Your staff benefits: Transport and travel

Photo of bikes in outdoor storage space on the University campus

Getting to work and back home again can be a stressful experience for some. Whether you live close to the University or you have far to travel, our journeys can play a major part in our day.

We want to make sure your journey is as easy as possible, whilst saving you money and reflecting our commitment to sustainability where we can. 

SmartGO

All Loughborough University staff can access the SmartGO Leicestershire scheme of staff benefits which focuses on sustainable transport and active lifestyles. It’s completely free to join and could save you hundreds of pounds a year. 

The offers available through SmartGO do change regularly, but there are often offers including 10% EMR rail travel season tickets, which you can also combine with the University's season ticket loan scheme.

There are also great deals to be had with the likes of Arriva, Centrebus and Kinchbus as well as CrossCountry trains and EMR Railcards. Providers including Halfords, Rutland Cycling, Grounds Cycle, Brompton and cycle solutions also regularly have offers for purchase and maintenance of your cycling essentials.  

Sign up now for free, using ‘lboro@smartgo.co.uk’ as the verification email address and see how much you could save.

Cycle to Work

The Cycle to Work scheme is a government initiative created to encourage more people to adopt cycling as a means of ‘active travel’ and to establish cycling as a healthy and sustainable commuter option.

Loughborough University offers employees the opportunity to obtain a new bike and cycling equipment, up to the value of £4,000, through the Cycle to Work scheme provided by our partners, Cycle Solutions, one of the UK’s leading providers of the Cycle to Work Scheme.

You can save 25-39% of the price of a new bike and/or equipment; paying in instalments, over 12 months, means you can switch to cycling from another form of transport without an upfront cost. Once you’re on two wheels, you’ll make daily savings on the cost of your journey to work and back.   

Octopus EV Scheme

Our Octopus Electric Vehicles’ salary sacrifice scheme provides you with the opportunity to drive electric.

Loughborough University leases the car on your behalf, and you get a brand-new electric car through work as a benefit. It is paid for through your gross monthly pay meaning you save on income tax and National Insurance. All contracts are based on lease agreements, giving you the flexibility to choose the terms length and mileage. This also means you can upgrade your car to a new model once your lease comes to an end.

Octopus also have an expanding fleet of nearly new electric vehicles which means the starting costs of accessing an electric car will continue to reduce over time. To find out more, visit our website which has further information about eligibility, affordability, as well as common FAQs.