On your bike!

If saving the environment or shedding a few pounds isn't reason enough to start pedalling, The Department for Transport is now promoting what it calls the "Cycle to Work Guarantee". Employers who sign up will enjoy certain tax exemptions, so long as they guarantee to provide, amongst other things, safe bike parking facilities and changing and locker facilities.

It seems that currently, more than 30 per cent of the staff of large urban employers live within a half an hour bike ride of their place of work, but only about 3 per cent currently cycle to work. The government aim is to double or treble that figure.

Since most of the employers currently participating are public sector, the tax benefits may need to be improved if private sector employers are to be persuaded to take part in significant numbers.

To qualify for the tax exemption, cycles and cyclists' safety equipment are loaned to staff by the employer. Details can be found on the website http://www.cycletoworkguarantee.org.uk/

It's worth considering that an employer's responsibility extends to include those employees required to cycle as part of their job. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents reminds us how important it is that adult cyclists are trained and that an employer has a duty of care.

This is precisely the thinking behind The Police Cycle Training Doctrine, a draft 93-page, two volume booklet which includes a diagram on "deployment into a junction" and advises constables to wear padded shorts for "in-saddle comfort". However, growing opposition to the manual from the Taxpayers' Alliance mean that Police chiefs will not be going ahead with the training booklet since it is estimated that it would cost thousands of pounds to produce.