Cargo bikes are transforming urban logistics in Europe, offering a sustainable alternative to delivery vans.

The surge in online shopping, accelerated by COVID-19, has driven up the demand for package deliveries, and that demand continues to rise.

As traditional delivery methods contribute to urban traffic congestion and pollution, cargo bikes - a staple of bike-friendly countries like Denmark and the Netherlands - are becoming a common sight in cities across Europe as a sustainable and efficient alternative to vans.

These larger, typically electric bikes with separate carriers can transport a wide range of loads, from small parcels to larger items, making them ideal for urban deliveries.

In Europe, it is estimated that up to 50 per cent of motorised trips involving the transport of goods in cities could be made by cargo bikes and bicycles, according to a recent study.

  • Che Banana@beehaw.orgEnglish
    6·
    3 months ago

    Ridiculousness.

    I’ve used a cargo bike for my 60+ seat restaurant for over 5 years and I zip past all the idiots sitting traffic baking away in 30° August as our town goes from 70k to 350k with the traffic that comes with it.

    Absolutely absurd that you’re hot take is something other than troll bait.

    • 14th_cylon@lemm.eeEnglish
      13·
      3 months ago

      you own 60+ seat restaurant and you have time to do your own delivery? that is very trustworthy comment ;)

        • 14th_cylon@lemm.eeEnglish
          14·
          3 months ago

          i will ignore that you are not person i was asking and this is not an answer to my question and i will answer to this irrelevant randomly placed piece of information.

          You can’t even park a van for streets sometimes.

          and you can park cargo bike there? how are you going to do that? do the parked cars suddenly disappear?

          or are going to just illegally park it on the sidewalk, because rules don’t apply to you? do you think people will still tolerate it when there isn’t going to be one bike parked on the sidewalk, but twenty?

          the think is, you (general you, not you personally) always think some problems don’t affect bikes, just because they are rather curiosity right now.

          if you had successfully managed to replace all delivery vans with cargo bikes, you would put on surprised pikachu face finding you actually need more parking space than before.

          • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            1·
            3 months ago

            and you can park cargo bike there? how are you going to do that? do the parked cars suddenly disappear?

            There are no parked cars, on-street parking is rare and expensive here, it’s mostly free market instead of city-subsidized, so around 30 EUR a day on-street or 70 EUR a month in a big garage.

            They disappeared 50 years ago when cities realized they don’t fit in.

            or are going to just illegally park it on the sidewalk, because rules don’t apply to you?

            No, I’m legally parking it on the sidewalk if it’s for a delivery dropoff, and in my own real estate for storage, instead of the idiots who stop on the road with their cars/trucks and block traffic for everyone.

            always think some problems don’t affect bikes, just because they are rather curiosity right now.

            No, they are and have been the norm in the Netherlands and neighbouring territories now for 50 years, and they work, and we simply don’t have a lot of problems related to car-centric infrastructure. Actually, it makes it easier to travel by car, since there are less traffic jams, safer streets for everyone.

            I have choice. I don’t need to buy and maintain a car to live. If I like, I can rent one for cheap for a single trip, but I can take the same trip by train or bike. I can work while commuting, I can go to the neighbouring city with friends, get drunk, and get home safe by train.

            Cars limit people.

      • Che Banana@beehaw.orgEnglish
        1·
        3 months ago

        I have beer, wine, meats delivered. The rest I haul. We opened 5 months before COVID hit, and survived and are celebrating our 5th anniversary.

        If you’re too car, country and consumer-ease centric to even fathom someone doing this, you need to check yourself and realize there is a big, wide world out there and people do more than shove door dash ordered McDonald’s into thier mouth hole to feed their insecurities.