Cycle to Work Alliance /
Unlocking e-bike access through tax reform
The Cycle to Work Scheme has helped over two million people start cycling to work, but a £1,000 cap – unchanged for decades – was limiting access to e-bikes and adapted cycles just as the government aimed to double cycling journeys by 2025.
Without reform, the Scheme risked excluding the very people who stood to benefit most – older, disabled, and lower-income commuters. At a time of economic pressure and climate targets, we needed to show that modernising the Scheme was essential to unlock active travel, meet public health goals, and bring new cyclists into the flagging bike market.
The work
To build momentum for reform, we centred the campaign on the people excluded by the £1,000 cap – showcasing stories of older, disabled, and long-distance commuters. We activated a powerful coalition of health, business, and environmental voices to amplify the case for change, backed by polling, employer data, and endorsements. We used this support to focus the attention of Parliament – convincing the Transport Committee to cover the issue in its Active Travel Inquiry – and to apply pressure on Government to act. Crucially, we secured a public commitment from the Cycling Minister to update the scheme – placing the Alliance at the centre of a national conversation on accessible active travel.
Achievements
The campaign delivered the policy change we set out to achieve. The government formally updated the Cycle to Work Scheme, removing the £1,000 cap and unlocking access to e-bikes and adapted cycles for the first time. Early market data shows a 10% increase in e-bike sales through the scheme – injecting an estimated £10 million into the cycling economy. The Cycle to Work Alliance has been positioned as the key to unlocking the e-bike revolution, with the updated scheme enabling thousands of new users to participate – especially older workers, disabled cyclists and long-distance commuters.
10%
increase in e-bike sales
£10m
boost to the UK cycling market