Active travel can have an amazing impact on your health and wellbeing, as well as your wallet, so why not leave behind the hassle of driving by cycling or walking to work.

By cycling or walking you could…

• Burn calories and stay healthy – you can burn 100 calories from walking just 1 mile
• Enjoy the fresh air and have a bit of ‘you’ time away from every day distractions
• Arrive at work feeling fantastic with a boost to your endorphins!
• Be in control of your own time
• Avoid the one thing that everybody dreads about their commute… traffic!
• Shorten your journey time – that’s right, shorten it! It only takes 20 minutes to walk 1 mile or cycle 3 miles

Local routes

Kegworth, Sutton Bonington and Castle Donnington are all within 5 miles of East Midlands Gateway – perfect distance for commuting by bike. The new dedicated cycling and walking paths around the site have made it even easier to quickly and safely walk or cycle to East Midlands Gateway. Improvements include:

• Connections to Castle Donnington, Lockington and Hemington.
• An off-road walk / cycle path along the Kegworth Bypass.
• The closure of the Ashby Road to vehicles providing a dedicated walk / cycle bridge over the M1 towards Kegworth.
• A signalised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the A453 from Kegworth.
• A shared walk / cycle path along the length of the estate road.

Each workplace will be equipped with showers, changing facilities and lockers for you to freshen up after your ride. Covered cycle parking means your bike will stay secure and dry.

Download the East Midlands Gateway cycling and walking map to start planning your journey today.

Free Bike Hire for 30 Minutes

If you’re arriving at East Midlands Gateway by bus, across the road from the bus interchange is a bike rack. From here to you can hire a bike for free and cycle along the shared path to work. When you are finished, lock the bike in the cycle shelter at work and end your bike rental, it’s that easy! If the bikes are available when you are leaving work, you can use them to travel back to the bus interchange as well.

Here are some key points for you to know about the East Midlands Gateway bike hire scheme…

How to register

1. Download the Donkey Republic app from the Apple or Android store.
2. Create an account with your email address.

How to hire a bike

1. Open the Donkey Republic app and enter your card details. This is for security purposes only and you will NOT be charged if you end your rental within 30 minutes.
2. Turn on your location and Bluetooth settings.
3. On the map, select the bike you would like to rent and follow the instructions.
4. To finalise your booking, press “submit payment” – remember, you won’t actually be charged.
5. Go to your bookings to unlock the bike. Ride the bike and lock it in the bike shelter at work using the app.
6. Once the bike is securely locked, click “end rental”. You must do this within 30 minutes to ensure you are not charged.

Keep safe whilst cycling

Terms of use

When using the bikes at East Midlands Gateway, please remember to:

• Use the shared path – it’s there to be used so you don’t have to cycle on the road
• Stay back from large vehicles (HGVs) – their view is more restricted
• Be mindful of other people on the path – if possible, cycle on the left-hand side
• Slow down when approaching adjoining roads – always look before crossing
• Do not use your mobile phone or earphones whilst cycling
• Watch out for uneven surfacing
• Make eye contact – do this with drivers so you’re sure they’ve seen you
• Be predictable – ride in a straight line and signal your movements to others
• Always stay focussed – pay attention to what’s going on around you

For full Terms and Conditions, please visit Donkey Republic’s website or for frequently asked questions please download this factsheet. Please remember to end your rental within 30 minutes so you are not charged.

If you have any further questions, please contact support@donkey.bike

Get the right gear

With a whole host of independent and high-street cycle retailers in the East Midlands, wherever you live there is likely to be a bike shop where you can get kitted out for cycling to work.

Loughborough

• Pedal Power – 01509269663 / pedalpowerbikes.co.uk
• Unicycles - 01509 231207 / unicycles.uk.com
• Cycle Trax - 01509 233 532 / cycle-trax.co.uk

Nottingham

• Bunneys Bikes - 0115 947 2713 / bunneysbikes.com
• Russell’s Bike Shed - 0115 986 2917 / russellsbicycleshed.co.uk
• Cycle Republic - 0115 950 9897 / cyclerepublic.com
• Evans Cycles - 0115 950 2548 / evanscycles.com

Derby

• The Bike Store - 01332 382227 / thebikeshopderby.co.uk
• Bike Works - 01332 291747 / bikeworksderby.co.uk
• Cycle Republic - 01332 347045 / cyclerepublic.com

Leicester

• Julie’s Cycles - 0116 270 7936 / juliescycles.co.uk
• Ebike Centres - 0116 254 0888 / ebike-centres.co.uk
• Evans Cycles - 0116 323 0120 / evanscycles.com

Cycle 2 Work scheme

Many employers at East Midlands Gateway offer a Cycle 2 Work Scheme to help their employees save money when buying a new bike and safety equipment. The bike is paid for through salary sacrifice, so you can spread the cost of the bike, rather than making one upfront payment. The scheme is also tax-free, which gives you the chance to save up to 42%! To find out if your employer is signed up to a Cycle 2 Work Scheme, speak to your workplace travel plan coordinator.

Cycle Confidence Courses

Whether you’re new to cycling, or would like to improve your technique, there are cycle confidence courses for all abilities delivered by qualified instructors who work at a pace suited for you. If you’re a resident in the East Midlands, browse the websites for your local council to find the training you could access:

Nottingham

• Ridewise - £30 for 5 group sessions / https://bookwhen.com/ridewise

Derby and Derbyshire

• Cycle Derby – FREE for 3 sessions / cyclederby.co.uk/adults
• County Rider – FREE for 4 sessions / derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/road-safety/bicycles/county-rider

Leicester and Leicestershire

• Leicester City Council - £10 for 5 sessions / choosehowyoumove.co.uk/cycling-courses
• Leicestershire County Council - £50 for 1 full-day course (some people are eligible for a discounted charge of £25) / choosehowyoumove.co.uk/cycling-courses

Have your say

A Bicycle User Group (BUG) has been set up for East Midlands Gateway to support staff who cycle to work. The group is an opportunity to:

• Raise any concerns about cycling on and around the site.
• Make a positive difference by looking after the interests of existing cyclists.
• Encourage others to start cycling to work.

Interested in being part of the East Midlands Gateway BUG? Please contact the East Midlands Gateway Travel Plan Coordinator Steph Meyers on stephanie.meyers@itpworld.net