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Team London Bridge, London’s Bridge’s Business Improvement District, is helping organisations convert from diesel and petrol deliveries to cargo bikes this Christmas.
During the festive period workplace deliveries of personal online shopping rocket by nearly two-thirds (62.5%), according to TfL. Over three-quarters of Londoners (77%) are concerned about the eco-impact of their online purchases and four in five customers are open to carbon-friendly delivery options if easily available.
The Bikes for Business scheme, backed by TfL, has helped a range of businesses cut harmful emissions, reduce freight costs, journey times and congestion. Increasingly a common sight on the road, cargo bike delivery has been embraced by large corporates such as Ikea, Sainsbury’s and TNT as well as local businesses including high street butchers and dog walkers.
Cargo bikes are also used for the transportation of pathology samples between Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Trust and Great Ormand Street Hospital.
Chief executive of Team London Bridge, Nadia Broccardo, said: “As the festive season approaches, an increasing number of people get their Christmas shopping delivered to their place of work as it is often more convenient.
“They are also rightly demanding greater customer choice in the availability of carbon-friendly delivery options.
“This creates a real opportunity for businesses to improve customer satisfaction as well as reduce the environmental impact of delivery vans clogging up the roads and polluting our streets. Even Santa is swapping his sleigh for a cargo bike.”
Since the Mayor’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone was introduced, 50 cargo bike deliveries take place each day in the London Bridge area alone. Donations from local businesses are scheduled to leave the Team London Bridge on the 12th December and over 2,000 Christmas presents will be delivered to local charities that work with children in Southwark.
