Encouraging more sustainable commutes

Active transport was featured on the decarbonisation agenda for the first time at COP29 so with policy placing increasing emphasis on cycling as a way of travelling to work, how can businesses encourage healthier ways of commuting?

While less far-reaching than the €150bn benefit to the European economy suggested by the European Cyclists Federation, the benefits of commuting by bicycle to businesses is no less compelling. Reduced emissions, a positive impact on employee health and well-being, improved productivity and a boost in employer branding; are all good reasons to encourage your workforce to commute by bike.

Emitting 10 times less CO2 than travelling to work by car, there’s no doubt that cycling is a more sustainable way of commuting, but for employers it is the health and well-being benefits on the workforce that really stand-out. A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine saw a 30% reduction in risk of diabetes and 24% reduction in the risk of mortality in those that cycled to work, while others reported a decrease in the symptoms of depression and an overall increase in emotional well-being and happiness . In short, cycling to work makes employees healthier and improves their well-being.

Cycling also has a positive effect on productivity, with active commuters reporting more productive organisational behaviour and again, more positive subjective well-being. Businesses too are using cycle commuting as a way of raising their employer profile. The BCO (British Council for Offices) reports an increasing trend for bike storage facilities to be used as visual stimulation as part of other ground floor uses – companies are putting cycle commuting front and centre to promote their employer brand.

So, the reasons for cycling to work are clear, but there are challenges. Theft is a major concern for cycle commuters and even those thinking about making the switch to this healthier form of transport. In fact, in the same study, the BCO said that almost 25% of respondents considering cycling to work were put-off by a lack of secure storage at their workplace. Of course, infrastructure is a sizeable challenge, but as Copenhagen has proven, policy can play a major role in redressing the balance – 41% of commutes in the city are made by bicycle. With other cities and towns planning significant investment in cycling infrastructure, there is certainly a future of improved, safer and easier to use cycling routes.

Businesses can encourage active commuting by making sure their facilities are easily accessed by bike and that storage is secure. Our SpeedStile FL Bike gates are specifically designed to achieve this goal. Only allowing access to people travelling with bikes and scooters, the gates can be specified with RFID tagging that pairs the user with the bicycle, helping to make storage even more secure. With an induction loop system that accurately detects bicycles and scooters, as well as wheelchairs, the gates prevent collisions and use detection algorithms to minimise the risk of unauthorised access and fraudulent activities.

The SpeedStile FL Bike is the ideal solution for safeguarding your space as well as bicycles in parking areas, offering peace of mind and security and helping business to encourage healthier commuting.

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