In a context of democratisation of online sales, ensuring deliveries in urban centres represents a real obstacle due to the intense traffic and the shortage of parking spaces. Faced with urban traffic crowded by vans and the challenges of reducing pollution, cycling is the ideal mean of delivery in urban cities.
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With home deliveries having soared in recent years, spurred by e-commerce and the coronavirus pandemic, bike deliveries are starting to make their appearance in London as an adapted mean of transport to bypass the problems of accessibility of city centres. This non-noisy, environmentally friendly and faster delivery method is increasingly popular with logistics companies. Indeed, online customers expect deliveries in the shortest possible time. To maintain successful one-day deliveries, start-ups and other companies, such as DHL Express have decided to bet on cargo bikes.
A new report published by climate charity Possible, based on research conducted by the Active Travel Academy, shows that cargo bike deliveries is a viable alternative or supplement to van deliveries. The report found that:
“We find that the service performed by the Pedal Me freight cycles is an average of 1.61 times faster than the one performed by van. Moreover, in the 98 days of work sampled, Pedal Me helped save a total of 3,896 Kg of CO2 and over 5.5 kg of NOx, showing that cargo bikes can serve their customers better than a van without generating many of the externalities currently associated with urban freight.”
For the full report please see here.
Cargo bikes can bypass heavy traffic and can often enter the place of delivery instead of parking illegally, a frequent problem with vans. According to a study carried out by the Municipality of Amsterdam, the average charging and unloading time of a van or delivery truck is 12 minutes. Interestingly, the same amount of merchandise can be unloaded from a cargo bike in three minutes.
More importantly, the cargo bikes contribute to the improvement of air quality in the cities in which they operate. A study conducted by Pedal Me, an e-cargo bike logistics and pedicab company in London, mentions that by replacing traditional vans with porters or cyclists in London's Central Activities Zone can save up to 1,633 Kg NOx annually. An earlier study commissioned by TfL said that "each light goods vehicle (LGV) replaced in central London saves over one tonne of CO2 and almost three kilograms of NOx per year". Additionally, they are more environmentally friendly than electric vans, emitting a full third less carbon — and 90% less than diesel vans.
Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) have launched the ‘London Streetspace' programme with the goal of rapidly transforming the capital's streets to accommodate a tenfold increase in cycling. This move lends credence to research indicating that 95 percent of city centre deliveries could be handled by cargo and e-bikes.
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Cycle Freight - 16 March 2021
Find out why cargo bikes are growing in demand for sustainable deliveries, demonstrating a viable alternative to using vans.
Arranged in association with the Cycling@Tea-Time team, based at the Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster.
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