Monday’s expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) means that the most polluting vehicles driving inside London’s North and South Circular roads now face a £12.50 daily surcharge. This has prompted businesses to turn to the cargo bike industry to save on costs, reduce their carbon footprint, and improve their image.
Whilst some in the capital are expressing concern that ULEZ will increase their living and business costs, others are seeing an opportunity to change gear and attain environmental goals.
Henry Hayes from Fully Charged, a London Bridge-based company which supplies cargo bikes to both business and the general public, says that, since the announcement of ULEZ in 2017, he has observed “a real steady spike of interest in his company.”
Hayes puts the rise in inquiries into his bikes directly down to the ULEZ expansion, saying that, in the last 6 months, “we’ve had a growing interest purely because businesses have had to become compliant [with regulations]”.
Mr. Hayes added that since Monday, when ULEZ came into force, Fully Charged has been flooded with requests from more businesses than they have been able to respond to.
A courier with a heavy load shows that the cargo bike industry doesn’t just deliver small packages. Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson.
The ULEZ expansion is widening the pool of potential cargo bike users in two key ways, according to Hayes.
Firstly, cargo bikes are increasingly being used by those outside of inner-London.
Secondly, cargo bike users are diversifying – florists, grocers, mechanics, construction sites and large corporations are now putting their into cash to the sector.
Credit:
With companies increasingly concerned about their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating – a key criteria looked at by investors prior to putting money into a company – using cargo bikes in their operations can help improve their score and potentially attract investment.
Cargo bikes for Khan?
The long-term impact of ULEZ on businesses in London remains to be seen, but the Mayor is likely to enjoy the support of those in the two-wheeled delivery sector when he is next up for election.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineBusinesses turn to cargo bikes following Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion
Short HeadlineULEZ delivers growth - via cargo bikes
StandfirstThe cargo bike industry is expanding as London businesses see an opportunity to deliver on their environmental goals.
Monday’s expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) means that the most polluting vehicles driving inside London’s North and South Circular roads now face a £12.50 daily surcharge. This has prompted businesses to turn to the cargo bike industry to save on costs, reduce their carbon footprint, and improve their image.
Whilst some in the capital are expressing concern that ULEZ will increase their living and business costs, others are seeing an opportunity to change gear and attain environmental goals.
Henry Hayes from Fully Charged, a London Bridge-based company which supplies cargo bikes to both business and the general public, says that, since the announcement of ULEZ in 2017, he has observed “a real steady spike of interest in his company.”
Hayes puts the rise in inquiries into his bikes directly down to the ULEZ expansion, saying that, in the last 6 months, “we’ve had a growing interest purely because businesses have had to become compliant [with regulations]”.
Mr. Hayes added that since Monday, when ULEZ came into force, Fully Charged has been flooded with requests from more businesses than they have been able to respond to.
A courier with a heavy load shows that the cargo bike industry doesn’t just deliver small packages. Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson.
The ULEZ expansion is widening the pool of potential cargo bike users in two key ways, according to Hayes.
Firstly, cargo bikes are increasingly being used by those outside of inner-London.
Secondly, cargo bike users are diversifying – florists, grocers, mechanics, construction sites and large corporations are now putting their into cash to the sector.
Credit:
With companies increasingly concerned about their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating – a key criteria looked at by investors prior to putting money into a company – using cargo bikes in their operations can help improve their score and potentially attract investment.
Cargo bikes for Khan?
The long-term impact of ULEZ on businesses in London remains to be seen, but the Mayor is likely to enjoy the support of those in the two-wheeled delivery sector when he is next up for election.
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