How strict is Cycle to Work?

[youngoldbloke]

- to continue my earlier ramblings - Perhaps a BOR scheme ('bike on retirement', tax free) might be the answer for those like myself excluded from, and envious of C2W - maybe one should be able to opt for either a free bus pass or a BOR voucher?

 

[addictfreak]

When they start making evryone work until they are 70 you might get one!

Seriously, I think thats a good idea. What better way to keep older pepole fit and active. Has to have benefits all round.

 

[purplepolly]

Better still, give them to younger people or reduce vat on all bikes at point of sale. It's daft that the governement wants to reduce car usage and has initiatives to try and get people to exercise more, but then charges vat on bikes.

 

[andyfromotley]

Christ! Some of you must be frightened of your own shadow.

If your like me, I have worked all me life right from leaving school never claimed a thing. Dont you deserve a little something? Or are you going to let all those 'poor' people have it all. You know the ones I mean, the ones who cant afford to live but have cable TV, 4 mobiles phones and a Subaru.

sorry but i cant agree with those sentiments. Like you i have worked all my adult life. I dont believe that i 'deserve' something extra. If thats the case why not just fraudulently claim benefit? Perhaps steal something?

I'm not scared of my own or anyone elses shadow, i just like to try and do the right thing. Yes it can be hard and pisses me off at times but sometimes lifes like that. And no i dont mean to condemn those who would do this, in the scheme of things its pretty small beer, but that dont make it right.

 

[Downward]

MP'S Expenses (Or in fact any public sector workers Expenses) V paying for a bike and getting Tax relief ?

Believe me when the higher earners are claiming expenses for taxi 's for a 2 or 3 mile journey (Trains are available you know) I wouldn't criticise anyone for taking advantage of the cyclescheme whether or not it was for their own benefit.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Trains available for 2 or 3 mile journey ???? - not unless you are very fortunate in where you happen to be. Change the rules, so that the interpretation is less flexible. I don't see that you can criticise anyone for claiming what they are allowed to claim, be it expenses or C2W. Maybe only allow one C2W voucher per person per 5 years (say), if it is being abused. Judging by the predictions regarding future public spending - or lack of it - such schemes may not have much time left anyway.

 

[Downward]

Trains available for 2 or 3 mile journey ???? - not unless you are very fortunate in where you happen to be. Change the rules, so that the interpretation is less flexible. I don't see that you can criticise anyone for claiming what they are allowed to claim, be it expenses or C2W. Maybe only allow one C2W voucher per person per 5 years (say), if it is being abused. Judging by the predictions regarding future public spending - or lack of it - such schemes may not have much time left anyway.

Well they pulled the PC scheme. Anyway with us we have people choosing to get taxis and putting it on expenses rather than catch the train.
For us in the city trains and bus services are readily available.

There are a few people I know who will catch the train and bus over a taxi but most can't be bothered as they let the taxpapyer pick up the bill.

 

[theclaud]

Claud

For me its not about 'new toys for rich boys' , its giving me the chance to buy the bike I drool over at the bike shop window.

I'm not sure of the difference, but I wasn't aiming the comment at anyone in particular. It's just that cyclists, as a group, are not hard-up or desperately in need of subsidy, and affluent men are the biggest consumers of expensive leisure-related goods. If you're buying kit that makes it easier for you to cycle where you might otherwise have taken the car, then I think it's a good thing. Using it to get a full-sus or downhill mountain bike that is only ever taken out on the trails is clearly something of an abuse of the system. I don't think it's a particularly appalling thing to do, but I don't want to hear the same people who do it whinging about MPs' expenses, and I would rather people did it discreetly so as not to get the system a bad name - it makes it more difficult to present a case for progressive forms of tax relief when the current ones are wasted on those who don't need them.

 

[ed_o_brain]

+1 to what theclaud said.

If the general public impression of the scheme is that people who already have 'expensive' bikes are using it just to get even more expensive bikes then the plug might get pulled, just like the computer scheme a few years ago.

That said, I'm considering using it once my first month of probation is over to get another commuting bike.

 

[addictfreak]

Ed
I tend to disagree. If you are a commited cyclist who commutes to work on a regular basis, why not have the best bike. If that allows you to enjoy cycling at weekends etc then so be it. As I said before the limit is £1000, so who decides who gets what.
Maybe we should parade with our existing bikes and be inspected.
For me my purchase allows me not only to cycle to work (which i do everyday) but it has also allowed me to enjoy a more serious level, which i may not have been able to do otherwise.

 

[philipbh]

Ed
As I said before the limit is £1000.

This is only the limit of the scheme though and this first £1K can be put towards a more expensive bike if you fund the difference.

Incidentally my firm isn't interested in joining the scheme - we are only a group of 5 and one of the Directors (of two) says "but I've already got a bike, so why would I be interested"

The other one was straight on to the child care voucher scheme though !

 

[Theseus]

This is only the limit of the scheme though and this first £1K can be put towards a more expensive bike if you fund the difference.

Nope, sorry, you can't top it up and stay within the rules.

 

[addictfreak]

Touche

Yes you can, no where in our agreement does it state that the cost of the bike must not be more than £1000.
£1000 is merely the maximum voucher available. Maybe your scheme is different to ours, as there do seem to be several in operation.

 

[philipbh]

Bu&%er!

Thought you could - have read that others have

(puts down Pinarello Catalogue)

 

[Wheeledweenie]

Bu&%er!

Thought you could - have read that others have

(puts down Pinarello Catalogue)

The Evans Ride to Work scheme that my company uses allows you to spend more than the £1,000 if you use your own money to top it up. I know a few people who have done it.