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Andrew Jones MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport supported a new electric bike scheme launched this week to help give tenants of Orwell Housing greater access to transport.
Jones was quoted saying: “Electric bikes are a great way to encourage new people to get into cycling and I hope this interesting scheme encourages more people to take it up. Cycling helps cut congestion and is a healthy, affordable transport option."
“We want to double the number of journeys made by bicycle. That is why we are also investing over the next five years in cycle training and infrastructure.”
The bikes will be located at Orwell Housing Association sites in Ipswich, Felixstowe & Lowestoft. The scheme is managed by Sustainable Ventures with an additional two schemes in Chesterton, Cambridge and Hook Norton, Oxfordshire.
The project is one of eleven projects selected by bike sharing organisation, Bikeplus, to find out how electric bikes can have an impact on congestion, air quality and active travel and funded by the Department of Transport.
Andrew Wordsworth, Managing Director of Sustainable Venture Development Partners added: “Too often, exciting technologies like e-bikes are inaccessible to the majority of people because of their high upfront costs, which is a real shame. After the success of our community-based electric car club, E-Car Club, I believe e-bikes will too prove a popular and convenient means of low carbon travel for the whole community.”
