Four e-cargo bikes available for hire across Southwark

Four e-cargo bikes are now available to hire by businesses, community groups or individuals.

Southwark was the first London borough to introduce a community e-cargo bike share scheme and now has bikes available in Lordship Lane; East Dulwich; Walworth and Dulwich Village.

The scheme, run by Peddle My Wheels on behalf of Southwark Council, is similar to a car share scheme but for electric cargo bikes, which can be hired by the minute.

Café and bakery Louie Louie on Walworth Road has just started using the new Streets for People e-cargo bike.

Chris Greenwood, who runs four Louie Louie cafes around Southwark, said he uses the bikes to deliver baked goods between his main kitchen and bakery in Walworth and the other sites.

“It makes sense to me because everything is within cycling distance of our central kitchen and bakery,” he said.

“When we first looked at it, the cost of a cargo bike was high and we didn’t have secure storage, so we were worried about it being stolen. So instead we now hire cargo bikes when we need them.”

Cllr James McAsh, the council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Streets and Clean Air, said: “Cargo bikes are a great way of transporting goods across the borough – fast, cheap and good for our environment.

“It’s great to see a local business really embrace sustainable ways of transporting goods across the borough.

“As part of our ambitious Streets for People strategy, we’re supporting local businesses to switch to cargo bikes to help improve the air we breathe, reduce congestion and reliance on larger vehicles.”