Following a surge in the uptake of a bike purchase scheme, more Agrovista employees than ever will be enjoying the benefits of outdoor exercise during their journey to work.
To help support this, improved infrastructure has been put into place including a new bike rack, in readiness for a return to office working later in the year.
“Recent times have shown us the importance of exercise not only on our physical health, but also our mental health too,” said Strategy and Planning Manager, Chris Sprigg.
“Although we’ve offered a discounted bike scheme for a few years, we’ve had a considerable increase in uptake recently as people rethink their overall lifestyle and travel choices.
“The government is funding incentives to keep people walking and cycling as coronavirus lockdown eases. It’s great that Agrovista is able to play its part and support sustainable travel.”
In particular, employees working from the Allscott depot near Telford have shown interest in purchasing bikes through the scheme. To support them, Agrovista was able to apply for a free cycle parking stand from Telford and Wrekin Council.
With public transport capacity reduced in the region, this is part of the council’s aim to promote and encourage greener modes of travel whilst supporting businesses who actively encourage employees to cycle to work.
Mr Sprigg added: “As with many businesses, we are looking at a phased return to non-home-based working. We are really pleased to be able to improve our provision for cyclists at our Allscott depot ready for that.
“But really, it’s all part of a bigger ‘green’ picture for Agrovista as a company. We are committed to improving our green credentials long-term.
“If we can all play our part, the small steps will add up not just during the coronavirus crisis, but beyond.”