Cycle to Work Day 2024 – SYSTRA colleagues embrace active travel

Our work aids public and private sector clients with improving health outcomes, reducing traffic emissions, improving safety and achieving environmental targets.

Over the last few years, our experts have been involved in numerous cycling-related projects, from devising strategies for cycle corridors to producing detailed designs of cycle routes and monitoring their implementation.

Active modes of transport, such as cycling, are an ever-popular choice due to their sustainable nature and obvious health benefits.

Our people are our business, and we make it our business to look after everyone who works for us. We constantly review our benefits and rewards to ensure they reflect what’s important to our colleagues, embracing a culture of openness and collaboration, and actively engaging with colleagues to find out what matters to them. Our tax efficient cycle scheme is just one of the many health and wellbeing benefits we offer to our colleagues.

So, recently we sat down with some of our colleagues to hear directly from them about their love for cycling and why they’re so passionate about active travel.

Ian Ball, a Modeller in our engineering business, cycles every day he goes in to the office, up to 11kms.

Cycling has a lot of benefits, but for me it is mainly that it’s faster than walking, I can park at the office without a problem every day, it keeps the waistline trim and it’s a low environmental impact way to travel.

Ian Ball, Modeller, SYSTRA Ltd

Jade Bell Duque, Senior Graphic Designer, said she does not cycle “often enough, but next year my daughter starts preschool so I intend to a lot more”.

Jade says “my round trip is barely four miles, but it cuts my journey down by foot a lot and usually cuts the bus journey down too”.

For Jade, cycling has many benefits, including setting a great example for her daughter, who will in-turn help to preserve the natural environment when she’s old enough to travel independently.

It’s a great social and physical activity – I have seen some really pretty places, alongside great people, that I would have otherwise not seen!

Jade Bell Duque, Senior Graphic Designer , SYSTRA Ltd

Jade goes on to say that she thinks “more cyclists make a city better and safer, with cleaner air – councils plan and accommodate for cyclists better when more are commuting regularly”.

“If you’re a little bit competitive or your time poor but want to move your body, it really is a serotonin boost when you go faster than the last time, and it’s much more fun and better for the planet than a gym!”

“You can also go further than you could on foot without reliance on a car or public transport.”

Sarah White, Marketing and Communications Manager, said – “I cycle to the station whenever I go to an office for the day, I have a secure bike parking space at my local station.”

I bought my bike using the cycle scheme in 2018. It replaced an old second-hand bike that I bought online. I was just using it for commuting to the station until the pandemic lockdown in 2020. When we were given an hour a day of freedom to exercise, I used it to explore the local countryside on my bike and really enjoyed it.

Sarah White, Marketing and Communications Manager, SYSTRA Ltd

Cycling to work is a long way for Sarah – 19.5kms! But, cycling to work saves Sarah a lot of money and time. “The station car park costs over £10 a day. I do walk sometimes, but is takes half an hour, compared to 10 minutes of cycling plus 5 locking it up. It’s also good exercise and is better for the environment than driving.”

Sarah also enjoys cycling in her personal time. “During the weekends I try to cycle at least 20km for fun. My longest ride was the London to Brighton charity ride this June which was 86.3km. I have completed the London to Brighton Bike Ride twice in the last three years.”

You can find out more about our expertise in walking and cycling here.