National Trust to trial £42,000 of Raleigh e-Cargo and e-Bikes

The National Trust and Raleigh Bicycles have announced a new partnership where £42,000 of electric bikes and e-Cargo bikes will be donated to National Trust properties.

A selection Raleigh’s popular Motus model, and Haibike’s more rugged electric mountain bike selection will be trialled by staff at 11 properties over three months from 1 June, including estates in North Somerset, Devon and Norfolk. Bikes will also be available to rangers at countryside sites in Snowdonia and the central and eastern Lake District.

Additionally, some of the properties will use Raleigh’s e-Cargo bikes so that staff are able to transport goods and equipment around the estates.

Edward Pegram, Commercial Partnership Manager for Raleigh said: “An electric bike is a fun, modern solution for the National Trust to use instead of diesel powered quad bikes, trucks and vans. Whether it’s an e-Bike for staff to use to get from a visitor centre to a stately home quickly and quietly, or one of our business cargo e-Bikes to transport supplies for the shop, we’re committed to helping the National Trust achieve a more environmentally friendly future”.

Rob Rhodes, Head of Countryside Management and Rangers at the National Trust said: “The climate crisis is one of the biggest threats facing nature and heritage and reducing our own carbon footprint is a key part of how we plan to tackle it. As well as being a carbon-friendly means of travel, we’re hoping the e-Bikes will become a talking point, giving staff an opportunity to speak with visitors about how climate change is affecting our places, and what we’re doing about it. Our staff and volunteers are enjoying riding the e-Bikes and we have already seen a reduction in vehicle mileage and therefore a carbon saving. It’s exciting to be harnessing the latest in low carbon technology to keep our places moving.”