Free e-cargo bike shop-and-drop comes to Lambeth

A free e-cargo bike shop-and-drop is coming to Lambeth, with Sustrans helping to deliver TfL’s Healthy Streets Officer programme.

The first of the projects is to get off the ground is a new pilot e-cargo bike scheme set up in West Norwood and Tulse Hill to provide free home delivery service to residents who shop along their local high street. The scheme will help to reduce the number of freight vehicles on roads in the area.

TfL’s Healthy Streets Officer programme is well underway across London. Its aim is to clean up the capital’s air with a raft of initiatives designed to cut car use and enable more people to choose to walk, bike, wheel and use public transport.

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “The run-up to Christmas is a particularly busy time for online deliveries, which has a knock-on impact on congestion and air pollution.

“Cargo bikes can help solve this problem, so I’m delighted that TfL’s new Healthy Streets Officer has helped set up this vital project which also enables residents in Lambeth to support their local high street.”

Understanding the local need and ambition for a greener way of delivering to people’s homes, healthy streets officer, Samuel Dillon, along with Lambeth Council, secured TfL funding for the project to get the pilot up and running in time for Christmas deliveries.

The funding has enabled West Norwood and Tulse Hill Business Improvement District (BID), Station to Station and south London-based ethical cycle company Peddle My Wheels, to provide a free e-cargo bike home delivery service to local residents who shop along the SE27 high street.

All people have to do is walk or cycle into town, do their shopping and drop their bags at West Norwood cycle shop, Bon Velo, 10am-6pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Their bags are delivered for free later in the day by the e-cargo bike.

This pilot has already highlighted future growth areas for e-cargo bike deliveries in the borough and will inform future work between the HSO and Lambeth Council.

Sustrans’ London director Matt Winfield said: “This cargo bike shop-and-drop pilot is a brilliant example of making it easy for people to support their local businesses and have their shopping delivered to their home by pedal power.

“This is not only good for our lungs and local businesses, it cuts traffic congestion too.

“It’s great to see TfL’s scheme bearing fruit already. We’re very excited to be involved in setting up a fantastic team of Healthy Streets Officers who are starting to make a difference at a local level, helping people see that our economy can work with a shift from cars and delivery vans to more environmentally-friendly options like e-cargo bikes.

“The speed with which this has been turned around is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.”

The pilot runs until Christmas Eve.