Weekly prize draw to get staff on to their bicycles

BUSINESSES across the Capital have already started battling it out in a commuter challenge aimed at encouraging more people to cycle to work.

The Edinburgh Cycle Challenge officially starts today, and will see all cycle trips of registered employees that take at least ten minutes entered into a weekly prize draw.

Companies such as Starbucks, Scottish Widows, Marks & Spencer and Ikea are among the 81 businesses already signed up for the challenge, and workers are already frantically logging cycle trips on the website.

Renewable Devices Group is currently topping the charts in the medium-size category, with Edinburgh Leisure and Edinburgh University battling for first place amongst the larger employers.

The Edinburgh Cycle Challenge is part of A Better Way To Work, a project by the Bike Station.

Esther Halcrow, Challenge co-ordinator, said: "For employees without their own bikes, we can lend them one for free from our fleet of loan bikes.

"We can also provide free cycling lessons, a bike buddy service and help with route planning."

More information can be found at www. edinburgh cyclechallenge.org.uk.