Solihull Council’s electric cargo bike recently showed its versatility by doing the heavy lifting in a community litter pick event in North Solihull.
With a carrying capacity of 900 litres or 100kg of weight, the e-cargo bike proved to be a useful and eco-friendly addition for enthusiastic litter pickers in Chelmsley Wood.
The e-cargo bike, branded in ‘Your Future Solihull’ colours, is available free of charge to businesses and community groups on a trial basis. The scheme is part of Solihull Council’s commitment to active travel, clean air, carbon reduction and congestion relief.
If your business or community group is interested in loaning a bike or wants to find out more, get in touch with the sustainable travel team at sustainabletravelteam@solihull.gov.uk
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Portfolio Holder of Climate Change, Planning and Housing at Solihull Council, said:
“Our electric cargo bike trial scheme is designed to give sustainably conscious businesses and community organisations first hand experience of using the bike, before deciding whether it’s something they want to invest in long term.
“It’s brilliant to see the e-cargo bike being used in such a positive way by the community in Chelmsley Wood. Not only did it prove to be an ideal vehicle to assist the litter pickers, the event raised awareness of its potential to be a practical eco-friendly solution as opposed to using a traditional combustion engine van to carry the litter picking equipment. I strongly encourage interested businesses and groups to get in contact with the team and explore how the e-cargo bike can reduce unnecessary car and van journeys in your community.”
Paul Pablo Sultana of Clean & Green Local Community Group, said:
“As soon as I found out we could loan the e-cargo bike free of charge, I knew it would be a perfect fit for our group. During our most recent get-together we used the bike as a mobile litter picking hub. Thanks to its huge carrying capacity, we could comfortably carry all of the litter picking equipment for our volunteers. It can also be used to transport large bags of rubbish as we sweep the area, ready to drop off at the bins once we’re done.
“At Clean & Green, we’re all about the environment and cutting down on our carbon emissions. As well as being a zero-emission solution, it also helps us reduce our running costs. Riding the bike itself is great fun too. It does take a bit of getting used to, but once the electric motor kicks in it gives you a welcome boost and it handles surprisingly well.”
To find your nearest local community and litter picking group take a look at the Love Solihull website and see the amazing work volunteers are doing across Solihull. Additionally, if you would like to learn more about what Solihull Council is doing to combat climate change and create a more sustainable borough, sign up to receive updates or take a look at the Your Future Solihull webpages.
