Cash incentive for Telford employees to ditch their car

Participants will receive £50 in vouchers for cycling to work

Workers at an MoD site in Shropshire are being offered a cash incentive to commute by bicycle in a pilot scheme.

The 20 employees at Donnington in Telford will be asked to leave their cars at home 10 times during October.

The project is being piloted by Telford and Wrekin Council's Health Protection Team in a bid to improve people's physical and mental health as well as air quality.

If successful, it is hoped the scheme will be expanded next year.

"The ride into work is great, all down hill with the wind in my hair, however the journey back not so much - this is where the hard work comes in," said Rebecca Thomas-Nye, who is one of the participants.

"I am hopeful that with each ride back it will get easier and the benefits will show in how I feel."

Employees who choose to walk or cycle will be rewarded with £50 in supermarket vouchers.

Councillor Richard Overton said the pilot was "a super scheme".

"I very much hope it will nudge these individuals into reducing their reliance on cars over the longer term, supporting our vision to make Telford and Wrekin carbon neutral by 2030, improve their health and local air quality, and lead the way in showing others what's possible," he said.