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The Cycle to Work Alliance, a policy coalition of five providers of the Cycle to Work Scheme, has held a roundtable with active travel policymakers, including MPs at Portcullis House, Westminster.
To date, the Cycle to Work Scheme has enabled more than two million employees to access a bike.
Despite this milestone, numerous barriers still deter people from considering cycle commuting or utilising the Cycle to Work Scheme.
These obstacles range from inadequate cycling infrastructure and rising bike theft to low confidence levels among adults and poor cycling proficiency.
Beyond this there are also issues with many individuals unable to access it.
For example, those that fall below National Minimum Wage after the salary sacrifice has been taken from pay are not eligible.
The self-employed are also unable to utilise the Cycle to Work Scheme.
Building on the previous industry roundtable which brought together a number of industry personnel, this event represented an opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and gather input from stakeholders within the government.
Sponsoring the roundtable, Fabian Hamilton MP, co-chair of Cycling and Walking APPG, said: “Bringing together key partners in the Cycle to Work Scheme journey is a vital tool in encouraging more people to cycle, cut down emissions and improve public mental and physical health.
“It’s important that we continue to discuss how we can support UK small and medium bicycle manufacturers, bring their expertise into the scheme and recognise their key role in the UK economy.”
The group talked on how best to dismantle the barriers to cycle commuting.
There was a large consensus on improving safety, infrastructure, inclusion, and clarity on how the scheme works.
Going forward, the group would like government and industry to continue to find ways to collaborate to find and implement solutions.
Chris Last, chair of The Cycle to Work Alliance chaired the discussion and added: “This discussion is an important step towards expanding access and encouraging even more people to choose cycling as not only an enjoyable, but sustainable commuting option.
“It’s encouraging to hear that key issues like infrastructure, safety, and integration with public transport are being prioritised, and we hope to continue collaborating with government.”
The Cycle to Work Alliance will now refine its manifesto paper, which has been co-created in partnership with individuals and businesses from the cycling industry, employers and think tanks, and builds on insight into consumer trends.
The paper will be launched at a parliamentary reception later this year to mark 25 years of the Cycle to Work Scheme.
