The electric bikes have been match funded by an Active Travel grant from North Somerset Council’s Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Team. Weston Town Council’s climate change budget funded the rest. These bikes will be used to replace where possible car travel when moving around our assists. The Department for Transport’s Sustainable Travel Access Fund aims to increase the amount of journeys made using active and/or sustainable travel modes.
The aim of the Business E-Bike Grants is to provide financial support to help organisations invest in electric pool bikes which will encourage their staff and/or visitors to cycle for more of their work related journeys, whilst replacing car journeys.
The Town Council has 6 locations from which it operates including Grove House, Grove Lodge, Weston Museum, The Blakehay Theatre, The Visitor Information Centre and Milton Road Cemetery. Often staff are required, particularly the central admin team based in Grove Park, to travel to other sites for meetings and other work. These journeys are often done via car. By purchasing electric bikes, staff will be able to travel between sites without driving. This bikes are particularly useful for members of the grounds team who are based across two sites, Grove Lodge and Milton Road Cemetery, as the Grounds Managers time is split between the sites. The grounds team also carry out inspections of the Town Council’s various play areas and other sites. It may be possible for some of these trips to be done with the bike, instead of the Town Council vans. A new council resolution has seen the introduction of neighbourhood rangers who would benefit the most from the introduction of electric bikes.
Useful links: Betterbybike.info – Free adult cycle training and free loans of bikes.
Travelwest.net/offers – What’s currently available for businesses, schools, new developments, community groups etc. Grants, free e-bike trials, free e-cargo trials, travel plan software, free bike stands, free Dr Bike servicing ETC.