BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The number of employees participating in cycle to work last year smashed 2012’s number and toppled the previous 2010 record, leading C2W operators to speculate on a long-term cycling boom in the UK.
The figures demonstrated a 16.4 per cent increase in scheme uptake compared to 2012, representing 164,317 employees in the last year.
Cyclescheme director Daniel Gillborn told BikeBiz: "We are delighted with a record year for the Cycle to Work scheme. With these results, growth is being led by the IBD network which proves that employees favour the personal service, expertise and product choice of local stores that cannot be replicated in large national retailers."
Mark Brown, head of B2B Services for Evans Cycles: “The latest cycle to work figures underline that the scheme remains a popular benefit for both employers and employees. I’m confident this popularity will continue, as we see various factors coming together now and in the future. These include the ongoing interest in cycling at all levels, in terms of commuting, family and sport. Three stages of the Tour De France in Britain this summer certainly won’t hurt. Then we’ve got the ongoing promotion of healthy living and wellbeing, with employers in particular now increasingly leading the way in terms of supporting their employees in this area. We’ve also got the maturing of the scheme itself, becoming a recognised employee benefit which is easily accessible and administered by employers of all sizes.”
Halfords corporate sales manager Charles Ashwell: “It is extremely encouraging to see this growing demand from employees looking to enjoy the benefits of cycle to work and shows the growing momentum for commuting by bike. There’s a huge enthusiasm for the cycle to work scheme and we are helping hundreds of companies who want to bring their colleagues the benefits of cycling to work."
Steve Edgell, director of Cycle Solutions and chair of the CtW Alliance, said: “This is merely the start of what we hope will be a longer-term cycling boom. With only two per cent of journeys in the UK made by bike, clearly there is scope to encourage more individuals to take-up cycling, not least to bring our rates of cycling in line with other European countries.”
