The Government has proposed offering commuters a “sweat-free” alternative to conventional bikes, with suggestions electric bike prices being cut by a third.

The price cut will come in the form of a taxpayer-backed scheme to increase the amount of people using battery-assisted bikes. It is thought this will appeal to those who commute to work in business-like clothes who don’t want to sweat, and those who are older and/or less fit.

Details of electric bike price cut scheme not finalised

Details of the scheme are yet to be finalised, with a trial programme being rolled out over the next five months. A full-scale support package is scheduled to be announced next spring.

While the details haven’t been fully laid out, it is thought the Government favours a similar system to the direct subsidies found in the grants for electric cars, motorbikes, vans, taxis and trucks. This subsidy is worth a maximum of 20 to 35 percent off the original purchase costs.

This is welcome news to e-bike aficionados, with costs ranging from £600 to £3,000. The grant, therefore, could shave hundreds of pounds off the purchase price.

It has been suggested the scheme would work alongside the current cycle-to-work scheme, which gives directly employed higher-rate taxpayers up to 42 percent off the cost of bikes.

Are we about to see a golden age of cycling?

The electric bike prices cut news comes in a bumper year for cycling more generally. Bike sales have increased exponentially during lockdown, with Halfords doubling their profit.

The Government has also looked to capitalise on the socially distanced form of transport with a £2 billion funding package announced earlier this year to get more people on two wheels. The package includes emergency bike lanes and streets and trials of rental e-scooters to be brought forward to increase green transport options.

On the benefits of e-bikes, Chris Heaton-Harris, Transport Minister, the scheme could be:

Particularly useful for people who, for example, need to ride in business clothes without breaking sweat, or to ride up hills, or to travel long distances, who are older or less fit, or who are otherwise put off by the physical effort of an ordinary bike.

He added that the Department for Transport was:

Planning to support a number of pilot e-bike support schemes in the current financial year [up to March 2021] to help build an evidence base on the type of approaches which are most effective in increasing take-up of e-bikes.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK chief executive, said:

E-bikes flatten hills, cancel headwinds, turn short sweaty routes into a carefree ride, and above all they are fun.

Nearly 70 percent of journeys under five miles are driven. With the right incentives and right infrastructure in place, a mass uptake in e-bikes could provide a real alternative to households that previously relied on two or more cars.

There’s no reason to be sniffy about e-bikes — they’re not cheating and have an important part to play in making cycling more accessible for more people.

Cyclists inclined to buy e-bikes if cost reduced

The scheme announcement coincided with new figures showing that 17 percent of cyclists would consider buying an electric bike if the prices were cut by the Government.

Over four thousand people took part in the survey, carried out by the #BikeIsBest campaign in September 2020, and the figures show that British people seem enthusiastic on the idea of e-bikes.

53 percent of people surveyed said their opinion of e-bikes had improved as they began to see the benefits.

The trend appears to match attitudes in Europe too, after huge market growth in both the Netherlands and Germany.

Adam Tranter, Founder of #BikeIsBest campaign and Bicycle Mayor for Coventry, said

E-bikes have been a long time coming but it’s finally looking like the British public are ready to embrace them.

Interest is increasing with a wider awareness of their benefits through mainstream media, amongst other channels. In other countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, the potential is being realised, and now it’s our turn.

How can SorryMate Cycle help you?

If you have been knocked off your bike, or e-bike, it can often feel like there is no one to turn to, to help you get back on. SorryMate Cycle are there for cyclists who need legal advice when they have been knocked off their bike by a car, injured themselves due to potholes or poor road surfaces, or when they have been involved in an accident with other cyclists or pedestrians.

SorryMate Cycle deal exclusively with cycle accident compensation claims. We are made up of a team of specialist personal injury cycling lawyers, registered with the SRA, that can help you recover your deserved compensation.

Find out today if you have a claim for compensation by completing an enquiry form or by calling 0800 6 300 301.