Cargo Bikes Roll Into EU Parliament
Hard evidence for the economic and environmental benefits of cargo bikes rolls into the EU Parliament during a round table meeting that precedes the upcoming International Cargo Bike Festival in Nijmegen.*
EU politicians, business representatives and NGOs took part in Brussels to discuss future greener transportation of goods in Europe’s congested inner cities.
**Did you know potentially, 50% of motor vehicle trips moving goods about in our cities could be switched to bikes? And that over 90% of trips to the supermarket could also be accomplished by bicycle.**
This was the core statement that was delivered on Wednesday 2nd April to members of the European institutions, NGO’s and business representatives of the logistics and cycling industry at the round table meeting held at the EU parliament building in Brussels.
Hosted by Green MEP Michael Kramer and organized by the European Cyclists’ Federation, the focus group discussed realistic ways to integrate and develop cycle transport into a new promising business model.Apart from political and NGO representatives, top EU officials such as Mark Major, Policy Officer for Sustainable Urban Mobility at the European Commission, CEO’s of the cycling
industry, as well as major logistics players such as DHL were present.
In terms of successful business case studies, DHL Express presented their pilot projects that are currently underway in various European cities. Arne Melse, OPS Field Support Specialist for DHL,
resumed: “Cycling in the inner city actually saves time and money and DHL has plans to expand its pilot programs in more cities and more countries. In the Netherlands alone there are 33 cargo bike
run services in 19 different cities. New pilot programs in Athens, Luxembourg, Vienna and Milan have been put in place.” He made it clear that cycling delivery meant better business: DHL saves around 20,000 km per bicycle due to easier access of bikes in the cities in comparison to trucks.
For the cycling industry Raymond Gense, Director Future Technology & Public Affairs of PON Bicycle Group, and Moreno Fioravanti, current president of the COLIBI, who also represents the ACCELL Group and EBMA (European Bicycle Manufacturers) were present. In his intervention, Fioravanti said: “COLIBI represents 600 companies with over 60.000 jobs producing bikes and parts in over 20 countries within the EU. If we could identify the perfect business models based on the experience of DHL and launch pilot programs in various countries, then the cycling industry can start to massproduce.”
Gense supported that argument: “Be it through pilot delivery programs, coordination of national and local access policies and/or technical requirements for the bike production – all players and
the legal pre-conditions need to be synchronized”, he said.
Dr. Randy Rzwenicki, project manager for CycleLogistics explains: “During the past three years, we initiated and executed many projects to raise awareness with regard to the clean transportation of goods. This round table discussion in the European Parliament shows that we managed to initiate a new line of thought with regard to the use of bicycles moving goods in daily inner city life”.
**The project will be concluded at the end of April at the International Cargo Bike Festival in Nijmegen (Netherlands).**
The April 12-13 event also features the second European Cycle Logistics Conference, as well as the formal founding of the “European Cycle Logistics Federation” (ECLF).
Related Links