Jack Lenox
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jacklenox.com
Jack Lenox
@jacklenox.com
Cargo bike enthusiast, @eradicals.bike shop owner, @carspiracy.bsky.social podcast host, software engineer and Green Party Councillor. Born at 349ppm.

eradicals.bike
I had to edit this video to keep it under 3 minutes. After referring to the treasury comments, I originally repeated their claim that cycle to work was being abused by high earners buying £4k e-bikes for weekend rides in the Surrey Hills. This is what I'm saying is proved false by HMRC's own data.
November 25, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I kind of agree with you on this too. But I'd say a reasonable cap for a decent but not high-end e-bike is about £5,000.
November 16, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I should clarify that in a weird way, I kind of agree with you. I hate all the stupid tax relief schemes the UK has and wish we just had a much simpler, clearer tax system. Sadly we don't, and until we do I'll need to defend schemes like this as one of the only incentives for active travel.
November 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM
I run a shop selling these bikes, which is why I care. The bicycle retail sector is already in dire straits with sales the lowest they've been since the 1970s and shops closing left, right and centre. This move couldn't be more catastrophic for us.
November 15, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Bigger better bikes like this for carrying up to four children can cost up to £7-8k.

There are lots of ludicrous, uncapped salary sacrifice schemes out there covering home electronics and all sorts. Cycle to Work is already the most stringent of all these.
November 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The issue is that there are excellent electric cargo bikes out there like this one (which is £3,500) which are helping transform people's lives, and many working families are buying them with this scheme.

However the sector is already really struggling, and this move will pretty much kill it off.
November 15, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The point of the scheme is that most people can afford these bikes if they use it. You need a salary of about £28,000 a year to buy a £4k e-bike on the cycle to work scheme. Average salary in the UK is £33-38k depending on how you measure it.
November 15, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Realistically there's not much scope to this. The moment a new bike is no longer new, and when it's not being sold by a shop with manufacturer warranties etc, it devalues substantially. So even on an expensive e-bike, you'd be lucky to make a few hundred quid. And you can only do it once a year.
November 15, 2025 at 8:33 PM
No, that's not what I'm saying. £1,000 in 1999 is the equivalent of about £2,000 now for a start. But also, £2,000 is about the price where quality e-bikes start.

To clarify, are you happy with people buying £150k cars without paying tax on their earnings first?
November 15, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The problem is you seem to have no idea what bikes cost these days. This cap would restrict people to being able to buy almost nothing. The cheapest adult bikes on the market are about £500, and this would also eliminate all e-bikes.

When cycle to work was introduced in 1999, the cap was £1000.
November 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
And if you like the sound of what you're hearing, please do join us!

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October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Sneering, lazy journalists who have never bothered to read our manifestos or attend our conferences might be shocked to discover that we're not just about climate and the environment.

But I am certain the majority of our voters and supporters will not be surprised by what they hear from Zack.
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
What's different is that he's extremely good at saying what needs to be said in response to the sort of stupid "and finally" questions we usually get.
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Look up the party's political broadcasts of the 80's and 90's.

Zack isn't a radical maverick taking the party in a new direction. He's saying the same things we've been saying since I joined the party over a decade ago.
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
This is partly a result of his incredible communication skills, and partly a result of him being the right person in the right place at the right time.

Social justice is a core pillar of Green politics and the international Green movement. It is a founding principle of our party.
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM