Cycle to Work is a scheme for employers from the government to enable them to provide cycling equipment and bikes to staff as a tax-free benefit. All employers of any size can benefit from the scheme. It is really easy to set up, in fact, all you have to do as an employer is simply to buy a cycle and safety equipment and loan it to the employee for their journey to work. The company work out the cost of the bike, less tax, and spread that payment to the employee over say eighteen months – the payments then come out of the employees gross pay, making it even cheaper for the employee.
The benefits we have seen have been extremely interesting and somewhat unexpected, including:
Staff Morale
Not only is staff morale boosted by a nice shiny new bike, but also by exercise benefits to general happiness levels! Our staff who have taken up the scheme have started to find cycling a major hobby too
Staff Fitness
Shipping cars and working in our workshop requires a certain level of concentration and stamina! Since introducing the cycle to work scheme staff have reported much higher levels of fitness which is not only good for them but great for us as an employer too with increased efficiency and more stamina to work extra hours when needed! One member of our team using the scheme has also quit smoking to improve his cycling
Staff Wages
Cycling to work in Milton Keynes saves our staff a lot of money – up to £40 a week can easily be saved in fuel by choosing to cycle rather than cross the mpg-eating mix of roundabouts and dual carriageways.
Traffic
If every company in Milton Keynes pushed the scheme, there would be a huge amount fewer cars on the road. Milton Keynes is such an excellent place to cycle as you will see below, the morning commute becomes a joy, rather than a stressful process.
We specialise in car shipping and have found a massive benefit from offering the scheme, I am sure across industries the scheme can be of benefit both to staff and employers alike
Milton Keynes and Cycling
Milton Keynes is often remembered for the many roundabouts and confusing road system, however few people actually realise that you can get anywhere in the city by the amazing network of cycle paths known as the Redways. Even if you do not live in Milton Keynes, you can always find a car park on the outskirts and then cycle to the office – often this takes only a small amount of extra time from your commute
Here are some images from one of our directors, who drives daily from Princes Risborough, parks on the outskirts and cycles to the office:
For more information on the scheme visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-to-work-scheme-implementation-guidance
https://twitter.com/transportgovuk
https://twitter.com/mkcouncil
Ship My Car
Shipmycar.co.uk is based in Milton Keynes and provides car shipping services for import/export of vehicles from across the globe, visit www.shipmycar.co.uk for more information