Press Release For Immediate Release It’s boom time for Cargo Bikes Gary Armstrong of the European Cycle Logistics Federation (ECLF) pops a bottle The foundation of the European Cycle Logistics Federation (ECLF) with over 140 registered members mirrors strong support from industry and user groups around Europe. Nijmegen, April 14, 2014 –- More than 200 delegates from 25 countries got together at the second European Cycle Logistics Conference on Saturday April 12th in Nijmegen, Netherlands, to celebrate the stellar potential of cycle delivery in developing new business models and reducing congestion in inner cities. As proof of concept, the catering and delivery of the lunch at the conference was carried out entirely by cargo-bikes! The SUV for Intelligent Living More and more companies understand that using bikes & cargo-bikes relieves congestion in cities and saves money. DHL Netherlands, global parcel delivery and logistics firm, replaced 33 trucks with 33 cargo bikes, thus saving 152 metric tons of CO2 and €430.000 per year. “In the Netherlands, 10% of all our vehicles are bikes”, said Arne Melse from DHL Netherlands. “The trend is accelerating. From our pilots in four EU countries we see that, indeed, it is possible to deliver by cycle”. The bulk of cycle logistics operators who attended the conference were small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). Johan Erlandson from Move by Bike, Sweden, highlighted: “We deliver more than 5000 newspapers daily by bike in Malmo, carrying an overall weight of over 600 kilos. Business is definitely growing”. In fact, bike delivery is extremely cost effective and the rise of e-commerce raises more demand for delivery in cities. "It is boom time for cargo bikes. The big international companies like DHL and TNT are using bikes for deliveries, integrating them into their model. This is because up to 70% of delivery costs are in the last mile and they can save money and increase efficiency. Those companies also show that this is a credible solution for young businesses”, says Dr. Randy Rzewnicki, ECF Project Manager for CycleLogistics. “We are witnessing a shift in the industry. We need a strong European Cycle Logistics Federation in order to establish minimum standards for municipalities and industry, multiply our lobbying efforts at national and European level and provide extensive support for start-up companies”, said Richard Armitage, Founding Director of ECLF. Cycle Logistics Global Dream Team One out of ten delegates at the ECLF conference were from start-up’s in the area of cycle service. Three out of ten were successful cycle logistics operators who shared their knowledge and experiences. Representatives from the cycling industry, municipality officials and urban planners completed the mix of stakeholders, who together can bring cycling delivery to the next level. “There are 2.000-3.000 cargo bikes today in London. We estimate that sales of cargo bikes will increase up to 20% in 2014”, pointed out Andrea Casalotti, importer of cargo bikes in the UK. “Politicians are essential to secure funding for cycling infrastructure” said Sjors Van Duren, Cycling officer for the Arnhem & Nijmegen City Region in Netherlands. For the period 2010-2017, six cycle highways of 80 km will be completed with a budget of €55m, facilitating cycle deliveries of bigger scale. “We are re-using existing infrastructure to extend bike lanes and reduce operational costs as much as possible”, concluded Van Duren. Notes to the editor: Images Royalty free images of the conference, the inauguration of the ECBF and the International Cargo Bike Festival and Parade (April 13) are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zp94dnq0467asr3/ATfaIlAVFY About the CycleLogistics Project Running until May 2014 and spanning 12 countries, the EU-funded project CycleLogistics aims to reduce energy used in urban freight transport by replacing unnecessary motorised vehicles with bikes for intra-urban delivery and goods transport in Europe. The project has helped establish the Cycle Logistics Federation after recognising a demand for such an organisation. Information about the federation is available at www.cyclelogistics.eu. The project receives funding from European Commission’s Intelligent Energy program. About the European Cycle Logistics Federation (ECLF) The European Cycle Logistics Federation is a professional body which represents and supports the needs of cycle logistics companies across Europe. The Federation is a membership organisation for: 1) Established cycle logistics businesses (i.e. delivery companies, couriers, pedicab operators, tradespeople, organisations which use cycles as part of their business operations, etc. 2) Start-up businesses considering using cycles as part of their business operation 3) Manufacturers and suppliers of cycle logistics equipment 4) Associates who have an interest in promoting the further use of cycles More information at www.federation.cyclelogistics.eu. About the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) With over 70 members across nearly 40 countries, the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) unites cyclist’ associations from across the globe, giving them a voice on the international level. Our aim is to get more people cycling more often by influencing policy in favour of cycling. ECF is a partner in the Cycle Logistics project. Project Contact For any questions please contact Dr. Randy Rzewnicki, ECF Project Manager Tel: +32 2 880 9274 (direct -9278) GSM: +32 486 481 422 Email: randy@ecf.com The ECLF's Founding Directors are: Gary Armstrong +44 7777 656 142 gary.armstrong@outspokendelivery.co.uk Richard Armitage +44 7973 538 556 ratc@me.com Media Contacts ECF Communications Officer, Elina Baltatzi, e.baltatziMoveWeek@ecf.com, Tel: +32 2 808 58 76 inMotion mar.com, Marco Arnold, marco.arnold@inmotionmar.com, Tel: +49 711 351 640 93 /-91