Cargo Bike Loading Bay Collaboration

The Mayor, through TfL, is working with London boroughs, businesses and the freight and servicing industry to reduce the adverse impacts of freight and service vehicles on the street network. The aims are to reduce the number of lorries and vans entering central London in the morning peak by 10 per cent by 2026 and incorporating cargo bikes can help towards achieving this target.

The Freight & Servicing action plan, published in March 2019, sets out how TfL is working with businesses to encourage more cycle freight, including making land available for micro-distribution centres to enable last mile deliveries by cargo bike.

TfL have been collaborating with the London Borough of Hackney, principal contractor Morgan Sindall and logistic contractor O’Neil & Brennan at the Britannia development site. This has involved setting up efficient construction processes and included trialing cargo bikes for deliveries of plant and site consumables.

The main concern with cargo bikes at construction sites is the interaction between the bikes and HGVs. To separate the two modes, an area has been dedicated to load and unload cargo bikes safely. In addition, a bespoke sign was designed and placed on the hoarding to formalise the area. This method can be easily introduced at the majority of construction sites and is a great way to help reduce the numbers of vans on the road network and improve air quality.

In addition, as part of London’s sustainable recovery from COVID-19, the Mayor, TfL and the London boroughs are putting huge efforts into enabling cycling and walking as ways of making trips instead of using public transport and private motor vehicles. Use of cargo bikes as a way of transporting goods and services complements this work.