Delivery companies across the UK are being asked to consider changing to cargo bike schemes in an attempt to slash carbon emissions, reduce traffic and congestion and improve air quality
The Local Government Association, which represent councils across England and Wales, is calling for couriers to start adopting environmentally friendly cargo bikes, which provide the benefits of being cost-effective and zero-carbon options for, what is now being coined as, “last mile logistics” which is the last stretch from hub to home. This call comes as recent figures display that light commercial vehicle traffic, which include online shopping delivery vehicles, is back at pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, with more shopping being online due to COVID-19, this is only likely to increase further.
A new report released by the LGS, Transport decarbonisation by travelling less, claims that changing to cargo bikes will assist in addressing concerns about the rise of diesel delivery vans operating in urban areas and residential streets, leading to further air quality issues and congestion.
The report says that courier bikes could potentially replace up to 10% of conventional vans in areas where the final route is under 2km, without jeopardising the overall network efficiency. By adopting a cargo bike they could reduce current urban delivery emissions by 73% of the course of a courier vehicle’s life span.
Incorporating cargo bikes would also help solve some issues such as the clogging up of roads by vans parked on pavements as they make deliveries in tighter residential streets. Councils across the UK are already trying to promote the use of electric cargo bikes by purchasing fleets for rental by local businesses or by using the electric bikes themselves:
Devon County Council intends to use 13 electric cargo bikes in the city of Exeter in order to support sustainable travel as an alternatives to car and van use. Two of these 13 bikes will be used by the local hospitals social care teams.
Cambridgeshire plan to deploy 30 electric cargo bikes to cover first-mile deliveries, a ‘try before you buy scheme’ and pool of electric cargo bikes to encourage residents and businesses to take them up.
Nottingham City Council is putting together a fleet to be used by the council in an attempt to replace journeys around the city and parks. These bikes will also be made available to local delivery firms and local businesses?