Isn't it time you got on yer bike? GET fit, get a brand new bike, pay over 12 months, pay less tax – what’s not to like?! The next Go-Ahead London Cycle to Work scheme runs from November 3 to December 5. The company can purchase a brand new bike up to the value of £1,000 tax free, on your behalf. You will then be able to pay for it monthly from your salary over a period of 12 months. As the scheme is part of a government tax incentive to promote healthier journeys to work, you could save at least 25 per cent on the cost of a new bike. This time round the scheme is even better, as there’s a much greater choice of places to purchase your bike. The company has teamed up with Cyclescheme which has a network of participating stores, including more than 300 in the London area. They include many small independent retailers, as well as larger stores such as Evans, the sole supplier in the previous scheme.
More detailed information about how the scheme works will be available soon via the employee portal, so look out for announcements at your garage. A number of Go-Ahead London employees have already taken advantage of the scheme and are now reaping the health benefits. Some are also saving money by cycling into work, while others are joining cycle clubs and enjoying social rides on their days off. Camberwell driver Robert Johnson bought his bike in February this year. He said: “I was the only one in my family who didn’t have a bike, so the Cycle to Work scheme was my chance to change that! "I wanted to get fitter and be able to join my family on bike rides. We only usually do about five miles at a time, but it is quite hilly where I live, so it’s still good exercise. The fact that you pay less tax through the scheme was definitely an incentive too.”
Portal rollout gathers pace...
Colleagues enjoy new technology Monika Watson, left, with Lance McFarlane.
T
Camberwell driver Robert Johnson aboard the bike he bought through the Cycle to Work scheme.
It has been going really well. The drivers all seem to like it...
HE Go-Ahead London employee portal has been enthusiastically embraced by staff across the company. The aim is to have the technology available at every garage by the end of January 2015. “It has been going really well. The drivers all seem to like it and even the ones who were a bit daunted by it all in the beginning really like using it,” said ‘super user’ Lance McFarlane. “A lot of our drivers are very capable and are enjoying the new technology.” Although the portal can be accessed from any device as long as there is an internet connection, every garage will have an iPad installed, so colleagues without a device can easily access it too. Every Go-Ahead London employee will be assigned a Gmail address which will be
used as the employee portal login. As well as having information about the company and staff notices, the employee portal also contains OARS (Online Allocation Request System), which allows colleagues to look at their duties, swap shifts with other employees and change rest days. “The portal has reduced the amount of paperwork in the garage and allows supervisors to manage their time more effectively,” said Lance. “It has been a challenge and a lot of work has gone into it, but it is something that I am very much enjoying. I have been able to meet lots of new people and visit garages across the company.” If you haven’t already had the portal arrive at your garage, then look out for it in the coming months.
9