Hampshire County Council has approved a new grant scheme to encourage organisations and businesses in Andover and across the county to promote cycling as an alternative and environmentally friendly way to get to work.

The Workplace Cycle Parking Grant and E-Bike (Electric Bike) Loan scheme was approved by Councillor Russell Oppenheimer, the County Council’s Executive Member for Highways Operations, at a recent decision day meeting (17 June 2021).

Councillor Oppenheimer said: “I think this is a great scheme. It will enable businesses to apply for a grant that can be used to provide cycle storage and encourage sustainable travel. Offering businesses an opportunity to loan e-bikes to their employees will make it easier and affordable for more people to take up cycling.”

£150,000 has been allocated for the grant scheme which has come from the Department for Transport’s £3.28 million Active Travel Fund. From July 2021, organisations and businesses will be able to apply for either a Workplace Cycle Parking Grant, or an E-Bike Loan for one year.

Councillor Oppenheimer added: “Since the pandemic began, we have seen more and more people cycling as their preferred means of travel to work and for leisure. We would like to encourage this continuing trend both for the health and wellbeing advantages and for the clear environmental benefits in reducing the number of cars on the road. This will make a big contribution in helping to realise our ambition for the county to become Carbon Neutral by 2050.”