Public and private organisations across Wales have signed up to the Healthy Travel Charter, meaning they’re committed to supporting and encouraging their staff to make healthier travel choices. Sustrans’ Healthy Workplaces project supports that work, thanks to funding from Welsh Government, and in this blog we hear from a Swansea Council employee who got to borrow an e-cargo bike for free.
People working for organisations and businesses signed up to a Healthy Travel Charter can receive support to help make the journey to work healthier and more active. Credit: Sustrans.
I found out about the Healthy Workplaces project when I was looking on the Council’s staff website and came across an old article about the bike loan scheme.
The process of taking part in the scheme was really easy – my initial brief e-mail was quickly replied to and a conversation about what would be possible started from there.
In no time, I had the loan of an e-cargo bike, with child seat and appropriate lock, and a good introduction to how it all worked.
The length of the loan meant that I could get a good feel of how beneficial an e-bike could be, and Charlie from Sustrans made the whole process easy and successful.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to experience using an e-cargo bike
I used the bike to get to and from work, and this included integrating a child drop off and pick up, as well as shopping trips.
It was great to be able to get both things done at once and really got our day off to a good start.
It was quicker to go by bike than on foot, by bus or by car!
My daughter and I also went on adventures that we wouldn’t otherwise have done – our joint journeys seemed to start with my daughter declaring “This is fun!” and going “Weeee” down hills.
Both of us really enjoyed the freedom of the bike and being out in the fresh air.
We were sad to see the borrowed bike go back as it really had given us not only the ability to get from A to B but to enjoy the journey.
Sustainable travel opportunities fitting into everyday life
The bike allowed me to make my journeys to and from work, as well occasional trips, that I wouldn’t have got the car out for but were too long to walk or complicated to do according to a bus timetable.
I didn’t have any problems with the bike at all during the loan, everything was explained really clearly and there was back up paperwork and a phone number if I needed to speak to someone.
I’d absolutely recommend the loan scheme to colleagues!
In fact, I have already mentioned it to colleagues, family and friends as it was so good.
The e-bike enabled me to complete journeys that would have been far more challenging, if not impossible on a [standard] bike, as headwinds, hills and the additional weight of a child on the back were no longer obstacles.
I am thinking about buying an e-bike of my own and am researching the various options.
Sustrans were really helpful in explaining what the e-bike loaned to me had so that I can add those details to my check list; I need to find out more about my employer’s Cycle to Work scheme.
It was really good to try before you buy as an e-bike is a significant purchase – being able to talk to someone who knows about bikes and e-bikes was great and has given me lots to think about.
