To boost cycling to work

Identify the Barriers 1 Why are they not all cycling to work already? Safety fears Lack of supporting infrastructure Lack of practical knowledge and advice Little group, community or societal support Little disincentive to jumping in the car Still a bit weird!

The individual’s perspective “I’m worried about a few things.” “What sort of bike do I need and what else?” “I could really do with some training.” “Which are the quickest and safest routes?” “Be good if there were more cycle paths and stands around” “Be great if there were some secure bike sheds at work, and maybe some lockers – and showers. “Why should I cycle?” “More people should be cycling around here. I feel fit, I’ve lost weight and it’s such fun!”

Find out what they really want and need  Safety (50%)  Journey to work too far to cycle (45%)  Get wet if it rains (35%)  No bike (25%)  Too much to carry (23%)  Pollution (20%)  Not fit enough (18%)  Bad for my image (1%)

Lead from the front 2 “If senior managers do it, then it must be cool for me to do it, too!”

Prepare the Stage 3 Set the scene Begin the persuasion process Cycling Guides Factsheets Posters Intranet Doctor Bike visit Newsletter stories on existing employees who cycle Employee survey

Find a Champion 4 With the right skills Make him/her feel valuable Back your champion up and be seen to do so. Ideally a male champion and a female champion. Build up to a Bicycle user group Bike-buddy scheme

Meet real needs with real facilities: Bike Park 5 Safe, attractive cycle stands, covered, locked bike park Avoid the word ‘shed’ Put it in prominent place, with your logo on it Consider using car park land

Meet real needs with real facilities: Bike Pool 6 Bike pool, perhaps including an electric bike. Tool kit Controlled by bike champion or B.U.G. Relationship with local bike shop Buy quality: take advice, not necessarily from local bike shop! Small frames, hub gears, branded panniers.

7Meet real needs with real facilities: Indoor 7 Changing room Lockers Shower Not all may be necessary

Cut car-parking space 8 Cut car-parking options while making other ways of getting to work more attractive Few staff will cycle all year round: they have a range of options, including public transport, walking, and car.

Bike purchase through salary sacrifice 9 Publicise it well through an annual event, inviting suppliers. CycleScheme magazine is free.

It’s for ALL your employees 10 Not just your office staff, who will be easiest to recruit Other workers may need a different approach and different incentives Do they get paid time off to experience cycling promotion events or activities?

Incentivise 11 Cash rewards Time off work Lunch vouchers Prizes Hotel weekend with family Trips to the velodrome

Cycle Challenges 12 Mass participation through multi- featured software Lots of easy measurables Often same people year after year

BikeBoost Cycle loan programmes 1 3 Up to 40 participants per month Recruitment visit Triage for selection Training if necessary Loan of bikes and equipment Support and incentives Bike collection, appraisal 65% continuation rates High female participation Can buy the bike at high discount if their loan included training

Cycle Training 14 Adult cycle training difficult to make stick Call it coaching instead Tie it into benefits: lots of good ideas out there Offer it as part of try-out roadshows Offer it as part of a Get-into-Cycling package with and bike maintenance

Chart achievements 15 Use of prominent charting to show increase in cycle-miles to work, C0 2 saved etc. Shows communal effort.

Support local charity ride(s) 16 Have a corporate presence: good local PR Take part yourself!

Bikes AT and not just TO work 17 Can offer better mobility at large-site workplaces Carrier cycles for the on-site movement of goods Staff on the road can take folders for flexibility Visibly changes culture

Greenwheels Sustainable Transport Day 18 Cycling part of a sustainable transport continuum A try-out event with bikes, electric bikes, electric scooters, electric cars, public transport, etc. Greenwheels

Employers need to be fully aware of the services available from the local autority. 19 This can be anything from Personal Travel Planning to cycle training to providing trained guides for occasional social bike rides for staff.

Persuade an employee to hand over their car keys for a month in exchange for free bike loan, travel pass and a £50 voucher for a local shoe shop. Can apply to whole families, with bikes, passes and car club vouchers to meet all their varying everyday needs. Less value in it if you can’t get the local media on board. Power of a local news story 20

An image we use in our schools work to stimulate discussion

Jim McGurn Chief Executive Get Cycling CiC 22, Hospital Fields Road York YO10 4DZ Mob: