A new fleet of e-cargo delivery bikes has arrived in Salford, as part of a five-year £300 million investment by Amazon in the ‘decarbonisation’ of the UK transportation network.
Cargo bike deliverer Harry Gray works for eLOV, a company that has been delivering high street goods to the people of Salford and beyond via cargo bikes since the start of 2021.
He welcomes the move, even though it increases competition, because it will be better for the environment.
Mr Gray said: “Salford is one of the most polluted cities in Greater Manchester.”
Although the bikes can’t be used to cart tonnes of goods on motorways, they will reduce pollution within the city.
He continued: “To bring diesel trucks off the road, even if it’s for the last mile, and replace them with zero carbon bikes has got to be a positive for the health of people in the area.”
Road transport accounts for 77 per cent of nitrogen dioxide emissions and 71 per cent of carbon monoxide emissions, which are all known causes of inflammation of the airways, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, as well as difficulty breathing, according to data from Salford City Council.
Mr Gray’s main worry was congestion in the cycle lanes if the service takes off. He continued: “It’s a new one that. We’re not used to congestion in the cycle lane.
“If you look at London, their cycle lanes are crazy congested, so I am a bit worried, but that’s for the future.”
Despite the potential new business competition, he was very supportive of Amazon’s move to cut carbon emissions:
“There’s a lot of room for growth in this market,” he said. “I think the more players there are, the more visibility comes towards cargo bikes as a viable delivery option, which will ‘grow the pie’ for all of us.
“People obviously have their reservations about Amazon. Personally, I’m just happy that a company on that sort of scale have ventured into this market. There’s such big potential for growth if the trial goes well.”
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