Manchester Bike Hire is to run an e-cargo bike library from its shop on Chapel Street. Manchester and Salford City Councils have set up the scheme with the help of a £173,000 grant from the Energy Savings Trust. A total of 26 e-cargo bikes and six e-cargo trailers will be available for hire from February.
The fleet will comprise powerful mid-motor Tern GSDs and Urban Arrows, plus a number of Carla Cargo trailers with hub motors which can be pulled behind a non-electric bike.
These will be suitable for loads of up to 150kg, depending on the bike or trailer combination.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, executive member for environment said: “For so many of us the car is the only option we think of when the need arises to transport something from A to B. The roll out of this e-cargo scheme is the council showing that there are alternatives, and we want to be at the forefront of championing them.”
For one day up to 14 days, e-cargo bike hire will cost £12 per day. For 15 days up to 31 days, there will be a flat rate of £180.
Users will need to have been trained to the equivalent of Level 3 Bikeability.
Manchester Bikes will offer a free 30-minute consultation via phone, video call or in person to help match people to the right type of e-cargo bike. A one-hour test ride can also be booked.
Speaking to the MEN, the managing director of Manchester Bike Hire, Chris Leakey, said: "We're trying to help businesses reduce their reliance on cars or vans to transport goods, offering them a genuine alternative and genuine transport solution.
"Those who have used them so far have found them a cheaper, and more flexible alternative, which is our aim.”
Details of the scheme can be found here.
The announcement also follows the launch of Cargoroo in Chorlton, Whalley Range and Ancoats last month.
The Dutch app-based share scheme has seen 25 e-cargo bikes made available as part of the eHUBS project that also features an electric car club run by Enterprise.
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