Key features
Cycling facilities at workplaces are focussed on improving the experience for employees when arriving at the workplace by bike. The provision or improvement of cycle parking facilities is essential, which should include a consideration of the appropriate number of spaces; weather protection; the option to lock bike frames to racks; proximity of parking to entrances and access to the company site and parking facility. Other facilities that could be considered at workplaces include equipment dedicated to bicycle repairs, provision of storage lockers, showers, facilities to dry wet clothes and charging points for e-bikes.
There is a range of supporting services that companies can offer to enhance the ease of cycling to work. For example, employers can provide company bicycles and the option to borrow equipment such as raincoats or helmets. Bicycle checks by professional bicycle mechanics could also be offered or subsidised by the employer.
The design of 2.1 Cycle parking can take various forms: fixed box solutions, bike rack shelters, indoor parking rooms and bicycle parking garages. There are also different options relating to bicycle repair facilites, providing company bicycles, charging points, changing rooms and related equipment - in terms of scale, cost for employee, and quality.
The two main actors involved in the provision of facilities at the workplace are businesses and public administration. Businesses are the main actors responsible for managing installations at their own sites, while public administrations have the capacity to promote cycling to work and support investments in cycle facilities at workplaces. Public administrations may also offer cycling facilities for their own employees.
Function and objectives
The main function of cycle facilities at the workplace is to encourage cycling to work by increasing convenience. This largely relates to providing bicycle parking and repair facilities, enabling employees to store other equipment, and offering access to showers and lockers.
The facilities may be used by people who cycle directly to the workplace or who use cycling in combination with other modes of transport. In this case, facilities at the workplace can be a way to encourage multimodal travel.
Complementary measures
The provision of cycle facilities at workplaces and development of infrastructure for moving cyclists complement each other and can result in larger impacts. There are also synergies between cycle facilities at the workplace and measures that encourage multimodal travel, as shown in the case study of Haberkorn in Vorarlberg, Austria. Push measures such as traffic and parking restrictions (LINK) at or near workplaces can also encourage cycling to work.
Finally, delivering informational and awareness campaigns, offering companies subsidies to improve workplace facilities, and including cycling to work within city-level cycling strategies or SUMPs can all be powerful complementary measures (see 3.1 Cycle information and awareness raising and 3.2 Cycle events).
Performance
The provision of facilities usually has a positive impact on the number of cycle trips made to work. Austrian company Haberkorn recorded a 23% modal share of employees using train and bike for their trip to work in Graz (Austria), following the implementation on measures to improve the conditions for cyclists at the workplace. As the number of cyclists increases, they can form a relevant and important community within a company.
Companies may benefit from a higher cycling modal share if they are able to save costs by replacing vehicle parking with cycle parking facilities. Savings can relate to reduced space requirements and lower investments in initial construction. In addition, the provision of cycling facilities and encouraging cycling to work increases the accessibility of workplaces by bicycle, potentially reducing travel times and travel costs for employees.
Parameters of success or failure
The provision of convenient cycle parking facilities is the key element necessary for the success of this measure. Where possible, 2.1 Cycle parking facilities should be easy to access, located close to the entrance of buildings, have sufficient capacity and be protected from the weather.
As highlighted in the ‘complementary measures’ section above, combining workplace facilities with push measures can increase the attraction for employees to cycle to work. The approach taken by the Technical University of Graz is an example of how a combination of push and pull measures can be successful.
To effectively manage and promote facilities, clear responsibilities can be assigned, such as electing an employee to become a bicycle ambassador - responsible for monitoring cycle facilities, raising awareness and listening to feedback.
Cities can play a key role in supporting the roll-out and success of workplace cycling facilities by providing advice and support to workplaces on the implementation of facilities and how to promote cycling to employees. Within the Civitas SMILE project, the City of as Malmö aimed campaigns at workplaces to influence attitudinal and behavioural change and raise awareness of new services and infrastructure. Cities can provide motivation through competitions and rewards: the city of Graz carried out two competitions in the area of mobility management for SMEs, which resulted in 28 companies creating and implementing travel plans. Cities can also establish funding schemes to support the development of facilities at workplaces. In Graz, projects aimed at developing bicycle parking facilities could gain funding from all three levels of government: the City of Graz, the Province of Styria and the State of Austria. The Technical University of Graz made use of this funding mechanism in its mobility management programme.
The Cycle-Friendly Employers (CFE) Certification Framework (https://cfe-certification.eu/measures) can provide support for companies across Europe. Certification is designed to aid European companies to improve conditions for employees who cycle to work and to offer participating companies affirmation and reward for their efforts.
Key lessons for transferability
The provision of facilities at workplaces and related initiatives are largely applicable to all cities, although these measures will benefit from the presence of a cycling network or traffic restrictions.
