Supporting businesses to invest in pedal power
We have been working with Hammersmith and Fulham Council in west London and a number of other councils to help local businesses invest in e-cargo bikes.
Pedal power cuts out the stress of parking, there’s no congestion charge and it’s a healthy way to get around. The small businesses we’ve helped are able to deliver great customer service because the e-cargo bike can accommodate whatever the business needs to transport.
We caught up with Shepherd’s Bush-based yoga teacher, Clara Lopez, owner of Clara Lopez Yoga.
You can hear from her how we helped her secure funding from Hammersmith and Fulham Council through their Parcels Not Pollution e-cargo bike subsidy.
Clara Lopez has been teaching yoga for a number of years. She teaches group classes in the Factory Quarter Community Hub. Clara also teaches yoga privately at people’s homes.
Her e-cargo bike has become essential to her business, as she travels with a lot of equipment to multiple classes every day.
Life before the e-cargo bike
Clara started her business using a standard pedal bike. She found it difficult to carry all the equipment she needed for her classes.
Lacking the right transport meant that Clara had to adapt her classes and teach with less equipment. She couldn’t take all the mats she needed and had to leave things like blocks and bolsters behind. She was concerned that she wasn’t able to provide her clients with the best yoga experience.
Clara also found it a huge challenge to book the back-to-back private classes that would make her business successful. This was because she needed different equipment for each class.
She would have to go home between sessions and wasn’t able to book as many classes in the day.
Car or bike?
It was time to make a decision to make her business work. She needed to travel. But would her transport solution be a bike or a car? She knew an e-cargo bike would be the answer to her transport needs. But the expense of buying one was something that was making her hesitate.
“It’s so much better for the environment. And you get exercise too. As a yoga teacher I know how important it is to stay active. Getting around in an e-cargo bike for work and also with my kids, means I can automatically build exercise into my day and not really notice it.
“I don’t get caught in traffic and parking stresses have melted away.”
She had always admired the cargo bike belonging to one of the mums at her daughter’s school.
It was at the school gate that she heard about Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s Parcel Not Pollution initiative. She heard that the council could provide some funding to help with the cost of buying an e-cargo bike.
How MP Smarter Travel helped Paula choose pedal power
We put her in touch with recommend bike suppliers and advised her on the model bike that would best suit the needs of her business. We also handled all the administrative work to make the process as easy and straight forward as possible for Clara. Her choice in the end was a splendid BIMAS E-Cargo tricycle.
Better for business
The e-cargo bike has helped Clara expand her business. She can give more classes in a day and she can transport all the equipment she needs to ensure her clients have the best yoga experience possible.
Save time
Getting around by e-cargo bike is a great time saver. Clara cycles in the cycle lanes between appointments and avoids the traffic jams.
I don’t get caught in traffic and parking stresses have melted away
Save money
There’s no need for Clara to pay congestion zone or London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone charges. And there’s no need to pay parking charges either. The subsidy from Hammersmith and Fulham Council meant that the up-front costs of the bike were relatively low and affordable.
Get in touch
If you’ve been inspired by Clara’s story and would like to help organisations and sole traders in your area grow their business, get in touch with us. We’ll help you scope out a project, distribute subsidies and guide businesses towards cargo bikes, a greener and more efficient way to operate.
If you’re a business owner and have loved hearing about how investing in a cargo bike has allowed Clara to grow her business, contact us. We’ll support you to access funding for your perfect e-cargo bike.
Email info@mpsmartertravel.co.uk to give your business a healthier, greener future.