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.
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.
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.
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.