Agenda item

Alper Muduroglu, MD of Peddle My Wheels, will present the OurBike scheme.  An email and supporting documents are attached. This item is part of a proposed review on Sustainable Freight.

Alper Muduroglu, MD of Peddle My Wheels,  presented the Southwark’s OurBike scheme by showing a video.

Southwark OurBike scheme is part of a London Community Cargo Bike Share Scheme. The council subsidies Southwark’s offer via the High Street Recovery Scheme Fund. The bikes are based in East Dulwich, on Lordship Lane, where they are hosted by two local business who take responsibility for charging up the bikes and in return get branding. The scheme costs are funded through fees and subsidised by the council. 

The scheme allows local businesses and residents to use their smartphone to reserve, lock and unlock an electric cargo bike to hire it by the hour. This gives people a sustainable, car free and affordable option when moving cargo around. The council is subsidising the cost of use so the first two hours per day are free and then £3 p/hr.

Anyone wishing to use the scheme will get a free on boarding session, which includes how to unlock and lock the bike, and up to two hours of cargo bike riding training to help get them confident when using the bike.

The most popular uses so far are for shopping, trips to the recycling centre, taking pets to the park, the school run, moving sports equipment and trips to the allotment.  The scheme can be accessed through: OurBike.co.uk

About 25% of people use the Cargo Bikes  regularly- often trades people ( electricians, personal trainers , dog walkers ) whereas residents often are more one off.  OurBike are continuing to leave introductory slots open for the end of the year and anticipate 100 members – they now have 70 members . Peddle My Wheels  estimate the carbon saved and are adding a tool to ask what people would have used as alternative transport.

The chair invited questions and the following points were made:

·  Members asked how much it would cost to extend the scheme and the MD explained that Southwark does own the equipment. There are associated running costs (maintenance, app licences etc). The training session is approximately £60 per session for 5 people.

·  The users of the scheme are generally cyclists - though not cargo bike users .They sign up on the website so Peddle My Wheels have demographic data that can be shared. The barrier is often the cost of owning an electric Cargo Bike. Hiring can be a gateway to buying and there has been a growth in sales.

·  A barrier to access can be knowing that they exist; so  seeing children and dogs being carried out in the neighbourhood is a marketing tool. Peddle My Wheels  also do events in schools to promote the Cargo Bikes , and more events might help Peddle My Wheels understand other barrier. Members suggested Car Free day as a promotional opportunity and Maltby Street Market.

·  The scheme is aimed at both resident and business use.

·  The risk of stealing was discussed. The Peddle My Wheels MD said that various options of lockers and locks  were considered,  with different pros and cons.  The bikes are branded, linked to the host, and come with bespoke insurance, which means they can so can replaced, if needed. The local business hosts keep an eye on the bikes and they are located in the community. To date this arrangement has worked.

·  Members asked if Cargo Bikes are economically sustainable without a subsidy and Peddle My Wheels said that no company is is offering this commercially yet, and the cost would be equivalent to a zip van. The schemes long term viability does therefore depend somewhat on the transports systems push and pulls. The scheme subsidy allows use for free for the first two hours then £3 per 2 hour session. This presently

·  costs the council around £5,000 a year . Peddle My Wheels is also looking for other partners to fund.

·  Cargo Bikes have not been used for high street delivery, on the whole. Peddle My Wheels had a scheme in Lambeth that was a shop and drop model . When this did not get used it was targeted at local pharmacies who then did use it for delivery of local prescriptions, however this was a free service with targeted support. Pharmacies are a good fit as usually a pharmacy would deliver after closing with a car. In Lambeth Peddle My Wheel offered bike and cyclists.  Following this an approach was made to pharmacies on North End  Road, however this did not lead to a viable scheme . The pull factor in Lambeth was the free delivery.

·  Members asked if there had been consideration of targeting community and business groups , particularly for food delivery, as there are some that use cars. There is good usage by Hive (Lambeth ) and they do food deliver. The  Peddle My Wheels MD said one factor was having local knowledge of local community and business groups, which may not be on his radar. Peddle My Wheels said that promotion to local business and communities by the council  would be helpful.

·  Commission members asked how to scale up and the Peddle My Wheels said that

·  Cargo Bikes are seeing a huge upsurge in demand, up around 400%,  often to families with young children to transport.  Members commented that there is a lot of traffic transporting children to Independent schools. The low hanging fruit is parents. Peddle My Wheels said the Cargo Bikes are replacing car runs to schools. The hire schemes promote cargo bikes to families and make them accessible, as frequently people are unfamiliar with how to use and maintain. He added that cargo bike use is contagious amongst parents and families.

·  Commission members suggested nursery or school hosting a Cargo Bike and the Peddle My Wheels MD agreed this could be a good idea, as although journeys usually originate at home families can go on trips.