BRADFORD College has secured funding to encourage more members of its staff to cycle to work.

It has been awarded a £5,000 Bike-Friendly Business grant from CityConnect, the group behind the Bradford to Leeds Cycle Super Highway, to help improve facilities for workers who travel by bike.

The grant will be used to purchase a public bike pump, bike locks, bike lights, lockers and a drying cabinet.

It is hoped the improvements could see the college go from silver to gold in the Bike Friendly Business accreditation scheme run by CityConnect, which is delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority with the aim of encouraging people to travel by bike.

The college, which has more than 1,100 employees and around 20,000 students, already has lockable bicycle sheds, access to showers and discounts for staff purchasing bikes through approved suppliers.

James Wiggan, Higher Education Progression Officer at the college and an avid cyclist, said: “By choosing to cycle to work I can use the time as a training session instead of heading to the gym - so I am saving time in my day.

"I am also saving on travel costs, don’t get stuck in traffic and it helps the environment too. It’s a real win-win scenario.

“Having the facilities to store your bike securely during the day and somewhere to get showered & changed before and after work are essential if we want to encourage more people to get on their bike so this investment is excellent news.”