Beautiful birdsong will accompany deliveries across London from today as cargo bike riders join forces and install ‘birdsong radios’ on their bikes throughout July. The scheme aims to highlight the immense environmental and health benefits low carbon transport can bring to the capital by replacing engines and horns with tweets and chirps and welcoming an all together calmer and happier summer.
Riders will be playing birdsong from some of the UK’s most loved species including Goldfinch, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Songthrush on all daytime deliveries throughout July. The streets of South London will be a happier place from 23 June as recent research showed that 85% of the nation found being in nature improved their mood and well being. The scheme is part of the Bikes For Business initiative which is being led by business and community groups in South London to work with London based cargo bike operators and promote the financial and environmental benefits of low carbon deliveries across the city.
As streets make up 80%** of London’s public space, the move to cargo bikes will have a dramatic impact on our health and wellbeing, particularly now that we are appreciating our open spaces more and spending increased time outdoors. Freight is responsible for around 30% of all road generated nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions, which contributes to an estimated 9,400*** premature deaths per year in London. Cargo bikes are a key part of a fairer, less polluting, and more efficient freight system, which will in turn lead to healthier, longer lives for Londoners.
By October 2022, over 1300 businesses around the Low Line in South London will have worked with Bikes for Business, with 30% changing deliveries from polluting vehicles to cargo bikes. If we had the same take up across Greater London that would mean 120,000* businesses switching to cargo bikes. The project follows a successful trial in 2019 which saw five times more cargo bike journeys on some streets, stemming from a desire from businesses to reduce emissions and become more sustainable. This project is funded by Impact on Urban Health as part of their work to tackle the health effects of air pollution, which disproportionately affects people living on low incomes in inner-city areas.
Jack Skillen from Team London Bridge comments ‘Cargo bikes are not only a fantastically cheap way to transport people and goods around the capital but have such a positive impact on the environment and the public. We wanted to find a way to highlight the amazing benefits these bikes can bring to the communities they serve. London can become a world leader in not only low carbon transport but also in rewilding our cities and bringing nature back into our public spaces.’
Edwin Malins, Nature Reserves Manager, London Wildlife Trust adds ‘Reductions in traffic and pollution will help wildlife to thrive alongside us in the city, particularly our favourite songbirds. Throughout lockdown we all found solace and joy in the sounds of nature and we know that birdsong is proven to help with our mood. If we can move to low carbon and low noise transport in our cities we could all enjoy the sounds of nature around us in our daily lives.’
