Staff ride into Greener travel with e-bike scheme

Since @BordersCollege relaunched its free e-bike loan scheme for staff in April, many colleagues have been swapping car journeys for an e-bike and cycling for short everyday journeys instead.

By taking part, employees have not only reduced their environmental footprint but also saved money they would otherwise spend on fuel, while enjoying the health and wellbeing benefits that come with cycling regularly.  

Glen Turnbull, Marketing Officer at Borders College, first loaned an e-bike from Borders College in early 2024, and has used it several times since for short periods to support work-related travel between campuses and local trips around Galashiels.

Glen said: 

“Regular e-cycling offers several benefits. The main ones being fitness and wellbeing related. Getting away from the desk and into the outdoors during the working day is a great boost. And of course, there’s the cost saving and environmental benefits, as I’m not using a car for the journeys.

“The loan scheme is a great way for staff to try e-cycling without any upfront costs. It’s convenient, good for personal wellbeing, and an easy way to reduce car use for short journeys. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a more sustainable and enjoyable way to travel.”

Kirsty Robb, Vice Principal – Finance and Corporate Services at Borders College, has also been experiencing the benefits of e-cycling through a free loan, including an extra boost on hills while pedalling from the campus to meetings in local areas such as Tweedbank. 

Kirsty said: 

“I used an e-bike to commute to meetings, which in the past I would have taken the car.  The distance is less on the bike than if I’d taken the car, and it didn’t take me any longer as I didn’t need to contend with congested roads or traffic lights. It’s a gentle ride along the black path, which means most of it is off-road on cycle tracks.

“I felt pleased that I had saved on emissions and arrived at the meetings I feel much less stressed than if I had been fighting traffic.”

Borders College employees now have the option of booking out an e-bike through their Staff Portal area, and are hoping to launch a similar scheme for students in the next academic year.