A new report by the Green Alliance published under the banner Sharing the load: the potential of e-cargo bikes has found that it is lack of suitable infrastructure deterring drivers of vans from making a consideration for cargo bikes in their next fleet vehicle choice.
To bring about a change in how businesses move goods the report writes that “All road infrastructure changes should consider e-cargo bikes, as some existing cycling provision is still inaccessible to them. Concerns around accessibility and safety were highlighted by our focus groups. Improvements needed include cycle lane widening and junction upgrades. Suitable parking will also reduce these concerns, so councils should delineate specific cargo bike parking spaces.”
While some tradespeople are finding the benefits of attending jobs by cargo bike to be significant , focus groups have shown many fleet managers to have low awareness of how capable electric cargo bikes have become and the benefits, ranging cost savings through emissions savings.
On the subject of carbon reduction, it has been calculated within the report that replacing as little as 7.5% of Britain’s diesel van fleet with electric cargo bike solutions could bring about annual carbon savings surpassing that achieved by cancelling domestic aviation.
Simon Backler, founder of Mid-Sussex Electrical and now an e-cargo bike user, said: “Our customers love the fact that we turn up on a cargo bike and are always surprised how much we can fit on it. The novelty factor gains our business a lot of free publicity. The cargo bike saves our […]
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