Safeguarding the future of cycle to work

In 2016, the future of salary sacrifice schemes was in the balance as a result of a government review. The cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme, which has enabled hundreds of thousands of people to cycle to work, was in the firing line of the Treasury. WA acted quickly to build a campaign which focused on the health, environmental and productivity benefits of keeping the scheme alive.

WA helped the Cycle to Work Alliance – a grouping of the four main providers of the cycle to work scheme – to change the narrative around cycle to work. This meant ensuring the Treasury and wider government began to see the true value of the scheme to individuals, employers and the economy. To do this, we engaged with the cycling sector and health and environmental groups to make a strong case, backed up by solid evidence.

Following the support received from the campaign, as well as the strength and clarity of the arguments we put forward, the cycle to work scheme was protected from the wider salary sacrifice review.

Beyond simply safeguarding the existing scheme, WA has supported the Cycle to Work Alliance to work with the Department for Transport to launch new, updated guidance that allows for even more people to access the scheme.