Six Oxford University Colleges have signed up to receiving deliveries via cargo bikes instead of vans as part of a trial with the local firm Pedal & Post.
A new year long trial which started last Friday (September 1) will see six Colleges utilise the cargo bike delivery firm Pedal & Post for receiving parcels.
Pedal & Post’s hub is based in Botley and during the trial parcels which would usually travel into the centre of Oxford via vans will instead be delivered to this hub before being sent out via cargo bike.
The six Colleges participating include Corpus, Magdalen, St Anne’s, University, Wadham and Wolfson.
Alexander Betts, the University’s local and global engagement officer, said the trial would create the potential for the delivery service to be expanded to more Colleges and academic departments.
He said: “This is a wonderful example of the Colleges coming up with great innovation which the wider university can learn from.
“We want to do our bit locally to address the congestion challenges we face in Oxford.”
Wolfson College had a six-week trial which started back in February 6 and Mr Betts said this provided a “great chance to learn”.
During this trial, Mr Betts said it was learnt that students are interested but they needed to “do a bit of work to get the majority of students signed up”.
Students are required to change their delivery address from their College to Pedal & Post’s depot in order to sign up to the trial.
Mr Betts emphasised that expanding the number of Colleges using Pedal & Post was part of Oxford University's ambition to help the wider community by reducing the number of vans going into the city.
It is estimated that around 20 Colleges receive over half a million packages and national couriers have agreed with Pedal & Post to drop their parcels at the depot in Botley.
Chris Benton, the founder of Pedal & Post, said: “We’re thrilled to work with the colleges on this innovative scheme.
“Our bikes are smaller than vans so are much more agile in the mediaeval streets of central Oxford.
“Oxford’s hospitals already use them for medical deliveries as they’re rapid and predictable.
“We’re also really excited to be working with a number of national courier firms on this trial, which is one of the first in the country where multiple firms are dropping parcels into a ‘consolidation hub’ - our depot.”
It is hoped the trial will also make porters’ lives easier as they will only need to sort out one delivery of parcels.
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