Liberal Democrats have been calling for Bath and North East Somerset Council to join the Government’s Cycle to Work for several years now. They have therefore welcomed news, announced to Council employees this week (as part of the Council’s Green Week), that the Council has finally signed up to the scheme.
The Cycle to Work scheme offers employees the chance to purchase new bikes repaid by loans through a salary sacrifice system. Employees could save up to half the cost of a bike!
Councillor Roger Symonds (Combe Down) is a keen cyclist and the Council’s Member Champion for Cycling. He commented:
“I’m delighted that after several years in the asking the Council has finally signed up to the Cycle to Work scheme. This will be a real benefit to employees – saving money and improving their health and fitness – and the community as a whole through a contribution to reducing traffic.
“In Bath we are lucky to have Cyclescheme – the country’s leading company in providing bikes through this salary sacrifice idea – right here in the city, so it’s especially right that we should sign up.
“Many other employers in the area have already joined the scheme.”
The scheme has won the backing of MP for Bath Don Foster, who said:
“I am pleased that the Council has finally shown leadership and signed up to the Cycle to Work scheme. The Council has long been trying to encourage people to cycle more, but yet has done little to help its own employees cycle to and from work.
“It is great that a Bath company is leading the way in promoting this programme, and that so many employers are signed up to the scheme including Bath employers such as the RUH. I hope that the scheme will now go from strength to strength, and that more employers will look to join in.”
Councillor Paul Crossley (Southdown) added:
“I welcome this news but I am amazed that the Council’s Conservative leadership has been so far behind the curve. We have been calling for the Council to join the scheme for a long time now, whilst the Administration said it was too complicated.
“Now that the Council has joined the cycle purchase scheme I call on them to sign up to the full ‘Cycle to Work Guarantee’ and start looking at what other facilities cycle commuters need, such as lockers, secure storage and even showers. ”