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UK bike courier companies E-cargobikes.com and Zedify are both making deliveries for supermarkets and local businesses, food banks and NHS worker meals during the COVID-19 crisis.
E-cargobikes.com is delivering for the Co-op and other local businesses in London and Zedify is delivering in nine locations around England.
Cara Jenkinson, Ashden Cities manager, said: “The Coronavirus outbreak is demonstrating the utility and flexibility of e-cargo bikes, and the increased demand for online delivery may mean that supermarket inertia is reduced, and there is a greater willingness to experiment.
“We’ve all noticed the cleaner air in our cities in recent weeks, and a switch to delivery by cargo bikes could help keep pollution down during the COVID crisis and beyond.”
European research suggests that 10-15% of all deliveries could be replaced by the e-cargo bike sector in the coming years. e-cargobikes.com aims to capture 20% of this market, replacing nearly 12,500 diesel vans. That could save 300,000 tonnes of carbon per year plus savings of embedded carbon over vans – around ten tonnes of carbon per diesel van replaced.
“Delivering freight and packages by e-cargo bike is helping local businesses and supports fairly paid jobs,” Jenkinson added. “At the same time, the bikes reduce congestion, air pollution and carbon, helping to create ‘streets for people’ and improving health and well-being.”
