Businesses in Richmond town centre have been encouraged to apply to a free trial of an e-cargo bike delivery service.

The first 10-12 businesses to sign up to the trial will benefit from a spacious e-cargo bike and rider to carry out a number of free deliveries until Christmas.

This is part of Richmond Council's successful bid to be involved in the Clean Air Villages project, which is being delivered by the Cross River Partnership and is funded by the Defra's Air Quality Grant.

Clean air drive

The year-long Clean Air Villages aims to improve air quality by helping businesses recover from Covid-19 in a clean, green and sustainable way.

Richmond town centre is the area in Richmond borough involved in the project.

It is an Air Quality Focus Area – meaning that the Mayor of London identified it as a location where both pollution levels and human exposure are high, so air quality improvements are needed.

Apply for a cargo bike

If you are a business in Richmond town centre and would like to be involved with the e-cargo bikes, email Laura Jacklin on [email protected] before next Friday (October 30).

Cllr Alexander Ehmann, chair of the Transport and Air Quality Committee, said: "Richmond town centre is a hot spot for air pollution in the borough.

"We need businesses and organisations to make the switch from delivery vans to delivery e-cargo bikes to help reduce traffic and improve air quality.

"It makes both environmental and financial sense!"