When Colchester resident Daniel Stebbings was looking for an easier way to get around with his toddler, he decided to try the council’s eCargo Bike Short Term Hire Scheme. With brighter days ahead, the scheme is encouraging more residents to see whether an electric cargo bike could work for their own everyday journeys.
If you live in Colchester, the scheme gives you the chance to try an electric bike for everyday journeys and see whether it could work for you. Whether you are doing the school run, shopping, commuting or heading out for a leisure ride, eCargo bikes are designed to make local travel easier and more comfortable.
A practical way to get around Colchester
The eCargo Bike Scheme offers affordable short-term hire so you can try an electric bike before deciding whether to buy one. You can choose from a range of bikes with options to carry children, shopping or bulky and heavy items. The electric assistance helps take the effort out of cycling, making hills, carrying heavy loads, and longer journeys more manageable. This means you can leave the car at home for shorter trips while still travelling comfortably, saving money on fuel and parking and enjoying a more relaxed, practical and fun way to move around the city.
Daniel Stebbings, a Colchester resident who recently used the scheme, shared his experience: “The scheme was quick and convenient to use, and the staff were enthusiastic and helpful. It was useful to try out a cargo bike for transporting my toddler and to check he was comfortable on the back. In the end I chose a lighter model, but using an eBike has been a great help for getting up North Hill. We mainly use it for leisure trips at the moment, including visits to the zoo along the bridleways, but when he starts nursery and school I can see it becoming a practical option for the school run.”
How to try out an eCargo bike
As a Colchester resident, you can try an eCargo bike for between one and four weeks at a cost of £20 per week, giving you plenty of time to see how it fits into your everyday life. There are also pay‑as‑you‑go eBike options available for up to a day’s hire from the city centre and New Town bike hub.
Residents will be able to find out more about the scheme at the ‘Spring onto Your Bike’ mini cycling event on St Nicholas Square on Saturday 28 March from 10am to 2pm.
Supporting a greener and healthier city
Cllr Andrea Luxford Vaughan, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Sustainable Development, said: “Trying an eCargo bike can be a real eyeopener for many Colchester residents. They make everyday journeys like the school run or shopping trips easier, especially in a hilly city like Colchester. This scheme gives people the chance to see for themselves how electric bikes can fit into daily life, save money and help reduce traffic at the same time.”
Choosing an eCargo bike for local journeys supports healthier lifestyles while making sustainable travel more accessible and appealing to people across the city, contributing to traffic reduction, air quality improvements and reduced carbon emissions.
Find out more about the scheme, available bikes, hire periods and how to book by visiting colchester.gov.uk/ecargo-bikes/Colchester-ecargo-hire-schemes/?id=&page=short-term--hire--for--residents.
Find out more about other bike hire options and cycling in Colchester by visiting the Cycle Colchester website at www.cyclecolchester.co.uk