In 1996 Central Government established a £2 million project aimed at facilitating innovative ways of encouraging cycle use for short journeys. The project, entitled Cycle Challenge, invited bids from public, private and voluntary sector organisations to set up demonstration programmes for which Cycle Challenge would match local funding. The Nottingham Cycle-Friendly Employer partnership was successful in securing £226,000 from Cycle Challenge. The partnership comprised eight large employers in the city, including local authorities, two universities and a teaching hospital, which collectively employs over 35,000 people. The objective was to increase cycle use for work journeying - both commuting and short official trips during the working day. To date around £500,000 has been invested in different packages of measures at the work sites to encourage and facilitate cycle use. Measures include workplace shower and changing facilities, interest-free loans for the purchase of bikes, cycle mileage allowances, secure cycle parking, pool bikes, promotional events and publicity. Drawing on a two-year monitoring study - comprising interviews, observation and questionnaires - this paper reports on the lessons arising from the Nottingham Cycle-Friendly Employer project, both in terms of its success in encouraging greater cycle use for work journeying, and the issues surrounding implementation. Likely conclusions are that cycle commuting can be encouraged by a combination of measures, which should be tailored to the nature of the employer and the workforce. However, there are a number of key prerequisites to the success of each scheme.
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