Residents of the London borough of Wandsworth are now able to hire cargo e-bikes free of charge through a collaboration between Wandsworth Council, bike operator Peddle My Wheels and two local businesses.
Life of Fish in Tooting and the London Cycle Workshop in Battersea have agreed to support the scheme.
The new scheme will give residents and businesses the chance to hire cargo bikes for up to two hours each day for free, with journeys exceeding this charged at £5 per hour.
The cargo bikes will be parked outside local businesses who have agreed to act as hosts for the scheme, which will also provide battery charging.
The council claims a third community bike will shortly be available from Doddington Estate in partnership with the Doddington and Rollo Community Association.
The bikes can be used to transport up to two children or large cargo such as parcels and shopping and offer a sustainable alternative to private vehicles.
Residents and businesses can register online to use the bikes and, after an introductory session, will be able to book and unlock the vehicles via an app.
The council says it has been working with Peddle My Wheels to subsidise a scheme which gives residents and businesses a chance to trial the vehicles and offer discounts on bike purchases.
Clare Fraser, councillor and transport spokesperson, said: “This is an exciting scheme that will make using a cargo bike a much more attractive and viable option for people and businesses who need to transport goods, shopping or equipment around the borough and want to switch from using their cars and vans to a much more environmentally friendly option.”
E-cargo bikes are already in use in the borough as part of a scheme funded by the Department of Transport and are managed with the support of the Cross River Partnership. This has reportedly led to three local charities, businesses and two council services making use of them.
