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Deliveries by cargo bike to cut pollution
Ruth Bloomfield11.12.08
"CARGO cycles" are set to replace delivery lorries to help cut pollution across north London.
Camden council wants to import a fleet of the hybrid vehicles to take on deliveries usually made by heavy goods vehicles. The cycles would be used on a trial basis in the south-east corner of Camden.
A similar scheme already works successfully in Paris, using electric-powered pedal tricycles with a top speed of 20mph. The council is in consultation with La Petite Reine, the French firm that makes the cycles. Camden council plans a trial in spring in collaboration with office products company Office Depot. The firm would deliver stock to a central depot, and use the bikes to make last-mile deliveries to clients nearby.
The council is also consulting with residents in Holborn on setting up a depot for the bikes.
"La Petite Reine" translates as "the little queen", which is a French nickname for a bicycle. As well as Paris, the £6,020 cycles are used in Bordeaux, Normandy and Dijon, and in Switzerland.
Xavier Mazingue-Desailly, the firm's head of international development, said that the cycles had been used for deliveries in Paris since 2002. In 2007 they delivered more than a million packages.
Mr Mazingue-Desailly said: "The main benefit is no pollution. There are absolutely no emissions and it does not take up much space on the roads.
"Pedestrians are often very intrigued by the cargo bikes and riders and it creates communication between people."
The bikes are typically used to deliver parcels, flowers and takeaway meals.
Mr Mazingue-Desailly said the "huge hurdle" was government regulations banning the use of tricycle vehicles heavier than 60 kilograms - La Petite Reine cargo bikes weigh 80 kilograms. This week he sent a dossier to Mayor Boris Johnson asking him to make an exemption to the rules.
A Camden council spokeswoman added: "We are in talks with La Petite Reine and Office Depot to set up an innovative scheme for delivering freight that will reduce congestion and improve air quality in the borough.
"The initiative is still at a very early stage and is part of Camden council's wider commitment to sustainability."
Reader views (16)
We see bikes as the most efficient machine ever created. Converting calories into speed and now helping people out of poverty!
- Alex, London, UK
Creative Couriers is already using a cargo bike (a proper bike with TWO wheels not THREE) to move heavier deliveries that were previously despatched in vans. And without an 'assistant', either.
- Bill, London
we had these back in the days of the Eighties and early Nineties when the Courier trade was booming ,all people did was complain about them (cab drivers, bus drivers and the likes of reg from london )they are a great idea but Londons roads are not built to take this type of transport without causing more headache's for others
- Peter Ex Londoner, Hartlepool
If Ruth had done her research properly she would know that there has been a cycle cargo delivery service running in the London Borough of Sutton called EcoLocal Deliveries for over a year.
- Mike, London
Dear Ruth, London would see a massive expansion in the use of green, particularly electric powered, vehicles of all sorts if the government took seriously its obligation to comply with air quality laws in London (and elsewhere). The lead in transport needs to come, of course, from the Department of Transport which should be working out how the UK can comply most cost-effectively with legally binding deadlines. The government is in a mess now, with air quality laws breached widely across London, because it has insisted on using unilaterally its own outdated, probably Treasury driven , cost-benefit analysis to assess air quality improvement measures instead of accepting that [it and] others have already done this work before air quality laws were set in stone! Others too need to be more flexible: we could, for example, have a fully electric taxi on the streets of London within days if the turning circle requirement was lifted for black cabs. How can business invest when it does not know whether the legal framework is real or not? And how can citizens take seriously the government's stated commitment to climate change targets when it doesn't even have the political will to comply with today's air pollution laws? We need fresh thinking urgently, like that you highlight in your story.
Simon Birkett,
Principal Contact,
Campaign for Clean Air in London
- Simon Birkett, London
@Confused - no, because these vehicles are professionally manufactured, not home-wired deathtraps.
@Kedge - are there any other racist stereotypes you'd like to contribute?
- Earle, London
Jude - the article specifically refers to the "last mile" of deliveries from a depot. Enough of these on the roads and we can get rid of speed humps. Great idea.
Gary - chains don't fall of well maintained bikes and Marathon Plus tyres are practically puncture proof.
- Paul, Teddington, UK
For long distances across London e,g from Harrow to Croydon, not a good idea. It will take too long especially if get caught up in traffic. Most business use bikers all the time for small packages and documents.
For serving within the local areas, this would be a much better solution.
I don't think most people will trust their heavier, more valuable goods in these type of vehicles. Roads can be rough at times especially going over speed bumps. Heavier vehicles can handle it better.
- Jude, london
Typically used to deliver parcels, flowers and takeaway meals. Wow this really is going to make a huge difference....
- Daniel, London
Aren't these almost identical to the 'souped up' pedicabs the police were actually removing from the streets last week?
- Confused, london
Great idea. No more bullying driving or intimidating revs from goods vehicles at the lights, safer roads, cleaner air, more community! - it's all good.
If only this had come in time for Woolworths - the aggressive van drivers were a big part of what intimidated customers away from the high street. The fingerprints of dirty white van man are all over the demise of Woolies. RIP dirty white van.
- Reg, London
great, it'll help complete the transformation of the UK into a third world state.
All we need now is more rickshaws and some cows inthe street.
- Kedge, marlboro wilts
totally mad!!!!! Who in their right mind will give their potentially valuable packages to a bloke on a 3 wheeler bike! They will all be nicked the first day! And what about punctures - i can just imagine the conversation....wheres my parcel? Sorry sir, the delivery man's bike chain fell off, and he is trying to put it back on!!! Talk about a backwards step!
- Gary, amersham
It's called a tricycle! Perhaps also returning soon: the shop bike.
- Len, London
A tremendous idea, since we know that the more cyclists on the roads the safer the roads become. I know a national despatch company that will send a van from Chiswick to Mile End to deliver a printer cartridge. Barmy. Cycles exert a civilising influence, being safer, quieter and less polluting, and since the average cycle commuter speed in London (16mph, enough not even to break sweat) is faster than average motor vehicle speed deliveries will be faster too. Come on Boris, you could do with some positive PR, let's roll this out across London, the cost of the bikes would be recouped ten times over with safer roads, less congestion and less time spent fuming in jams.
- Steve Harrow, Barnes
Brilliant and cost effective initiative !!!!
- Raphael, Paris
