E-bike testing scheme launched by ACT member to ease local congestion
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
A new local pilot scheme has been launched aimed at reducing traffic by encouraging more people to cycle instead of drive.
The initiative, started by ACT member Ebikeshop in Farnham, Surrey, is designed to show how e-bikes can offer a practical alternative to driving, particularly in areas affected by traffic disruption.
Ebikeshop, which operates from Coxbridge Business Park and is the UK’s largest European e-bike retailer, is making a 3-bike fleet of Orbea leisure e-bikes available for the scheme, which will allow residents to test the bikes in order to demonstrate the availability of bikes as an efficient, alternative mode of transport while congestion is higher in the area.
Ben Mowbray, sales and operations director at Ebikeshop, said: “If you look at areas of Europe in comparison to the UK, the attitude to cycling is very different and people enjoy it. In the UK, people worry about cycling on the roads because of the poorly maintained cycle lanes, but also they don’t want to feel hated by people in cars.
“There are plenty of places to park e-bikes and bicycles in Farnham, so why not give it a go while the traffic is bad? There is, however, more that could be done by the council to encourage cycling, such as maintaining cycle lanes.”
The pilot scheme also serves to highlight the broader rise in e-bike use across the UK, where various e-bike schemes have been implemented in recent years.