Local event celebrates the use of cargo bikes for the school run

Have you noticed a new type of bike whooshing past?

It may have a couple of kids tucked in a bucket at the front, or holding on at the back? Maybe a pet dog or a pile of flat packed flowers?

If so, that’s a cargo bike and according to a recent report, their use has increased 63% by Londoners and businesses. Much of the use locally is families on the school run – easier than it sounds when you realise most new cargo bikes are e-assist.

To celebrate this, and encourage more of the same, local charity Solve The School Run ran a Cargos & Cakes event at the Playing Fields, off Valley Road in Streatham on before half term.

They invited parents who use cargo bikes to come, bring their bikes and chat to other parents who are thinking about buying a cargo bike.

“It’s a big investment,” said Claire McDonald, from Solve The School Run. “People are really interested, but they want to know how it will work for their family, their children, their school journey. And who better to give that information than fellow parents?”

Their support for cargo bikes doing the school run is borne out of the data they have collated which shows that 65% of primary school aged children travelling between 1-2 miles are driven.

“Our school travel dashboard provides insights on how pupils are travelling to schools, wards and boroughs in London,” said Nicola Pastore, from SOLVE.

”We estimate there are around 5,000 primary pupils driven to schools in Lambeth and the majority of these car trips are travel distances of over 1 mile.

Longer school runs like this can be more challenging for young children to cycle or walk themselves, but it’s perfect for a cargo bike, which is usually e-assist, so perfect for hills and carrying heavy school bags.”

“We live in Streatham, but I take my two children to different schools, one in Lewisham and the other in Southwark. I clock up 1,000 miles a term in my cargo bike.

It’s so much better than driving because I avoid at least an hour a day of sitting in traffic, and I find it much less frustrating,” said Thomas Watson, a cargo bike convert.

Despite some cargo bikes having a price tag of over £5,000, they needn’t be expensive, and are cheaper than a car.

There is a developing second-hand market, and Lambeth Council have invested in several OurBikes, electric cargo bikes, which can be found around the borough. Costing from £3 an hour, they can be hired and trialled, to see if they suit your journey.

Local parent and SOLVE member, Tom Palmer has found another way of jumping into the saddle without splashing the cash; “I’ve found you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds on a top of the range model.

I bought a second hand Pashley elephant bike (ex Royal Mail) for a few hundred pounds. It has required no servicing in two years and I can add the Tern style kids bike seat, a large dog basket and carry shopping as well.”

Alex Yedigaroff, parent and part of Liveable Streatham Wells, who co-organised the event said: “It was a really helpful event, informative, as well as inspiring!

It was great to meet other parents passionate about getting school run traffic off the road, as well as enable really practical solutions. We discussed everything from where to park cargo bikes, how to store them, insurance and safety.”

Local councillors Martin Abrams and Malcolm Clark were also there, on their cargo bike and scooter!

Cllr Martin Abrams said; “There were a huge number of cargo bikes and local residents who came together. We must make our streets safer and cargo bikes are much more accessible and affordable for all.”

If you’ve got a cargo bike or are thinking about getting one for the school run, do drop them a line at hello@solvetheschoolrun.org.