For some problems the solutions are easier than you can possibly imagine.
E.g. consider the vast number of delivery vans that pollute inner cities, cause
traffic jams and give city centres an unfriendly atmosphere. Part of those vans
could easily be replaced by cargo bikes. Using those for urban distribution has
three major advantages: reduction of CO2-emission, easier access to
city centres and a far more pleasant city atmosphere.
Idealism for people suffering from nostalgia? Certainly not! In 2012 the
company DHL Express replaced thirty of the approximately three hundred delivery
vans by parcycles (a contraction of parcel and bicycles): specially
designed transport bikes for parcel deliveries. This means a substantial cut in
operating costs of € 430.000 per year, besides a considerable reduction of CO2-emission,
and probably healthier employees.
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| DHL Epress at 'Grote Markt in Nijmegen |
By how much will emission be reduced? The following calculation was
published in de Volkskrant (December 7, 2013) by journalist Bard de Weijer. It
was based on the Mercedes Vito, about the standard van in the world of mail and
parcel delivery. This van uses up to approximately 10 litres of diesel to every
100 kilometres. Let us assume that on an average run 50 parcels are being
delivered and that a full run covers 50 kilometres (return trip to distribution
centre plus delivery round); this would result in a fuel consumption of 5
litres of diesel per run. For this 50 kWh are used (calculation based on the
energy density of diesel), resulting in a CO2-emission of 13.2
kilogram per 50 kilometres. If we bear in mind the thirty DHL vans, replacing
those by bikes would result in an annual reduction of CO2-emission
of 118,000 kilogram (30 vans x 300 days x 13.2).
Obviously, this must be considered in a wider perspective than just
those thirty vans. According to CBS-statistics (Central Bureau of Statistics)
more than 800,000 vans are driving around the whole of the Netherlands. If, as
with DHL Express, 10% of these
(i.e. 80,000 vans) were to be
replaced by transport bikes, this would result in an annual reduction of CO2-emission
of 316,800 metric tons.
In my town of residence, Nijmegen, where 1% of the Dutch population
lives, statistically speaking 800 vans could be replaced by cargo bikes. At
this moment only a couple of dozen of company cargo bikes are riding around
in Nijmegen. Therefore, an enormous potential for growth. It could reduce CO2-emission
by as much as 3,168 metric tons per year.
And it could become a lot more, as well. CycleLogistics is a European
project which runs from May 2011 to April 2014. The object in view is the
reduction of energy consumption by substituting unnecessary motorized transport
by transport using bikes. According to a survey by CycleLogistics no less than
50% of all current goods transport in (inner) cities could be done by bike. For
the Netherlands alone this would add up to 400,000 cargo and transport bikes
and a reduction of CO2-emission by 1,584,000 metric tons!
Fortunately, lots of ideas are brewing in the Netherlands in order to stimulate
the use of cargo bikes. In view of this we organise the largest event in the field of cargo
bikes, the International Cargo Bike Festival in Nijmegen
on April 12 and 13, 2014.
If you are smart, you keep a keen eye on this development. Small,
manoeuvrable, cheap in purchase and maintenance, clean and healthy. The future
is to cargo bikes.
Many thanks to Peter Spoormakers for the translation from the original in Dutch
Many thanks to Peter Spoormakers for the translation from the original in Dutch
