holiday if they tot up a certain number of miles by cycling to work. In the long term you shouldn’t lose out, because fitter people are less likely to be absent.
Emergency taxi home policy
Offering your employees backup ‘get-you-home’ transport options reassures them they can get home in an emergency. This will give people the security that they don’t need to take a risk when using a bicycle or public transport and is particularly helpful for staff with childcare arrangements.
Cycle training provided by employer
Offer cycle training at your workplace. You can get a member of staff trained up as a cycle instructor and deliver cycle training as part of professional development. Devon County Council are an acreddited cycle training centre. See cycle training pages for more information.
Alternatively Devon County Council hold a database of cycle instructors who can be booked to deliver cycle training at at your workplace. Grants may be available to pay for this training - please get in touch with us to find out more.
Cycling to Work Guarantee
http://www.cycletoworkguarantee.org.uk/
The Cycle to Work Guarantee is a voluntary initiative from the Department for Transport, challenging businesses to become cycle friendly employers by making it easy for staff to cycle to and from work
Businesses are encouraged to sign up to The Cycle to Work Guarantee by completing a form about their organisation, its commitment to cycling and contact details and submit.
By signing up, your business can signal its commitment to encouraging cycling to and from work, and helping your workforce become healthier, greener and more productive.
Organisations that sign up to the Guarantee will be listed on this website, so your staff can see that your business is aiming to be a cycle friendly employer.