On the occasion of World Bicycle Day on June 3, 2021, the Centre François Baclesse takes stock of its policy to promote bicycle use. Meet two employees who commute to work by bike.
A strong incentive to cycle
In 2015, the Centre François Baclesse signed a mobility plan with the Communauté d'agglomération Caen la mer to encourage employees to use environmentally-friendly modes of travel to get to work.
In this mobility plan, the Centre undertakes to implement actions to :
- Promoting the use of public transport
- Promoting bicycle use
- Moving towards rational car use
Since January 1, 2017, the Centre François Baclesse has introduced a package called the Indemnité Kilométrique Vélo (which became the Forfait mobilités durables in 2020). This involves the employer covering all or part of the transport costs for employees commuting to and from work by bicycle or electrically-assisted bicycle. The Centre can also reimburse 50% of the cost of electrically-assisted bicycle rental passes as part of the transport allowance.
Two covered bicycle shelters are available to staff, as well as 2 bicycle parking areas. To ensure secure parking for employees' bicycles in the bike shelters, the Center provides secure locks, available on request. Access to the showers in the staff changing rooms is also possible.
In 2019, 55 employees at the Centre François Baclesse cycled to work (5.49% of the workforce). In 2020, 70 employees were convinced by this mode of transport (6.88% of the workforce). This represents a 25% increase.
Meet two employees who commute to work by bike
Dr Sabine NOAL is a medical oncologist and head of the weekday hospitalization service at the Centre François Baclesse. She comes every day by cargo bike from Caen Nord.
Pierre-Yves DESLANDES, systems and network engineer at the Centre François Baclesse, bikes from Thury-Harcourt 1 or 2 times a week via the voie verte. This represents an hour and a quarter's journey each way (35 km), or 70 km in a day. We wanted to find out more.
How long have you been cycling to work?
Pierre-Yves: I've been cycling here for a year now, and I'm one of the 25%.
Sabine: I've been cycling for many years, but had stopped because I had to drop the kids off at school, and the road wasn't safe for young cyclists. I took up the handlebars again almost 1 year ago.
Why do you come by bike?
Sabine : There's nothing but advantages: no traffic jams, we don't have to struggle to find a place to park, a bit of daily exercise, a decompression chamber after work, and a reduction in our carbon footprint.
Pierre-Yves: For several reasons. By car or by bike, in the end, the journey time is identical because of the traffic jams. With the one-hour journey by car, I didn't have much time for sport. The confinement prevented me from practicing sports activities, and coming by bike is an excellent way to do so.
There's also an ecological motivation: I chose to live in the countryside to enjoy nature, but I was taking my polluting car alone every day. Since I've been cycling, I figure that my ecological contribution saves between 70 and 140 km of pollution per week.
What triggered it?
Sabine: Containment and stopping school! I was able to get back on my bike, and when the time came to deconfine, we ordered a cargo bike to transport the children safely.
Pierre-Yves: I'd been thinking about it for 2 years, but what convinced me was that, while I was stuck in traffic in my car in Fleury-sur-Orne, I saw an employee from Baclesse on a cargo bike with a child, and she arrived at work at the same time as me, while still having time to drop off her child.
And the second motivating factor was a colleague who had just changed his bike for a cycle touring model. He explained to me the advantages of this type of bike, the fact that you don't have to exert so much force to go fast. It's very important to have a good bike to keep you motivated and less tired. I asked around in a sports store, which lent me the bike to test it out.
The first morning I rode it, I found myself riding side-by-side with a cyclist, and I didn't see the road go by.
Have you felt better since you started cycling?
Pierre-Yves: Yes! It's good for the head and the body. Unlike the car, when you arrive, you're not numb from the road, you arrive awake and in great shape for the day.
Sabine: Undeniably yes! As well as being physically active, a bike trip is a real transition between personal and professional life.
What can I say to people who think it's logistically complicated (I can't do my shopping, drop my kids off, etc.)?
Sabine: Many people manage without a car... But swapping the car for a bike also means rethinking the way you consume and your lifestyle. The cargo bike is a real solution for us: we use it for commuting to and from work and school, but also for all the little daily trips we make: shopping in the store, at the drive-thru, sporting activities, etc. It's a great alternative to a car, and it's a great way to get around. It's a great replacement for a car, and yet we have 4 children!
Pierre-Yves: It's an organization, but you don't have to cycle every day. I have an hour and a quarter's commute, but most people don't even get 30 minutes in a day. The WHO recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of activity per day.
What to do when it rains in Normandy
Pierre-Yves: You're either Norman or you're not! Rain is a habit, and we're not made of sugar! On a more serious note, it's better to have a change of clothes at work, which can be very useful in circumstances other than rain (spilt coffee!).
Sabine: Same answer: we're not made of sugar! A good poncho, waterproof pants and off you go. What's more, at the hospital, you can change when you arrive, so really, for me, that's not a valid excuse.
