For the second year running, Heathrow Airport is promoting an innovative scheme to get staff members ditching the car and cycling to work, in partnership with the UK's largest cycle retailer Halfords. The Cycle2Work scheme is a government initiative to get employees cycling to work and eligible BAA staff will be entitled to tax-free benefits to encourage them to get a bike if they sign up before 31 August.
The benefits will cover the hire cost over a year of a new bike and safety accessories from Halfords, from £100 up to the value of £1,000. Payments will come from the employee's salary before Income Tax and National Insurance contributions are taken out, resulting in a significant saving. In addition, BAA Heathrow will also pass on the VAT saving to staff, meaning that cycling becomes even more affordable.
Other advantages of the scheme include free bike maintenance from Halfords throughout the year, reduced cycle training courses and other special offers. When the year is up, staff will be able to pay a small final amount to purchase the bike outright.
Launching the scheme, Heathrow's transport strategy manager, Theo Panayi, said: "This exciting scheme is being made available again to all BAA staff at Heathrow. We hope that with this financial incentive, more employees will be encouraged to make the move from four wheels to two, saving themselves money, and helping us reduce congestion around the airport in the process."
The scheme will help Heathrow in achieving their target of reducing employee car use by 1% year on year at the airport. Around 800 people a day cycle to work at the airport and to make it easier, BAA Heathrow have also provided off road cycle lanes on the Southern, Western and Eastern Perimeter Roads; at Terminal 5 and in the Colne Valley.
