Sustainable delivery initiative launched in Bristol city centre
Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and Redcliffe & Temple BID have launched a new Cargo Bike scheme.
The aim is to encourage businesses to use sustainable freight options to receive and distribute goods from Bristol City Centre.
The programme will provide subsidies to businesses that switch to using cargo bikes to deliver their freight. In some cases, this may be outbound cargo for businesses like coffee shops delivering external catering, or florists in the city centre. In the majority of cases, the scheme will be utilised for inbound freight for office blocks receiving goods such as toiletries, catering for lunches or supplies like tea and coffee.
As part of the scheme, both BIDs will offer guidance to help businesses make informed decisions about how they can adopt sustainable practices for receiving and distributing goods.
Since the closure of Bristol Bridge to traffic in August 2020 and the introduction of the Clean Air Zone in November 2022, Bristol’s City Centre has seen a reduction in vehicles on the road, helping to reduce road danger as well as improving air quality in Bristol. Now, the introduction of the Bristol Cargo Bikes for Businesses scheme will help businesses to contribute towards a more sustainable future.
This project replicates the successful programmes delivered by the consultant MP Smarter Travel in London Bridge, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Brighton, where a range of businesses have been subsidised for participating in the schemes in those areas.
This project is jointly funded by Bristol City Centre BID, Redcliffe & Temple BID, and Bristol City Council, who are working with MP Smarter Travel to provide expert advice to businesses to help find the perfect cargo bike service to suit their business needs.
Tom Swithinbank, Project Manager for Public Realm and Sustainability at Bristol City Centre BID and Redcliffe & Temple BID, said: “Bristol Cargo Bikes for Businesses is an opportunity for us to provide a really user-friendly solution to sustainable transport for cargo. This service is available to our business community across all sectors in Bristol, helping to make our city a greener, more sustainable place for all.”
Vicky Lee, Head of Bristol City Centre BID, said: “Many businesses in the centre of Bristol have ambitious sustainability goals and we hope that this scheme gives them a leg up – or wheel up – to achieve these. This approach has been tried and tested by other cities in the UK with fantastic results so we are hoping for similar results in Bristol.”
Steve Bluff, Head of Redcliffe & Temple BID, said: “Sustainability is a huge part of our ethos, and we are always looking for new ways to help businesses go green. The Bristol Cargo Bikes for Businesses scheme is very easy to implement and a quick and effective way of reducing vehicle emissions in the city.”
