Almost 2 million people on low income or not in employment want to cycle, but are “effectively excluded” due to high costs and lack of discounts like Cycle to Work, finds Sustrans research

A report from active travel charity Sustrans has found that a total of 1.9 million, or 38 per cent of people on a low income or not in employment want to cycle, or cycle more, but are priced out of the activity and its benefits due to the high costs and the lack of discount offers such available, with Sustrans recommending a “parallel initiative” to Cycle to Work to end “cycling inequality” and bring in economic benefits of up to £60 million.

The Cycle to Work scheme was initially launched in 1999 by the UK Government and currently offers millions of people discounts of up to 40 per cent when buying a new bike and additional safety gear such as locks and helmets. However, people on a low or no income are excluded as they do not meet the scheme’s entry criteria.

The research found that of those in the working age (16-65 years old) and without a job, or employed but earning less than £17,000 per year, 14 per cent (1.6 million) people would be “very likely” to use a voucher scheme providing 40 per cent off retail cost, while 18 per cent (2 million) of those not in employment said they would use a cycle to get to and from work if they find a job in the future.

Xavier Brice, CEO of Sustrans, said: “A new UK Government brings new opportunities. Their focus on the economy, opportunity and health is critical, and integrating transport with walking, wheeling and cycling must be a part of this. To include those at all economic levels in this is a priority, or we risk leaving two million people to the dangers of transport poverty.”

> Almost half of British people can’t afford to buy a bike – and a quarter say it would take at least six months to save for one, new research for Cycle to Work Day finds

While only 30 per cent of people on a low income or not in employment have access to a cycle, data from Sustrans’ Walking and Cycling Index found that 59 per cent of people in professional occupations on the other hand have access to a cycle.

The scheme’s modelling reveals a 40 per cent discount voucher - aligned to the discounts available via Cycle to Work - would have an annual economic benefit of £60 million, at a cost of just £18 million. By improving people’s health and wellbeing, the scheme will reduce costs to the NHS and thousands of sick days will be prevented. It will improve access to work and education opening up opportunities and boosting the local economy.

Brice continued: “The opportunity to get more people cycling is right here for the taking. The Cycle to Work scheme has existed for 25 years. Why shouldn’t the same opportunities be extended to the people that need it most — now?

“Using the Cycling Opportunity voucher scheme, we can tackle this inequality together and enjoy the benefits together too; for our bank accounts, our NHS and our environment.”

The walking, cycling and wheeling charity said: “The UK has 11.7 million people earning less than £17,000 per year or not in employment. People in this group are much less likely to have access to a car compared to the general population. For those who do, rising costs are making it unaffordable to run.”

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79% respondents of Sustrans' survey felt that cycling would improve their physical and mental health

Himesh, a resident of Islington and currently looking for work, explained the benefit a voucher scheme would be to him: “Cycling was always a way to escape my stresses. 90 per cent of the cycles I went on in Canada were leisure cycles. Now, when I’m using the rental bikes in London, I’m super conscious of the time so I make sure I take the optimum route to make the most of my money. The price per minute has gone up too.

“Since I moved to London, cycling as a hobby has disappeared from life. Any scheme that could loosen the financial burden would really help me in getting my own bike.”

> Cycling retailers demand changes to “flawed” Cycle to Work scheme that puts “business profits well ahead of cycling development”

Vivienne Jackson, Programme Manager at Abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, who provided funding for the report, said: “We know access to transport is a key barrier to employment for people on lower incomes. It’s not right that people on a low income can’t access discount cycle schemes that are available to others.

“If the government is serious about getting people into work and growing the economy, implementing a Cycle-to-Work style scheme for people who are unemployed or on low incomes seems like an obvious solution, and will have other benefits too.”

The Cycle to Work scheme has previously come under fire, with a body representing independent cycling retailers in the UK demanding “immediate” changes to what it described as the government’s “flawed” scheme last year. It argued that the initiative is dominated by providers who “put business profits well ahead of cycling development” and described Cyclescheme’s decision to prevent retailers from charging additional fees as “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.

Sustrans also claimed that it has produced a free modelling tool for policymakers to calculate participation, costs and benefits of different schemes for their nation or region, which local authorities can use to consider and implement trial schemes for their communities.

Besides the £60 million saved by providing access to bikes to lower income people, estimates by the Bicycle Association also found that this scenario would also add an extra £14-£18 million to the economic value of the cycle industry; creating and maintaining jobs in cycle retailers, workshops and other services — particularly important to the cycling industry at a time when it has been hit hard by falling sales.

> “Currently, it is not safe for some children to cycle to school”: Sustrans’ Head of Behaviour Change on “fostering a culture of active travel” in schools

Previously, a study conducted by Cycle to Work provider Cyclescheme found that almost half of UK-based consumers believe that they cannot afford to buy a bike, with a quarter noting that it would take at least six months for them to save for one.

The survey, carried as part of an annual research into the attitudes and perceptions of, and barriers to, cycling in the UK, also suggested that the costs of accessories, along with concerns about a lack of fitness and “fitting in” with other cyclists, acts as a deterrent to encouraging more people to ride their bikes to work.

However, despite these concerns, the study also found that the number of people cycling to work is rapidly growing, with almost a third of those consumers surveyed commuting by bike, up from 19 per cent last year.