Submitted by Jessica Haskell on Thu, 2020-03-26 17:42
It might not feel like it, but now could be a great time to reassess how you travel to work. Maybe you’ve really begun to value your one walk a day? Or perhaps you’re enjoying a lie-in now you don’t have to contend with a traffic-packed commute? It could just be you feel that there are some changes that you could make to your daily routine once our commute no longer consists of walking through the kitchen to the study.
The University offers a number of financial benefits to help staff travel to work more sustainably and we’ve highlighted some of the options open to you below.
Firstly, the Cycle to Work scheme.
This scheme allows you to spend up to £2,000 on a new bike and/or cycling equipment through the Cyclescheme. You can then spread the cost through a year, as well as paying by salary sacrifice before tax and national insurance, saving you a significant sum. The scheme even allows the purchase of electric bikes, for those travelling from further afield!
Next, Travel to Work loans.
As long as you have been employed by the University for at least three months you are eligible for an interest-free travel to work loan for the use of an annual bus or rail season ticket, or to assist with the purchase of a bike and associated equipment.
The University also supports staff in travelling by public transport for work through our provision of the Universal bus service which runs from Eddington to CBC via the majority of University sites at 20-minute intervals throughout the working day. The service also runs outside peak working times and at weekends. University card holders are eligible for a £1 single fare.
Staff are also eligible for a 10% discount on the purchase of train season tickets and bulk buy tickets in certain routes. For more information see the 2019 commuter briefing and download the application form here.
More information about all these schemes and further travel options can be found on the University CAMbens page as well as on our Travel and Transport pages.
Written by Jo Beale, Transport Coordinator