Is this scheme still running? Been out of the country for a couple of years, coming back in May. Just wondered if this or similar things are still happening. Ta.

yes

Where I work staff have been badgering for one for years, Corporate say it is impossible to implement because the small print says it has to be equal access for all staff, which translates to having to have a bike pool at all our offices to cover FTEs. And the cost of that is prohibitive.

Allegedly all based on advice from whatever central body (HM whatever) runs the thing.

I know fine well that hardly anyone co with cycle to work has a pool, but does anyone know how they get around it?

Sounds like they’re not bothering to read the guidance properly. You don’t have to have a bike pool, you just have to make some offer of a bike to all your employees. It doesn’t even have to be an offer on the same terms. A bike pool is just one way that you could make a bike available to employees.

You do have to make a bike available in some way to all employees, but that can just be an offer to join in the scheme, which they’re not obliged to take up. If there are certain employees you want to discourage from participating, you can just do it on less favourable terms (e.g. set a limit on the amount they can spend, or offer less of a discount).

Official HMRC guidance is here and makes it pretty clear:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/EIM21666.htm