Ealing Council is now offering a free cargo bike delivery service for businesses within the Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and Northfield areas, on a trial basis – to help in the build-up to Christmas.
A cycle courier (from the council’s cycle training provider Cycling Instructor Ltd) will collect parcels ordered online from participating businesses and deliver these locally a few days a week using pedal power.
The trial is being offered as a free service to businesses as part of the council’s efforts to support businesses to make sustainable local deliveries, helping to reduce carbon emissions, as well as creating local high street resilience. Especially in the lead-up to the busy festive period.
Cargo bikes being used for deliveries are growing in popularity because they can prove to be a more efficient way of delivering goods to customers living in busy cities, with the bikes being able to make use of cycle lanes to avoid traffic, while also benefiting the environment, producing zero emissions and no noise pollution.
Similar trials have taken place across the country; ranging from large superstores such as Sainsbury’s using e-cargo bikes to carry out home deliveries, to business improvement districts such as London Bridge BID and Hammersmith BID helping to deliver local goods to local people.
Council leader Julian Bell said: “High streets have been affected by COVID-19 and we have been doing what we can to provide different forms of support; and this is the latest innovation. I hope the trial proves to be a success in helping to get local businesses’ goods around the borough to people – and in an environmentally friendly way.
“The council has been working hard to find ways the borough can do its bit to address the climate crisis and improve air quality, through our climate action strategy.
“Addressing climate change is not just about reducing our emissions – like this trial aims to do – and our strategy is wide ranging. But through encouraging active travel such as walking and cycling, instead of driving, we can make a significant dent in the amount of pollution we produce. Part of this is helping our local businesses and encouraging people to shop and eat locally, too. By working together, we can all help create a more sustainable, positive future for everyone in the borough.”
Interested? Find out more
If you manage a business and are interested in taking part, email cycling@ealing.gov.uk
And, for more information, you can visit the council’s webpage on cycling.
For those who take part and have a package delivered by cargo bike, let the council know about your experience by completing this questionnaire and you will be in with a chance of winning a free D-lock for your bike.
