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Two-wheeled fleet offers hospitality to restaurant staff
WHEN boutique beer label Little Creatures launched its Fitzroy restaurant last month, the managers realised that its inner-city location could pose problems.
Traffic congestion around the Brunswick Street address, a lack of parking and the company's commitment to the unconventional meant cars were low on the list of transport solutions.
So it bought 20 bicycles from Melbourne supplier Tony John, eight for the Melbourne store and the others for the flagship bar and brewery in Fremantle and a planned site in Healesville.
The Kronan bikes - originally made by the Swedish Army and designed for inner-city commuting - now form a fleet for staff members to use to get to and from work and to run errands.
While the company was happy to pay for the bikes, which retail for around $1000 and are available to customers for short trips, a new tax proposal from Bicycle Victoria would mean that employees could be given a huge incentive to ride to work.
Under the scheme, workers could claim up to $1500 of the cost of a bike and riding equipment as a tax-free income, provided they log at least 25 kilometres a week commuting.
To qualify, they would need to log this distance for at least 12 weeks and could claim the break once every two years.
Current tax law prevents tax deduction claims for travelling to work, but Bicycle Victoria chief Harry Barber said congestion in capital cities would drop enormously if just a small number of commuters switched to bikes.
to read more
Four steps to tackle global warming right now | theage.com.au
WHEN boutique beer label Little Creatures launched its Fitzroy restaurant last month, the managers realised that its inner-city location could pose problems.
Traffic congestion around the Brunswick Street address, a lack of parking and the company's commitment to the unconventional meant cars were low on the list of transport solutions.
So it bought 20 bicycles from Melbourne supplier Tony John, eight for the Melbourne store and the others for the flagship bar and brewery in Fremantle and a planned site in Healesville.
The Kronan bikes - originally made by the Swedish Army and designed for inner-city commuting - now form a fleet for staff members to use to get to and from work and to run errands.
While the company was happy to pay for the bikes, which retail for around $1000 and are available to customers for short trips, a new tax proposal from Bicycle Victoria would mean that employees could be given a huge incentive to ride to work.
Under the scheme, workers could claim up to $1500 of the cost of a bike and riding equipment as a tax-free income, provided they log at least 25 kilometres a week commuting.
To qualify, they would need to log this distance for at least 12 weeks and could claim the break once every two years.
Current tax law prevents tax deduction claims for travelling to work, but Bicycle Victoria chief Harry Barber said congestion in capital cities would drop enormously if just a small number of commuters switched to bikes.
to read more
Four steps to tackle global warming right now | theage.com.au