FEATURE
Investment At the time of writing, the UK is preparing for the General Election. As expected, this sees many stakeholders
in the cycling sector calling on all political parties to champion Active Travel. For Last, there are a few commitments he would like to see from the next Government.
nfrastructure, security, and improvements in highways are a few changes I would like to see,” he says. “Take planning as an example. New houses are built, but we really need cycle lanes included to encourage uptake and make it more accessible for cyclists. How does that work in the future?”
Group Cycling & Walking (APPGCW) that “urgent systemic change” is required, adding that reform should be a priority growth strategy for the cycle trade. Last agrees that there is plenty
to be done to improve the scheme’s accessibility. “Anything that’s 25-years-old, needs some reform, right?,” he says.
JORDAN ON UNSPLASH
“I think the biggest thing is how we get the lowest earners in the workplace on a bike. For example, those that fall below National Minimum Wage (after the salary sacrifice has been taken from pay) are not eligible. I think that’s a key area to get
more bums on bikes and commuting into work. “Then you’ve got the self employed.
Last describes crime and theft as “one of his biggest bugbears”. “You see people cycle into towns and cities, particularly in London, lock their bikes outside the office and there’s individuals with battery operated angle grinders cutting locks off, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it,” he says. “If you try and challenge them, you’re probably going to come off worse. It’s heartbreaking to see those videos online.”
Reform
The last year has seen a rising tide of businesses calling for changes to be made to the Cycle to Work and how it is administered.
Leading on this is the Association of Cycle Traders who
have received support from more than 500 bike shops on its campaign for change. In February, the ACT told the All Party Parliamentary
ROSS SNEDDON ON UNSPLASH
“There are tax efficiencies for self employed people, but this scheme isn’t necessarily something that they can benefit from. Being able to bring those two categories into the benefit would be a fantastic way to reform the scheme.” Earlier this year, the Alliance and the ACT announced that they were working together towards reform on two specific objectives.
The first is to unlock the scheme for more people. The second is to work with Government and industry to simplify and minimise administrative barriers, making it easy and attractive for organisations to offer and employees to utilise the scheme. “We definitely have common ground with the ACT, who
we have built a good relationship with,” adds Last. “I think initially they weren’t necessarily aware of where we were, what we stood for, and what we’ve championed over the last 10 years or so. “It turns out that what the ACT wants, in some areas, is exactly what we want.”
Although the future of the Cycle to Work scheme remains something to be debated, Last sees IBDs as a cornerstone on which the scheme should be built. And he believes the scheme offers something significant in return – stability. “Independent bike shops remain crucial to the benefit and we want to do everything we can to support them,” he says. “The market has faced macro challenges in recent times with lots of stock and other issues such as operating costs, the price of energy, rates, and a rising minimum wage. “There’s all of these macro things compounding, but I think what we have done is supported some essence of stability in the market, particularly through actively promoting the scheme. “Mechanical bike sales were generally 1/3 down in 2023, versus 2019, whereas the Cycle to Work benefit saw a 90% rise across the same period. That’s a really good statistic to demonstrate the stability that the scheme can offer.”
28 | July 2024
www.bikebiz.com
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