Dear reader,
around 60% of all trips in
urban areas are related to the transport of goods (this astonishing
number ranges from transports in large commercial lorries to simply
transporting daily supplies home). By shifting goods under 500
kilograms to bicycles, cycle logistics will succeed in improving the
quality of living in our cities considerably.
The term cycle
logistics can refer to professional logistics like delivery
services, waste collection or small trade services. This usually
involves the use of cargo bicycles (2, 3 or 4-wheelers) and bicycle
trailers. But at the same time it also refers to private logistics –
where regular bicycles, well equipped with baskets, panniers,
trailers, etc. are used to transport shopping or leisure equipment.
Within the European project CycleLogistics, all these areas of logistics by
bike are addressed to make the advantages known throughout Europe.
Looking at the potential for cycle logistics, it is evident that
this approach is much more than a niche activity. 42% of all
motorized trips in urban areas could be shifted to logistics by
bicycle (this corresponds to 25% of all trips). Learn more about the
topic of cycle logistics in this e-update. A detailed description
about the potential can be found here.
At the upcoming ECOMM2013, there will be a special session on the
“MM approach for freight and deliveries”. The deadline for the
submission of papers is 10 December.
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Back to the future |
Source: Stichting Oud
Obdam-Hensbroek |
Already in 1881 the first carrier cycle
was used by the British Post Office. A few decades later, many
shopkeepers used this type of bike to make local deliveries of
bread, meat, milk etc. That is why these bikes are also called
baker’s bikes or butcher’s bikes. Starting from the late 1920’s the
‘Long John’ appeared in the streets of Denmark. This bike had a
load-carrying platform inserted between the saddle and the front
wheel. Today this model is very popular and is known under the Dutch
name ‘bakfiets’ (read more on the history of cargo bikes on the CycleLogistics website).
It seems that since
the last two decades cargo bikes are being rediscovered. Various
models, able to transport up to 500 kilograms, and varying in price
from 800 to 6000 euros, can be found on the market (see e.g. overview of 67 cargo bikes, the Freight bike inventory list of CycleLogistics and
velotransport (G)).
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Deliver by bike: growing in many countries |
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
Source: www.eltis.org
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Although especially popular in the Netherlands and Denmark, where even sperm samples are transported by cargo bikes to
fertility clinics, also in other countries bike delivery
services become more popular. Some examples:
- In Germany, as part of the Climate Initiative, car and
bicycle couriers test the potential of electric cargo bikes for
urban commercial transport in seven different cities (Ich ersetze
ein Auto, I substitute a car-project). The German Cycle
Master Plan 2020 (Nationaler Radverkehrsplan 2020 (G), English summary) also recognises the potential
of cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries.
- In Romania, the first bicycle courier service in Bucharest
started in April 2012. Tribul (the tribe) delivers door-to-door
packages throughout the city.
- In May 2012, the city of Gent (Belgium) installed the
first public cargo-bike-sharing scheme in Europe. Four cargo
bikes are part of the Cambio car-sharing service present in the
city. The Flemish government also starts to actively promote bicycle courier services in Flanders,
based on the results of a study by the University of Antwerp (in Dutch)
investigating the potential of involving bicycle couriers in
Flemish logistics. In the meanwhile Velo Fixer goes from house to
house in Brussels, fixing bicycles (check out this nice video).
- In Switzerland, already in 1997, a bicycle home delivery service brings your
purchased goods from the supermarket to your home by bike. Given
the success of the service (21% of the customers changed from
shopping by car to shopping by bike or on foot), 12 new services
have been implemented throughout Switzerland.
- The French company la Petite Reine delivers yearly 1
million packages with their electric tricycles (Cargocycles, FR) in four big French cities,
including Paris.
- In Austria, bikes are used to home deliver medication (G), to clean
windows (G) and to bring fresh ice cream (G) into the parks. The
municipality of Graz grants up to € 1.000 to businesses and
institutions such as schools, housing associations etc., when
purchasing a cargo bike, and it includes cargo bikes in their bike rental
scheme.
- In the UK, cargo bikes are used vor very diverse
transports: digital projectors, office supplies, accessories to
prepare Japanese pancakes, post packages (like Yellow Jersey Delivery in Coventry), flowers or
even test tubes with antibodies… (read more about this in Loads more cycling). At Heathrow and London, even has bicycle ambulances!
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Advantages and possible disadvantages |
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database |
Here are the substantial advantages of
using cycles rather than vans to transport goods (based on the extensive study of Transport for London, 2009)
- Lower costs: lower purchase cost, lower running costs
(tax, insurance, storage) and no parking costs. GobaX, a German
cargo bike manufacturer, calculated that a pizzeria could save
6.300 euros a year if they would deliver their pizza by bike rather than by car.
The CycleLogistics project also makes an economic argument for cargo bikes.
- Speed despite congestion: cycles are much less affected
by traffic conditions than vans and hence are faster and more
reliable (need a prove? Enjoy a
cargo bike ride in the centre of London).
- Allowed in car-free areas: narrow streets, streets
where only bikes are allowed or areas of zero access during
daytime? No problem for cargo bikes! This is for instance the case
in Cambridge (UK), where Outspoken Delivery provides services to over 200
local businesses. Recently, the company won the ‘Contribution to reducing the city’s carbon
footprint’ award.
- Lower environmental impact: reduction in CO2 emissions.
The University of Westminster calculated a potential reduction of
62% in the centre of London The Hajtás Pajtás bicycle courier company in
Budapest (H) frees the congested capital from 100 cars, saving an
estimated 150 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
- Green image: an important asset, for example for the
British AV2Hire and Gnewt
Cargo).
- Social inclusion: no drivers licence is needed to ride
a bike! In Bucharest (RO), a paper waste collection service by cargo bike
employs disadvantaged people as a first step in their
integration into the labour market.
- Better quality of life: no noise pollution, more space
for people.
So why is the use of (cargo) bikes to
deliver goods not more widespread? According to Transport for London the biggest problem seems to
be (mis)perception.
- Companies are worried about security and theft of both
cycles and payload. This fear proved to be exaggerated as almost
no instances of theft were reported during the study. However, the
more cargo bikes appear in the city, the higher the probability of
theft. In the Netherlands, the Centre of Bicycle Theft now deploys
cargo bikes as bait to catch the thieves.
- The limited range and payload is also considered to be
a disadvantage. But recent models of cargo bikes are able to
transport up to 500 kg!. Especially in inner cities the last mile
delivery causes problems. In this segment lots are often far
smaller than 500 kg and yet they are transported in oversized
lorries. Creative solutions are now available to sove this
problem. Within the context of the FP7 EU project STRAIGHTSOL,
implementing seven innovative urban freight solutions, TNT Belgium
will soon start to deliver goods to the inner city of Brussels by
using a mobile depot (special truck) in combination with cargo
bikes (video). Until the mobile depot is ready for use,
TNT cooperates with the tricycle logistics company Ecopostale
(French video), using their dep ot as a base (article).
The city of Berlin has a modular
pack station, called a BentoBox, installed near their city centre.
From there, cargo bikes transfer packages to the centre and back.
The system was first tested within the context of the CityLog project
and is now integrated in the regular logistic operations of a
courier service (case study on Eltis and another application of
the BentoBox in Lyon).
- Driver fatigue and seasonality were also
mentioned as factors contra cycling. It is not easy for existing
staff to suddenly switch to cycling, especially for small
companies.
- Furthermore, several local factors might hinder cargo
bike use. The Belgian law, for instance, does not allow three or
four wheel cycles to drive on bus lanes, in pedestrian zones
(before and after the zone is solely open to pedestrians), or
contra-flow, while ordinary bikes can. Some cities are very hilly
and have cobbled streets. Although even Edinburgh has a cargo cycle delivery service.
But cycle
logistics is not only relevant to find commercial but also private
logistics solutions, as cars are by far the most used transport mode
for shopping (source: ARGUS 2009, p. 9). However, three
quarters of these transports could easily be done by cycle.
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CycleLogistics: the solution |
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
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CycleLogistics aims to increase the usage of
(cargo) bikes as an alternative to vans and personal cars – with the
prime objective to reduce energy usage. Twelve countries work
together to target businesses, local authorities, individuals as
well as cycle couriers:
- Shop-by-bike campaigns: The Flemish(B) campaign Met
belgerinkel naar de winkel (With bell ringing to the shop) was very
successful: 80.000 people went shopping by bike during the campaign,
in Dutch) and 50% of them they kept riding their bike afterwards.
Within the Cyclelogistics project, 15 campaigns will be carried
out in 8 countries to promote shopping by bike. Two campaigns, in Vienna and Graz have already
been successfully implemented in Summer 2012. The evaluation report is available on the website.
Supermarkets and other stores play an important role in supporting
cycling to their shops. Fo r instance, in Belgium, Delhaize, a
large supermarket with 800 shops all over the country, installs
bike parking and offers bike bags at discount prices. A general campaign
scheme has been developed and will be adapted to the
local conditions in all the participating countries.
- Cargo bike sharing schemes, called Living laboratories,
provide businesses the opportunity to test cargo bikes and
experience their advantages. These are being set up in 9
cities differing in their level (beginner, climber, master).
The city of Graz has already started their living laboratory. They lend 7 different types
of cargo bikes to interested local businesses. In Brussels they offer 3 bikes, with plans for
more.
- Consumer tests: since the purchase of a
cargo bikes is quite expensive and cargo bikes differ in some ways
from standard bikes, The Danish Cyclist Federation did a user test
of cycles, trailers, shopping trailers, bags and baskets. Find the
results here.
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Moving freight bikes forward: the importance of
policy |
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
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Policy makers can strongly promote cycle
logistics, for example they can close a city centre to motorised
traffic and allow cycles full access, develop logistics plans that
favour non-motorised solutions, to name but a few. As part of the
CycleLogistics Project The European Cyclists' Federation has considered
what cities in 2050 might look like, and what cities across Europe
are doing now to favour delivery by cycle (article). It is important that towns and cities
decide on their quality of life but national ministers can also play
a leading role. 52 Transport ministers gathered in Leipzig in May
this year to discuss improving transport in their countries.
‘Rethinking the Last Mile’ was one of the opening sessions of the
International Transport Forum (see the seventh session recording
titled Rethinking the Last Mile.
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Cycle Logistics Federation |
Copyright: Outspoken Delivery |
As a result of the CycleLogistic project,
almost 60 cycle logistic companies joined their forces in the first
European Cycle Logistics Federation. There are now
120 European companies registerd on the Cycle
Logistics Federation website. Together they will lobby, up to
the level of the European Parliament, for the promotion of cycling
for freight transport. The Federation will also highlight best
practice examples for followers, share available knowledge and
experience freely among members and establish lobby groups in order
to influence relevant stakeholders. In addition opportunities for
shared promotions, marketing, etc. will be identified and
appropriate information resources will be established.
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It is the season… |
Source: CycleLogistics photo
database
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- Christmas last year, the London-based Carry Me
Bikes, a social enterprise which helps families, businesses,
etc. move their cargo by bike and gives them the opportunity to
test out a cargo bike, offered a Secret Cycling Santa Service.
Indeed, a pedal-powered Santa brought children their presents.
- If you would like to see many Santas on a bike, than you need
to go to Romania. Following an annual tradition, about 300 people
dressed like Santa will distribute candy to children during a yearly Christmas cycling event.
- Last but not least, the BAMBINI Christmas Bike book, which is available
in 11 languages, describes how Santa managed to deliver all his
presents some time ago, when Rudolf was sick.
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Want some more? |
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Stay tuned for recent news on cycle
logistics via the CycleLogistic website. And if you are still not
convinced about the power of bicylces, take a look at this video.
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