The Cycle to Work Alliance—a group of companies operating the U.K. government’s cycle-purchasing salary sacrifice scheme—has today published a manifesto outlining how it believes cycling could be expanded. Alongside the policy proposals the alliance also called on the new government to expand those who can apply to the money-saving scheme.
Unveiled at a reception in Parliament to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the start of the Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme—which has been used to purchase 2 million cycles to date—the manifesto urges, among other things, the roll-out of more cycle-specific protected infrastructure and more support for e-bikes.
The manifesto also demands that the Department for Transport properly includes the needs of cyclists in a new Road Safety Review, long promised by the previous government and now soon to be published by the new one.
The Cycle to Work (C2W) Alliance would also like low-income earners and self-employed people to be allowed to participate in the cycle-purcahsing salary sacrifice scheme.
The Cycle to Work initiative was launched in 1999. The C2W Alliance was formed in 2010.
The manifesto says that “promoting the use of e-bikes [is] a key solution for older and long-distance commuters” and that the government could “[counter] misconceptions about their safety.”
YouGov polling, commissioned by the C2W Alliance, found that 45% of potential cyclists are deterred from commuting by bike due to concerns about safety with twice as many women than men fear cycling to work.
A C2W Alliance statement said: “We’re calling on policymakers, employers, and industry to come together and ensure that cycle commuting can thrive. This isn’t just about cycling; it’s about delivering cost-effective transport, healthier lifestyles, and a greener future for all.”