Incentivising cycling at work

[annedonnelly]

I was going to post this in the Advocacy forum but it resonates with the discussion here. An article in the Big Issue about how the capital of Slovenia went car free. They seem to have managed to address all the issues that people were concerned about and now the vast majority of residents want to keep the scheme in place. Clearly they've managed to get the public transport and bike hire scheme working well.

 

[Oldhippy]

The Tokyo model, if you can't park it you can't get it.

 

[Mike_P]

I was going to post this in the Advocacy forum but it resonates with the discussion here. An article in the Big Issue about how the capital of Slovenia went car free.

Nottingham in the 1970s had a scheme to restrict cars from the centre which involved a park and ride network operated by 'Lilac Leopard' coaches which was only partly implemented before being abandoned
https://trid.trb.org/view/69046
The coaches quickly getting the nickname Pink Elephants.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Nottingham in the 1970s had a scheme to restrict cars from the centre which involved a park and ride network operated by 'Lilac Leopard' coaches which was only partly implemented before being abandoned

I think that may be part of the problem. It's something I noticed a number of times in the UK: Take an idea, implement it half heartedly, and then announce it didn't work and abandon it.

If they'd built motorways like that we'd be using much more public transport...

 

[Sharky]

Before they built the M25, I used to see jobs in Croydon, which is about 25 miles away. Always discounted them as I thought the commute would be too much.

Roll on a few years and the M25 now built and following a recundency, I went for and got a job just south of Croydon in Whyteleafe, thinking that the M25 would make a good commute.

In reality, the M25 route was nearer to 30 miles each way and the traffic was unpredictable, often at a standstill in places.

So I found a route going through the lanes and this was only 23 miles and time wise was a predictable 40 mins as opposed to anything between 30 to 60 mins.

The 23 miles each way was even doable on the bike 2 or 3 times a week.

So I'm glad they built the M25 as it took away the traffic from an enjoyable commute thru the lanes.

 

[Wooger]

Ironically it's currently few that get infrastructure built for them, which the many then subsidise.

Indeed. We need to urgently look at the regional funding split and reverse it to match need.

The "levelling up" nonsense our current government is spouting is truly insulting if you simply consider the funding per head for the different regions, the differences there make public transport spending (outside London) and the levelling up fund itself look like crumbs.

Scotland - 120% of English average funding per head.
London - 112% of English average funding per head, + numerous separately funded transport megaprojects.
West Midlands - 90% of English average funding per head.

From a recent trip to Edinburgh I'd estimate that they spend more on maintaining granite paving slabs alone than the entire of Birmingham gets in total.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Indeed. We need to urgently look at the regional funding split and reverse it to match need.

The "levelling up" nonsense our current government is spouting is truly insulting if you simply consider the funding per head for the different regions, the differences there make public transport spending (outside London) and the levelling up fund itself look like crumbs.

Scotland - 120% of English average funding per head.
London - 112% of English average funding per head, + numerous separately funded transport megaprojects.
West Midlands - 90% of English average funding per head.

From a recent trip to Edinburgh I'd estimate that they spend more on maintaining granite paving slabs alone than the entire of Birmingham gets in total.

Don't forget that some of Scotland's tax take is spent "on their behalf" for those London megaprojects.

I'm not sure how much control local governments have over taxation in the UK; here control is deliberately decentralised so the regions don't saubsidise the capital in the same way as the UK subsidises London. There's also a lot of autonomy for spending priorities; our problem is more the powerful motoring lobby who howl rather loudly if road space is given to anyone else.

 

[gaijintendo]

I keep getting ads for Tommy's Tax or something along those lines and it was saying you can claim tax back on clothes for work - does any financial folk know if clothes for commuting come under that?

 

[Alex321]

I keep getting ads for Tommy's Tax or something along those lines and it was saying you can claim tax back on clothes for work - does any financial folk know if clothes for commuting come under that?

They don't.

No commuting costs can be claimed back unless you are working at a temporary location (must be for less than 2 years, and expected from the outset to be less than 2 years).

But even in the temporary location case, it is only costs DIRECTLY incurred for the commute, such as train tickets or car running costs that can be claimed. Clothes can't becaue it is considered you don't need special clothes just for commuting.

Even work clothes can only be claimed if they are uniforms or specifically required protective clothing.

 

[vickster]

I keep getting ads for Tommy's Tax or something along those lines and it was saying you can claim tax back on clothes for work - does any financial folk know if clothes for commuting come under that?

Just work uniforms I think.
Check the HMRC website

 

[Andy in Germany]

Even work clothes can only be claimed if they are uniforms or specifically required protective clothing.

Isn't your employer required to provide those?

 

[cyberknight]

even though work provide your clothes you can claim tax rebate for laundering

 

[Gillstay]

Isn't your employer required to provide those?

In theory yes but this being the UK many cheap skate employers force workers to buy it. Even chainsaw gear that may save their lives.

 

[Alex321]

Isn't your employer required to provide those?

PPE yes, uniforms no.

 

[HLaB]

Its probably been said somewhere in this thread but parking is a key factor AFAIC. At my old work shower/locker facilities were ok but car parking was limited and a lot of people walked or cycled despite the poor bike parking. At my current place the facilities probably couldn't be better and the bike parking is very secure but there's a lot of car parking on site so a lot of folk are just fair weather cyclists and the overall number of cyclists is less, even on a sunny and warm day. So in my opinion its not just about incentives its sticks (parking controls).