East Midlands Airport and Cyclescheme have launched a new green travel scheme for staff to promote healthier journeys to work.

Cyclescheme, a government green transport initiative which provides employees with the benefit of purchasing a bike and safety equipment over a 12 month pay back period, was launched at East Midlands Airport last month.

Twenty employees from East Midlands Airport have taken advantage of tax-free bikes and are now enjoying a greener and more environmentally friendly way of travelling to work.

Kelly McHugh, Travel Plan Marketing Manager, said, "The Airport's rural location means that staff are less inclined to cycle to work, however, the scheme is a fantastic way to encourage more people to take up cycling for leisure and commuting purposes. Over the last few years, we have made a number of steps to encourage cycling, with a safe access crossing point on the A453, cycle storage and showers for cyclists and we hope this is a step further to encouraging cycling to the site."

Stuart Ralphs, Commercial Support Manager, East Midlands Airport who purchased his bike through the Cycle to Work scheme said, "My new bike is great, it's much lighter so I can cycle to and from work much quicker. I can do the 11 mile journey in about 50 minutes compared to a 35 minutes car journey. It's a great feeling to pass queuing traffic! This scheme has encouraged me to exercise more and cycle further."

To encourage employees to cycle to work and promote the benefits of cycling, last month the airport organised a series of events as part of National Bike Week. During the week, cyclists were provided with a free MOT service from Dr Bike, cycle maps and journey planning advice. Employees were also invited to attend a try before your buy session and offered pool bikes for journeys on the Airport site. As part of the national campaign, employees at East Midlands Airport cycled over 350 miles on their journeys to and from work during the week.

For more information about the scheme, visit cyclescheme.co.uk