Help your employees to cycle safely this winter

Warwickshire County Council’s Choose How You Move campaign is asking business owners to encourage their employees to cycle to work and to help them cycle safely during the dark winter mornings and evenings ahead.

Cycling is a safe way to commute to and from work in Warwickshire and the benefits to employees in terms of their fitness, environmental and financial benefits and productivity far outweigh the risks associated with cycling.

However, it’s always good to reduce the risks by following a few pieces of advice.

So businesses are asked to encourage their employees to:

• Be seen on the road by wearing appropriate clothing and a helmet when they cycle. If you can, provide somewhere for your staff to get changed when they arrive at work and, if possible, even provide somewhere they can take a shower.

• Maintain their bikes. There are lots of free bike-servicing opportunities in Warwick District, such as the regular Pedal & Ride events that take place at Leamington Rail Station and other cycle events organised by Warwickshire County Council throughout the year.

• Reduce the risk of bike theft. Around 800-1,000 bikes are reported stolen every year in Warwickshire. Encourage your staff to get their bikes security-marked and registered on a crime prevention database. If you can, provide secure cycle parking or another safe place for staff to lock their bikes.

• Get cycle training. It’s a fun way of giving your staff that extra bit of knowledge and confidence to feel safer on the road. Warwickshire County Council’s Traffic and Road Safety Group offer dedicated commuter cycle safety courses for businesses.

The campaign is particularly focusing on businesses and employees in Warwick district, where levels of commuting are particularly high, after a report revealed that of all drivers commuting in to Warwick and Leamington, 52% live within 5km of their destination and 25% (one in four drivers) live within just 2km.

An increase in the number of commuters cycling to work could significantly reduce the number of short-distance car journeys that are made in the two towns during ‘rush hour.’

For more information and cycle safety tips, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/safercycling. There are also regular tweets and posts with tips and information on the Choose How You Move Twitter (@ChooseMoveWarks) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ChooseMoveWarks).