Cycling
Encouraging more people to cycle will reduce pressure on your car-parking facilities and, as they glide through rush-hour traffic, get more of your employees to site on time more often.
It's also a great way for individuals to beat stress and maintain their well-being - both of which can benefit productivity.
Why encourage Cycling?
Over short distances - especially in urban areas - cycling is often quicker and cheaper than using a car and more flexible than public transport.
If more people cycle, we can:
- ease congestion
- reduce noise pollution
- cut exhaust emissions
- improve our health
Cycling is also a great way to relax and can save people both money and time.
For businesses and other organisations, improving access and facilities for cyclists can help enlarge the pool of available labour and get more of your employees to where they need to be on time by avoiding traffic jams.
Developing a cycle-if-you-can culture can also help:
- lower organisational transport costs
- reduce the need for expensive parking lots
- increase productivity and reduce absenteeism through improved staff well-being
- demonstrate commitment to protecting the environment
- meet criteria for accreditation schemes such as the Healthy Working Lives Award and Cycle Friendly Employer Award
back to topEasy ways to encourage Cycling
Many current non-cyclists have positive memories of cycling from childhood and only need a little encouragement to get back in the saddle.
Raise awareness of the benefits of cycling
A twenty minute ride at moderate pace burns 100 calories, can help relieve symptoms of stress AND save money over other modes of transport.
Provide maps of cycle routes with journey times
People may be surprised to find out how far they can get by bike in twenty minutes. Mark on places of interest, more scenic and traffic-free routes, steep hills, bike repair shops and other useful information.
Your local council should be able to supply a map of local cycle routes while the SUSTRANS mapping service gives details of the National Cycle Network.
Use cycle couriers for light, local deliveries
Most cities and larger towns have cycle couriers. Using cycle couriers for local deliveries can be quicker than using van-based services and is far less polluting. Check your local Yellow Pages for details.
Cycling & your Travel Plan
Tailored to the specific needs of your organisation, staff, clients and visitors, Travel Plans are integrated packages of measures that you design to promote more sustainable transport choices for your staff, visitors and suppliers.
Formalising a Travel Plan for your organisation will help you get the maximum benefit from encouraging alternative ways to travel.
Calum loves his cycle ride to work. It helps him stay fit and it's quicker (and cheaper) than driving. He claims a cycling allowance whenever he uses his bike to go to meetings. Covered cycle racks near the entrance and access to a shower and lockers have encouraged a quarter of the company's local staff to cycle to work. This has allowed the workshops to be expanded into the now less than full car park and, with a fitter workforce, absenteeism has decreased and staff retention has improved. "Apart from anything else," says Calum, "cycling home's a great way to wind down after work."