New e-cargo bikes for Yorkshire with £160k government grant

The Department for Transport has today confirmed plans to fund £160k of new electric-cargo bikes across Yorkshire.

The grant follows a bid by Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Bradford Council to bring 32 new electric-cargo (e-cargo) bikes to the area.

The funding comes through the Energy Saving Trust, which aims to help businesses and local authorities combat congestion and pollution in city centres.

Each bike allows for up to 40 miles assisted cycling and has a load capacity of up to 100kg or 900 litres.

Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, commented: “This offer to businesses to trial e-cargo bikes for local delivery solutions could be revolutionary.

“In March I was fortunate enough to try riding a e-cargo trike. I found it to be easy to do in everyday clothes and, despite a heavy load in the bike box, a really easy ride.

“The additional 32 e-cargo bikes funded by the grant scheme will allow more businesses in West Yorkshire to ‘try-before-you-buy’.

“With so many employees continuing to work from home following the pandemic, investing in a e-cargo bike could be far more cost-effective for businesses who operate in and around the city centre without needing to pay for vehicle related costs and benefit from very little maintenance costs.

It’s projects like this that will help us achieve our ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2030 as well as our vision of Leeds being a city where you don’t need a car.“

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