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Small businesses are set to benefit from free local delivery as InStreatham launches its electric cargo bike scheme.
InStreatham has been awarded funding from TfL’s Healthy Streets Fund for Business to help set up the scheme which will allow for a shared pool bike for local deliveries.
The scheme hopes to reduce freight vehicle movements on the roads, therefore, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Streatham. Goods vehicle movements in the capital have increased by around 20% since 2010 and this contributes to poor air quality, congestion and road danger.
The Healthy Streets Fund for Business was set up with the aim to reduce traffic, ease congestion and improve air quality as part of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy to work with the boroughs, businesses and the freight and servicing industry to reduce the adverse impacts of freight and service vehicles on the street network.
InStreatham’s shared cargo bike scheme will enable small and medium-sized independent businesses to replace cars and vans with cycle freight.
Louise Abbotts, InStreatham manager, said: “We are a high road of independent businesses who are passionate about improving air quality and growing the offer for our local customers.
“InStreatham BID is therefore delighted to have been chosen for support from the Healthy Streets Fund for Business to help to deliver our ambitions of providing alternative ways for customers to get their goods in Streatham.
“The shared cargo bike scheme will offer businesses a choice for making local deliveries and hopefully influence the ways in which customers travel to the High Road to make bulk purchases.”
Emily Herreras-Griffiths, TfL’s travel demand management programme director, said: “We’ve seen from our work with businesses across the capital the value that small changes to the way that deliveries and other services are made can bring.
“Using the same suppliers as your neighbour and embracing alternatives such as cycle freight can cut congestion, clean up our air and save money.
“We’re really pleased to be working with these business groups to invest in areas across London. Our work will help us to create and maintain clean, welcoming and safe streets in which business can thrive while contributing to the capital’s continued growth.”
InStreatham has collaborated with Balfe Bikes to run the shared electric cargo bike service for local businesses in Streatham.
The scheme will be available to all local businesses in the area, free of charge by using a booking app. All businesses will be trained on operating the bike before use.
