Free advice to help encourage employees to cycle to work

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is offering free expert advice, tailored support and grants to help employers in the region support their staff cycling to work. 

The Combined Authority’s Bike Friendly Business Scheme, part of its CityConnect programme is aimed at encouraging more sustainable and active travel, to ensure that people can return to work safely as lockdown starts to ease.

The scheme is already supporting more than 300 organisation and so far more than £40,000 has been spent in grants.

This has allowed companies to purchase 600 new bike parking spaces; more than 90 pool bikes; lockers, drying facilities, improvements to showers and changing facilities; work stands, and activities such as led rides, bike maintenance sessions, and ride leader and cycle skills training.

According to the combined authority, on average, the businesses that have signed up to the scheme have seen a 20% increase in the number of employees travelling by bike. 

Charlotte Best, travel plan coordinator for Wellington Place, said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to have recently been awarded gold accreditation in recognition of our ongoing work to make Wellington Place a great place for cycling, alongside our CityConnect Walk Friendly Workplace accreditation.

‘Since 2018 we’ve increased the number of people travelling to Wellington Place by bike to 7%.

‘This work will only become more important as an increasing number of people think about changing their travel habits over the coming weeks and months.’

Cllr Kim Groves, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, added: ‘Two-thirds of journeys in our region are less than five miles, which takes about 30-minutes by bike. If more people switch to cycling, this will not only boost their health and save them money, it will also help us to achieve our aim of being a net-zero carbon economy.

‘Cycling has increased by nearly 20% at our Bike Friendly Businesses and that’s testament to our approach of combining infrastructure improvements with initiatives specifically designed to help people overcome common barriers.’

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