CYCLELOGISTICS - PROMOTING CARGO BIKES IN EUROPEAN CITIES
Copenhagenize Consulting is the Danish stakeholder in the EU project Cyclelogistics. Running from May 2011 until April 2014 and spanning 12 countries, the EU-funded project CycleLogistics aims to reduce energy used in urban freight transport by replacing unnecessary motorised vehicles with cargo bikes for intra-urban delivery and goods transport in Europe. CycleLogistics will expand its niche market position and be regarded as a serious alternative for the transportation of light goods in inner cities. This will be achieved by:
- Communicating topic and potential to the transport sector in order to shift more goods transport from cars to cargo bikes. Existing cycle couriers will also be encouraged to transport heavier loads by utilising electric assist.
- Motivating municipalities to create a favorable regulatory framework and policies for cycle logistics, to analyze the internal potential to employ cargo bikes for municipal services, and to encourage business services to take advantage of cycle logistics.
- Encouraging private individuals to use cargo bikes, trailers and baskets to transport shopping and leisure time equipment, while at the same time ensuring that retailers provide customers with incentives and necessary infrastructure.
- Testing and reporting on various cargo bike transport products (cargo bikes, trailers, electric motors and bags & baskets), and therefore promoting their uptake by providing potential consumers – private, business and government – across Europe with access to valuable information
As it currently stands, almost 100% of goods transport within cities is done by motorised vehicles, ranging from personal cars to commercial lorries. Light goods are often transported over very short distances by heavy vehicles. Individuals often use their car in the same way, despite the fact that every second trip in urban areas is shorter than 5 km and therefore, could easily be done by bike. Approximately every one of these second trips involves goods transport. Even if the length of trips and the possibility for trip chains is taken into consideration, this still leaves a potential of 25% of all trips that could be shifted from motorised vehicles towards cycling-related solutions.
Equally obvious are the benefits generated by such an achievement for municipalities, companies and the population at large: Less energy consumption and CO2 emissions Reduction in congestion, noise levels and pollution Increase in space for citizens Increase in the quality of urban life.
