Norfolk County Council is set to start piloting deliveries using 10 e-cargo bikes from 1 July 2023. The pilot scheme will run until at least March 2025 and invites businesses of Norwich city centre to borrow the vehicles for deliveries to customers.
The fleet will include electrically assisted bicycles, tricycles and quadricycles, and is financed by a £170,000 subsidy from the UK government’s Air Quality Grant pot for local councils to prevent pollution.
The County Council expects that the e-cargo bikes help reduce nitrogen dioxide and carbon emissions equivalent to 10 conventional vans (if the vehicles are in use for five days a week). For the businesses, benefits predicted to be seen include lower operating costs compared to delivery vans.
Businesses are now invited for a consultation to define the details of the scheme at www.norfolk.citizenspace.com.