BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
A survey of 2,089 members of the public living in cities has revealed that more than half (53%) of them are now considering cycling to work, with 64% of respondents saying the main reason is to avoid ‘unsafe’ public transport.
Of those, 89% said it was because they felt public transport is still unsafe to use. 21% of respondents cited the cost savings associated with cycling as the main motivation to commute via bike.
Global marketplace OnBuy asked people living in cities, without access to a car, how they were planning to commute to work now the Government is easing lockdown measures. OnBuy has seen a 300% rise in traffic to its bike accessories category in May compared to April, as people prepare to get their bikes roadworthy again.
The top five most popular bike accessories from the last eight weeks have been bike combination security locks, bike lights, waterproof outdoor bicycle covers, wall mounted bike storage racks and comfortable seat covers.
In addition to asking about future plans to commute, OnBuy asked employers whether the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme is an incentive for encouraging employees to cycle to work. 62% of respondents stated that they hadn’t heard of the scheme. Only 7% of employers said they were considering using it when asked, while 51% said the scheme was too confusing to implement. When asked about employees taking public transport to work, 23% said they would be asking staff to find alternatives where possible to avoid increasing the risk of spread at work. One in ten employers said they would let staff continue to work from home to avoid public transport.
Cas Paton, founder and CEO of OnBuy, said: “Cycling to work will not only have the immediate benefit of slowing the spread of coronavirus, but it can also save commuters money, improve fitness and help reduce our carbon footprint. It’s great to see so many people who have the option to cycle are now considering it.
“While the Government is making an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus on buses and trains with things like the cycling scheme, businesses are clearly confused by their role in helping employees get to work safely, and the Government support available to help them do so. Hopefully, the scheme will prove useful to both employers and their staff, but in the meantime, OnBuy is ready to help people get back out on two wheels again.”
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