Cost of living support
Colchester City Council is providing support for residents facing the cost of living crisis.
Colchester City Council is providing support for residents facing the cost of living crisis.
Date issued: 21 May 2020
A fleet of electric delivery bikes will soon be criss-crossing the borough, thanks to a successful bid by Colchester Borough Council.
A grant of £136,912 from the Energy Saving Trust will see 25 electric cargo bikes (eCargo bikes) and five electric trailers (eTrailers) being used by three council teams and 10 community champions to carry out daily activities and make deliveries and collections around town.
The zero-emission cargo bikes and trailers will play a key part in helping to deliver on the council’s target to be carbon neutral by 2030, following its Climate Emergency declaration last year. As part of the pledge, the council is working towards electrifying its fleet of vehicles which will help reduce carbon as well as contribute to reducing air pollution.
The new eCargo bikes and trailers will be well-suited to replace short journeys usually made by car or van and showcase the role green transport can play in reducing carbon emissions and supporting a healthier workforce.
As well as reduced fuel costs, the eCargo bikes and trailers require less kerb space to make deliveries and collections and offer quicker access around streets where they can use bus lanes, cycle paths and other routes unavailable to cars and vans.
Ten local champion organisations and three enthusiastic council teams will be highly visible in the town sharing stories and experiences of using eCargo bikes and encouraging other organisations to give them a go.
A pool of seven eCargo bikes and trailers will be available for other council teams and local businesses and organisations to borrow for short term trials. Efforts will also be made to involve harder-to-reach communities with the project.
Project champions involved, include:
Page last reviewed: 21 May 2020
Subscribe to receive updates on Council news, events and offers, green living, leisure and sport, museums, committees, jobs and more.