Cycle to Work Alliance

The Cycle to Work Alliance (C2WA) today announces it is working together with the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) to accelerate positive reform and expansion of the Cycle to Work Scheme.  Read our joint statement here: https://lnkd.in/ehveN992   Chris Last, Chair of the C2WA, said: "Improving and growing the market to support retailers, scheme providers, and prospective cyclists is what collectively drives us and our priorities for reform.  As we celebrate 25 years of the Cycle to Work Scheme – which has helped over 2 million employees take up cycle commuting, saving employees up to 42% off the cost of a new bike - the Alliance wants to go further to break down barriers to cycle commuting and is pleased to be working in collaboration with the ACT to ensure the Scheme not only meets the current needs of the market, but also evolves to help more people enjoy the benefits of accessing a bike.”  

Today we are delighted to launch our Manifesto for Cycle Commuting! Despite the Cycle to Work Scheme enabling over 2 million employees to access a bike to date, exclusive YouGov data shows that 80% of UK workers could still benefit from the cycle to work scheme. The Alliance’s Manifesto sets out a roadmap for the next 25 years of cycle commuting in the UK to ensure access for all.   The manifesto outlines our strategic proposals, including: ·      Enhanced Safety Measures: Urging the Department for Transport to include the needs of cyclists in its new Road Safety Review. ·      Improved Infrastructure: Advocating for long-term funding to build safe and accessible cycling routes. ·      Expanded Scheme Access: Encouraging policy changes to include low-income earners and the self-employed in the Cycle to Work Scheme. ·      Support for E-bikes: Promoting the use of e-bikes as a key solution for older and long-distance commuters, while countering misconceptions about their safety. Read our Manifesto for Cycle Commuting here: https://lnkd.in/ebQyb_fJ

Great 48 hours spent in Parliament meeting old and new active travel advocates from parliament and industry. Notable highlights include: 🚲 Meeting the new Minister for Active Travel Simon Lightwood and hearing about the support from within Government for Active Travel. 🤝 Hosting a roundtable with active travel policymakers, including MPs, to feed into our report on the barriers to cycle commuting. 📢 Attending the inaugural meeting of the APPG for Cycling and Walking, meetings lots of new parliamentarians who are keen to advocate for the Scheme.

Happy Cycle to Work Day! This year is particularly special as we celebrate 25 years of the Cycle to Work Scheme. The Scheme now accounts for more than one-fifth of new bike sales annually and continues to grow in popularity as more people turn to a low-cost, carbon-efficient, active commute. Over the past 25 years, the Scheme has transformed the lives of more than 2 million people by promoting sustainable transportation and healthier lifestyles, and it continues to facilitate net-zero efforts by making commuting cheaper and greener. New data from the Cycle to Work Alliance reveals an impressive performance in the first half of 2024, supporting the bicycle market against broader market challenges caused by the increased cost-of-living. The Alliance is committed to making the next 25 years of the Scheme even bigger and better, ensuring the Scheme remains a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and healthier commute for all who choose to cycle to work, including self-employed workers and those on or near the national minimum wage. #CycleToWork25 #CycleToWorkDay

Yesterday, we hosted a roundtable discussion on the barriers to cycle commuting and active travel. Together, attendees explored tangible policy proposals and solutions that the incoming Government should consider as part of its wider active travel strategy. We will be collating these proposals in a new report we are launching later this year. The roundtable took place as the Alliance celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Cycle to Work Scheme, which has enabled over 2 million employees to purchase a bike. Despite the milestone, numerous barriers still deter people from considering cycle commuting or utilising the Cycle to Work Scheme. The key issues discussed included: - Infrastructure and Support: the main challenges deterring people from cycle commuting and the role that employers play in supporting employees who wish to cycle to and from work. - Financial and Accessibility Issues: how the financial barriers can be addressed and whether the Cycle to Work Scheme can be expanded or modified to include more participants. - Integration and Education: educational initiatives to encourage cycle commuting, how to combat the challenges of integrating with other modes of transport, and successful examples of other cities/countries to inspire UK policy. Attendees included The Bicycle Association of Great Britain, Wheels For Wellbeing, Cycle Solutions - the Cycle to Work Scheme, CIPD, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), The Bikeability Trust, Enterprise Mobility, Green Alliance, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), Lime, Forest, Sustrans and more.

🚴♂️ Yesterday, we joined a roundtable discussion focused on making cycling commuting for accessible. Hosted by the Cycle to Work Alliance, the event brought together industry leaders across the cycling sector. The insights shared during this session will directly contribute to the development of a manifesto paper, set to be launched at a parliamentary drop-in later this year and shared with key decision-makers across the UK’s major political parties. Particularly timely, marking the 25th anniversary of the Cycle to Work Scheme, which has enabled over two million employees to purchase a bike, include inadequate cycling infrastructure, rising bike theft, low confidence levels among adults, and poor cycling proficiency. During the discussion, we focused on key areas such as: 🚵♀️ Priority investment areas in cycling infrastructure to encourage more people to cycle to work. 🚵♂️ Building confidence among potential cyclists, particularly those new to cycling or with safety concerns. 🚵♀️Improving government support for the integration between cycling and public transport to make multi-modal commuting more convenient. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this vital discussion. #CycleToWork #SustainableTransport #CycleCommuting 

"We welcome the Conservative Party's commitment to cycling safety in their manifesto; however, it was a missed opportunity to include a more robust active travel policy. For the last 25 years, the Cycle to Work Scheme has played a massive role in encouraging active travel, helping to decongest our roads and increase the number of active journeys made every day across the country. With the departure from the Gear Change strategy and recent adjustments to active travel funding, we are concerned by the continued shift away from supporting active travel. Investing in cycling infrastructure and active travel is essential for a healthier, greener, and more efficient transportation network." – Chris Last, Chair of the Cycle to Work Alliance Vivup Cyclescheme Cycle Solutions - the Cycle to Work Scheme Evans Cycles Halfords

Upcoming later today - Alliance Chair, Chris Last, will be presenting to the Cycling APPG in Parliament to set out how the Alliance is campaigning to break down the barriers to cycle commuting, especially as the Cycle to Work Scheme celebrates 25 years!