Official launch of the E-Cargo Bike scheme

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's E-Cargo Bike scheme officially launches on Monday 4 April.

The E-Cargo Bike scheme is aimed at encouraging businesses, organisations, community and voluntary groups across Stratford-on-Avon District to use electric bikes instead of cars and vans for local deliveries.

Members of the E-Cargo Bike team will be showcasing the new bikes and trikes at the Corn Market (top of Sheep Street, opposite Stratford Town Hall) in Stratford-upon-Avon from 11am to 2pm on Monday 4 April.

Cllr Ian Shenton, Climate Change Portfolio says: "There's some amazing local businesses and organisations who are really passionate about the environment and want to do more. We are really pleased to help them access a greener way to travel and deliver their services.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and organisations to sign up to test the scheme out and see if it suits their needs.  I really hope that seeing the E-Cargo bikes in use will encourage other businesses and organisations across the District, to give one a go helping Stratford-on-Avon District become greener and contribute to South Warwickshire's Climate Change Ambitions." 

A number of Local business have already signed up to the free-trial scheme, including the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Alscot Estate.

Andrew Anderson, Environmental Health and Safety Officer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust said: "We're pleased to be one of the first organisations in Stratford-upon-Avon to participate in the Council's E-Cargo Bike scheme.

"This fantastic initiative is a great way of reducing our reliance on vans to transport goods between our historic sites, and meets our ambition to operate sustainably and becoming carbon net zero in our own emissions by 2030."

Emma Holman-West, Alscot Estate CEO Estate and business owner said: "As a local business set on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon that is spread across 4,000 acres of land, these e-bikes will be a great addition to our normal means of transport and will assist in our aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

"We make a conscious effort to cut out unnecessary travel, and the flexibility of home working has helped in this effort, but the e-bikes are a fabulous eco-friendly way to make some of those necessary journeys.

"More recently, people generally tend to have adopted a better understanding and appreciation for their own surroundings as well as the planet, greener air and the importance of staying fit and healthy, and as well as assisting with green goals, the opportunity to cycle in the countryside air during the spring/summer months, is such a positive to health and well-being.

"Here at Alscot, we have opted for an E-Cargo Trike, which is fitted with a box that allows up to 50kg in weight to be transported and the trike will be branded with the Alscot logo, so not only is it functional but it is a travelling advertisement."

Following this launch, a series of roadshows will also be taking place across the District to encourage other local businesses to take up the scheme.

The roadshows will take place from 11am to 2pm on the dates and locations below:

• Monday 4 April - Formal Launch - Cornmarket, Stratford-upon-Avon
• Thursday 14 April - High Street, Bidford-on-Avon
• Tuesday 19 April - Sainsbury's car park, Wellesbourne
• Friday 22 April - location TBC, Studley
• Tuesday 26 April - Waitrose car park, Alcester
• Tuesday 3 May - Village Hall, Kineton
• Sunday 8 May - Tesco car park, Southam

Other venues to be confirmed include Shipston-on-Stour and Henley-in-Arden.
 

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's E-Cargo Bike scheme has seen the District Council buy ten E-Cargo Bikes - five EP2 E-Cargo Bikes and five ALECS E-Cargo Trikes, after securing £60,000 in Government funding. 

The District Council has provided match funding of £60,000 over a five-year period to cover the ongoing costs for maintenance, servicing, repairs and induction training.

The scheme allows local businesses and organisations to have the bikes on trial for free for up to three-months; meaning they don't have to make a financial commitment to purchase their own E-Cargo Bikes until they have seen whether they will benefit from them or not.

The scheme has been set up in collaboration with the Energy Saving Trust and local company, Pashley Cycles who are providing the E-Cargo Bikes.

Local businesses, organisations and community / voluntary groups can still sign up to the scheme and FREE-trial.

Any business, organisation, community and voluntary group interested in taking part in the free trial scheme should email: ecargobikes@stratford-dc.gov.uk

For more information please visit: - E-Cargo Bikes Scheme | Stratford-on-Avon District Council