Following the plea from many of Great Britain’s Olympic cycling medallists to prioritise sustainable transport, world-leading professional services firm Deloitte has added its voice to the calls.
Deloitte, which employs more than 15,000 staff throughout the UK, has joined a host of Britain’s biggest employers in supporting British Cycling’s #ChooseCycling network.
The network, which also includes the likes of Tesco, Virgin Trains, Santander and the AA, collectively employs over 700,000 UK staff and strongly believes that more cycling would be beneficial to its workforce.
Simon Wakefield, lead partner for Deloitte’s partnerships with the British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association and Deloitte Ride Across Britain commented: “Deloitte has an intrinsic and long-term association with sport, particularly cycling.
“Whether through our sponsorship of Deloitte Ride Across Britain and Team Dimension Data, or our consultation work that created UCI’s ‘Bright Future for Cycling’, the firm recognises the impact that cycling has on individual health and the wider society.
“We are proud to be part of British Cycling’s #ChooseCycling network in order to educate the UK about the numerous benefits cycling can provide.”
The addition of Deloitte to the network follows a letter to prime minister Theresa May, signed by Olympic medallists including Laura Kenny, Jason Kenny and Mark Cavendish, calling for 5% of the government’s transport spend to be devoted to cycling infrastructure.
The letter read: “The best way to honour the achievements of our athletes would be a legacy of every-day cycling in this country – a place where cycling is the choice form of transport for people to get around in their daily lives.”
The #ChooseCycling network is a key part of British Cycling’s vision to turn Britain into a true cycling nation. For decades, our roads have been designed purely for driving, and it is no coincidence that societal problems such as the obesity crisis, the rise in cases of type-2 diabetes, traffic congestion and air pollution are directly linked to people having no other option than to drive.
Martin Key, British Cycling campaign manager, said: “Investment in, and prioritisation of, cycle infrastructure is vital to the long-term health of our nation.
“Making it easier and more appealing to get on bikes can be a crucial step in providing solutions to some of the country’s biggest health and environmental problems.
“Our Olympic medallists have put this point across to the government following their great success in Rio, and we are now delighted to welcome Deloitte to the network – the latest in a long line of major businesses who recognise the importance of cycling in creating a healthier, greener and happier nation for their workforce and customers.”
