Should people be paid to cycle to work?

[taxman 12]

It is national Cycle to Work day today and a report on the BBC news looked at the reasons why people do and don't cycle to work and how more people could be encouraged to do so.

 

In France there is a scheme that pays people to cycle to work.

 

What a great idea.

 

What would get you to leave the car at home and get on your bike?

[tzijlstra 11]

The scheme exists here, at least partly, some companies pay for a bike and gear for their staff.

[barleycorn 10]

For me it's quite simple. Move my place of work 30 miles closer to home and make the roads more cycle friendly.

 

jb

[Cyclone 10]

The scheme exists here, at least partly, some companies pay for a bike and gear for their staff.

 

Are you thinking about the salary sacrifice way of purchasing a bike. There is no national (or even common) scheme where your company buys you a bike.

[SNES 10]

Thats the only way you'd get me to cycle to work!

[Cyclone 10]

Who does the paying, and what proof of cycling to work is needed to get the cash (or is it a reduction in tax)?

[willman 10]

Arnold Laver paid there staff to catch the bus or walk to work at Mosborough,they were paid the same as mileage allowance for cars IIRC.

Years before the French idea aswell.

[Redyam 10]

It's just way too dangerous for the average person to cycle to work. Until we get a network of dedicated cycle lanes, it is far better to use a car.

[Cyclone 10]

Arnold Laver paid there staff to catch the bus or walk to work at Mosborough,they were paid the same as mileage allowance for cars IIRC.

Years before the French idea aswell.

 

You don't get paid any mileage to drive to work though...

 

You can already claim expenses for cycling (not at the same rate, it's 25p/mile, instead of 45p/mile) but only for qualifying journeys (ie not to your base office, but to anywhere else).

 

---------- Post added 04-09-2014 at 08:44 ----------

 

It's just way too dangerous for the average person to cycle to work. Until we get a network of dedicated cycle lanes, it is far better to use a car.

 

That depends on where you live and work surely.

[willman 10]

Admittedly it just says executive mileage allowance so i have no idea what executive level is.

 

Quote "Under the scheme to discourage car use, staff who use an environmentally friendly method to get to work are paid the executive mileage allowance for the distance they travel."

 

But at least they were paid to cycle or get a bus.

Edited September 4, 2014 by willman

[muddywolf 10]

Our company is involved with the tax free / salary deduction scheme http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/. It would need more than that to get me riding in though. Safety and hygiene are the biggest barriers (who wants to work for 8-hours after riding and sweating into work?)

[Cyclone 10]

I change my t-shirt and use deoderant when I arrive. It happens to be mostly downhill/flat for me on the way too work though, and getting sweaty on the way home isn't an issue.

 

Many modern offices have showers though (including the one I'm in and the last 2 before that), so if I run to work I just go and shower.