COLCHESTER Council is looking to bring an electric bike hire scheme to the city in a bid to expand on its cycling offering.
The authority said it is exploring bringing e-bikes to Colchester with Tier – the company behind an ongoing e-scooter trial.
Similar projects have been successfully rolled out in cities such as York and London.
Launched in 2010, the London scheme is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with more than 12,000 cycles and 800 docking stations based around the capital.
Tier e-scooters have been available to hire in the city since summer last year following the company’s acquisition of SPIN, which previously ran the service.
The scooters must not be ridden on footpaths or pavements and can only be used on public land in Essex.
Essex County Council said it understands legislation over the use of E-scooters in the UK is scheduled for May 2024.
The nationwide trial has been extended by the Department for Transport until May.
READ MORE >>> Colchester's TIER E-scooter trial could be extended until May 2023
Colchester Council’s environment and sustainability panel considered a report on its green travel schemes at a meeting last night.
The report revealed the authority hopes to make people feel “more confident” about locking their bikes safely in the city centre and “more willing” to cycle into the city.
It said a £90,000 secure bike park will open in the city centre in Spring 2023.
The premises will host the Colchester Bike Kitchen and shared e-cargo bike hub.
A review is also set to be carried out over on-street parking provision in Colchester “to make cycle parking safer and more convenient for all of the city’s shoppers and visitors”.
The report said: “The overwhelming message from the community in 2022 was fear of cycling on the roads.
“Lack of signage and bike security and theft were the second and third concern.
“The top concern regarding the lack of segregated and joined up infrastructure reflects trends elsewhere and remains the main barrier stopping people from cycling in Colchester.”
READ MORE >>> Colchester Cycling Campaign committed to Crouch Street plans
Colchester’s city centre e-cargo bike delivery service is part of a Government project funded by £188,000.
The report said a Christmas trial encouraged shoppers to drop their shopping at a town centre logistics hub, in Priory Walk, for delivery to their home for a small charge.
It claimed the trial replaced 61 miles of van deliveries with cargo bikes, “equating to at least 30kg of CO2 saved and fewer vehicles congesting the city centre”.
The report added: “By the end of 2022 our e-cargo bike fleet had collectively ridden 30,000 miles saving 9 tonnes of CO2.”
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