THIRTY four businesses in Bradford, from a brewery to a college, are now involved in an ambitious scheme to encourage more people to cycle to work.

And those that are involved have seen a 25 per cent jump in the amount of staff ditching cars for bikes.

The City Connect business engagement scheme was set up to tie in with the new cycle superhighway that recently opened, linking Bradford and Leeds.

It offers businesses along the route advice on how to be more “bike friendly” as well as having access to up to £5,000 of grant funding to improve facilities.

The £60 million segregated cycle track was funded by both the Department of Transport and local Councils and opened in the Summer of 2016. For much of the past year, work to expand the track to link up Bradford and the Canal Road Greenway, has been ongoing.

It is expected to be completed by the end of November, and will provide a cycle route from Shipley to Leeds.

Recent works include creating a cycle path through Hillam Road and Valley Road, taking the route past Forster Square Retail Park before it links up with the Bradford to Leeds route in the city centre.

The cycle superhighway is a partnership project with Leeds City Council and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. At a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Monday, members will get an update on the City Connect scheme.

It says that schools and businesses on its route have recently been invited to take part in education sessions that have included free adult cycle training.

A report to the committee says: “Since the start of the programme over 17,500 beneficiaries have been engaged in the project. Through the business engagement scheme, 198 businesses in West Yorkshire have benefitted from free consultancy advice on how to be more bike friendly as well as having access to up to £5,000 of grant funding to improve facilities.

“On average, businesses that have been through the process have seen a 25 per cent increase in their employees cycling to work.

“In Bradford, 34 businesses are currently engaged with the project, receiving grants to fund facilities such as improved bike parking, pool bikes, e-bike schemes and public bike maintenance stands.

“Organisations in Bradford currently engaged with the project include West Yorkshire Police, Shipley College, Shipley Town Hall and Saltaire Brewery.”