Cargo bike use doubles in London as city shifts from diesel vans to cycling options
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Cargo bikes are fast becoming a cleaner alternative to diesel vans in London, offering a sustainable way to make deliveries and cut the city’s dependence on polluting vehicles, new analysis by Clean Cities has revealed.
The research shows cargo bike use has more than doubled in just two years within London, rising 104% between 2022 and 2024, according to Transport for London’s cycling data.
Campaigners say the shift is vital, as diesel vans are now the biggest road source of nitrogen oxides in central London.
Zak Bond, Clean Cities Campaign Manager, said: “Our analysis has shown that diesel vans are now the biggest road source of dirty air in central London. Shifting as many deliveries as possible to cargo bikes is essential. This increase in cargo bike use is a strong start, but local authorities must do more to support residents and businesses to use cargo bikes. That should include new grants which help those who need it most with the high upstart cost of a cargo bike.”
The growth slowed slightly in the last year, underlining the need for boroughs and the Mayor to provide further incentives and grants to keep the momentum going.
The two-year surge comes as the sixth Cargo Bike Cruise prepares to roll through London, bringing together the largest convoy of cargo bikes in the world to celebrate the freight revolution.
Lee Pugh, Co-Chair of SUFA, noted that “cargo bikes are among the greenest forms of transporting goods and critical for the UK’s freight infrastructure,” with uses ranging from parcel deliveries to recycling.
Jack Skillen, Director of Sustainability and Place at Team London Bridge, said: “The Cargo Bike Cruise shows how transformational the shift to cargo bikes can be for a business district like London Bridge, making deliveries less polluted, less noisy, and removing traffic and stress to create healthy streets.
“Our Cargo Bike Service Directory is helping businesses to take emissions out of their supply chains, with 100 services, from couriers to office supplies to waste, available locally on cargo bike. We encourage authorities to support this momentum, and operators and service providers to change their own logistics to cargo bikes where feasible. The Cruise is made up of inspiring businesses leading the way.”