Hello. I’m considering getting a road bike as my normal routes on SDW are too claggy. I work for a Local Authority and they won’t let me use Cycle to work scheme on the basis that I get a car allowance. I’ve read the DoT rules which stipulate that 50% of the bikes usage must be for qualifying journeys – too and from work etc. I anticipate using the bike to cycle home from work once or twice a week to start with (30 miles each way and I can get a lift in the following morning). So, I think I qualify for the scheme, but my work won’t budge. Are they being unreasonable and not following the rules?

Cheers for any advice. Bob

It’s entirely up to your employer. They don’t need any reason to refuse you. Sorry.

Buy a last year’s model get it on finance if you don’t have the cash. Won’t cost you much more than cycle to work and you can suit yourself when you ride it. No one here takes any notice of the minimum usage though.

Thanks for the advice. Bob

RaveyDavey

Buy a last year’s model get it on finance if you don’t have the cash. Won’t cost you much more than cycle to work and you can suit yourself when you ride it. No one here takes any notice of the minimum usage though.

+1. Good advice there. Unless you are in the highest tax bracket and your employer will let you take the loan out for 48 months then the savings certainly aren’t what they used to be. HMRC have been slowly tightening the noose.

A local authority that’s not promoting wellbeing?! And this close to a generel election too, tut tut 🙂

As above it’s entirely up to them I suppose but it’s quite surprising that they won’t let you use it. As far as I know anyone working for a company that provides the scheme is eligible, I used to get a car allowance and it didn’t stop me using the company C2W scheme so I’d say that part is BS.

Do they already provide C2W or would they have to set it up for you? Perhaps they just can’t be bothered with the admin that it involves? After all everybody knows how lazy HR departments are 😉

If they’d need to set it up it might be worth you asking around to find other folks that would want to take advantage of it. If you can prove demand they might be more inclined to help.

I can see from a financial perspective why they would be reluctant to pay twice for you getting in and out of work. Of course that assumes that your car allowance would cover the costs of a bike.