How was Cycle to Work Day for you?

Since 1990 the percentage of the population that cycles to work has continued to increase year on year. A report conducted by the Department of Transport shows that the average bicycle miles travelled per cyclist per year has increased from 687 miles in 2002 to an impressive 1,144 miles in 2017!

As a nation, Britain continues to strive for successful cycling - in 2017, cyclists travelled 3.3 billion miles on British roads, 3% further than in the previous year, and 29% further than 20 years ago!

Encouraging more people to join the cycling movement!

So, what is preventing more people from cycling to work? The Department for Transport found that the top two reasons that people don't cycle to work are road safety concerns and not having access to a bicycle.

In May 2019 the ACT launched a 4 part definitive guide to safer cycling series, which included elements such as how to avoid road collisions, how to dress appropriately and how to ride in different conditions.  As more cyclists take to the roads the government has created initiatives to help improve cycling safety, such as Cambridge's Dutch-style roundabout which gives priority to cyclists over motorists. But is enough being done?

What is Cycle to Work Day?

Launched in 2012, Cycle to Work Day celebrates the UK Government's Cycle to Work scheme that started in 2011 hoping to encourage more people to get on their bikes and cycle to work. In 2018, more than 25,000 people took part in the initiative.

The annual event invites employers as well as individuals to sign up and reap the potential benefits of active commuting including increased workplace productivity, lower rates of sick leave and improved wellbeing.

There have been initiatives run up and down the country, for example commuters in London had the opportunity to travel to work for free on Santander bicycles (Boris bikes) on the 8th of August. 

Whilst Cycle to Work has been successfully operating now for more than 20 years, seen improvements to the scheme (the recent inclusion of e-bikes), and has brought in new customers through the doors of the IBD a recent article in CIN questioned the role of third party Cycle to Work providers. 

To encourage more people to purchase their first bike or upgrade their current one there is an increasingly popular already in place at c.700 IBDs across the country.

Ride it away retail finance is an already well-established solution for consumers. It provides an easy solution to spread the cost of higher priced items, with the advantage of bundling in other accessories, with a limit of up to £15,000 - and customers can ride the bike away, straight away! 

Find out more about Ride it away retail finance here.