Hounslow Council has launched a trial e-cargo bike delivery service for businesses in the borough.
The scheme, organised in partnership with Sustrans, aims to encourage active travel and reduce the number of short private car journeys made
Roll out of the trial e-cargo bike service will focus on working with businesses in and around the Chiswick area, delivering within a 2.5 mile radius.
It will be a completely free service for businesses for the trial period where a courier will come to their premises to collect the items for delivery and deliver them in the local area.
The service will be able to deliver most items, apart from hot and perishable foods.
To start with, the deliveries will occur twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 4:30pm and 7.30pm. However, should demand increase, Hounslow Council says this may be extended to cover longer delivery times.
An initial trial of the service took place at September’s Chiswick Flower Market, recording 40 deliveries, covering 110km and saving 30kg of carbon dioxide.
Cllr Hanif Khan, cabinet member for transport at Hounslow Council, said: “This is a wonderful initiative that delivers on so many levels! To make our streets cleaner, healthier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists, we need to reduce the number of car trips being made and allow people space to socially distance while they shop.
“Using cargo bikes to do local deliveries is a great idea and offers local people great convenience when they are walking or cycling to the High Road.
“We would encourage local businesses to take advantage of this great new free service, especially in the run up to Christmas. Hopefully it will prove to be very popular.”
30 October 2020