Thursday, 28 March 2024
Electric BikesNews

Energy Saving Trust’s eCargo Bike Grant deadline extended

The Energy Saving Trust’s eCargo Bike Grant Fund Local Authority Scheme deadline has been extended to run until March 27th.

Available in England only, the scheme draws on funding made available via the Department for Transport and is delivered by the Energy Saving Trust. Local authorities are able to bid for as much as £200,000 for the purchase of electric cargo bikes for use in their area. In total the funding pool tallies just £1.2 million, so the deadline may well fall sooner when the funding pot runs dry.

Tim Anderson, Head of Transport at Energy Saving Trust, said: “There has been considerable interest from local authorities in the eCargo Bike Grant Fund. A recent webinar supporting applications to the fund was oversubscribed and it became clear there is significant demand. With up to £200,000 available to each successful authority, we believe the extended deadline of 27 March will enable sufficient time for a greater number of strong applications.

“We welcome a broad range of submissions exploring the implementation of ecargo bikes as a low carbon transport solution. eCargo bikes are becoming increasingly prevalent, offering significant benefits which include fuel cost savings and improving air quality in our towns and cities.”

If successful in bidding for the cash, 100% can be spent on procuring bikes for use within Local Authority fleets, with specialist retailers set to gain from the process.

Gary Armstrong, Training Manager for the European Cycle Logistics Federation added: “We welcome the extension of the deadline and encourage local authorities to consider how ecargo bikes could be implemented in their region. The scheme has potential to facilitate businesses to fully explore the implementation of ecargo bikes across a wide range of uses. In addition, they help reduce congestion in urban areas and can play a valuable part in reducing carbon emissions on England’s roads.”

The deadline for applications run all the way to March 27th with applications reviewed throughout April and grant offer letters distributed during May.

If successful, local authorities will then have up to six months to draw from the funding

Those wishing to apply for the funding can do so here.

Studies in cities around the globe have demonstrated that, in the majority of cases, electric cargo bikes are more time and cost efficient than van fleets.