Spearheading the post-Covid-19 cycling revolution
Following the Covid-19 lockdown, the leading providers of the Cycle to Work Scheme wanted to raise awareness of the initiative and to promote it as part of the solution to getting the country back to work.
The Cycle to Work Scheme was an established way for employees to cost effectively obtain bikes and cycling equipment. However, with the Covid-19 response moving so quickly and the Government being inundated with representations, there was a risk of the Scheme being overlooked in the new transport policy.
As a matter of urgency, we worked to secure a virtual meeting with Transport Minister to brief him on the application of the Scheme in supporting the government’s ambitions to ease lockdown in the safest way possible.
We collected data from the providers to evidence the Scheme’s growth during lockdown, ensuring that the Minister and his officials saw it as an opportunity for the Government to build on the Scheme’s success.
We built a chorus of support amongst parliamentarians, including the Shadow Green Transport Minister, for the scheme’s role as a healthy and safe way to commute and briefed targeted national and trade press.
Working with WA we have been able to successfully partner with the government to demonstrate the important role that the Cycle to Work Scheme can play in helping people commute safely to work. By having well-established relationships with government, and collecting and using data carefully to show the scheme’s success we were in a strong position to make the most of this opportunity.
Adrian Warren Chair of the Cycle to Work Alliance
The campaign successfully resulted in the Secretary of State for Transport repeatedly highlighting the success of the Cycle to Work Scheme in media interviews, government press releases, and the daily Downing Street press conference, signposting employees to consider using it as they planned how to return to work.
The Secretary of State for Transport used appearances on the BBC’s flagship Andrew Marr Show and Sky News to highlight the benefits of the scheme and to encourage employees to use it. Launching a major Active Travel investment plan at the daily Downing Street press conference, the Secretary of State encouraged employees to use ‘the popular Cycle to Work Scheme’ to get to work safely.
The Prime Minister also consistently used media appearances to encourage employees to cycle to work.
Active promotion by the Government resulted in an increase in employees and employers signing up to the Scheme (double the number in the same period in 2019). Equally as important, we secured stronger long-term support for the scheme from the Government, with greater recognition of its value.
Public endorsements of the Cycle to Work Scheme by the Secretary of State for Transport
Positive pieces of national media coverage, including BBC, Guardian and the Telegraph.
Percent increase in employers offering the scheme following our campaign