More on Danish cargo bikes

It rains as much (if not more) in Copenhagen than in London. Yet, there are 30,000 cargo bikes in Copenhagen, and only a few here. Some energetic campaigners have launched a new struggle: to "copenhagenize" the world and place cycling in its right spot as a safe and environmentally-friendly (and fun!) mode of transportation. Today we've contacted the London Cycling Campaign to see what can be done to change this state of affair in the big, buzzing and potentially green metropolis that is London. Several factors are constraining their wider adoption here, on which we suggested that LCC could work on:

Demand-side

• People just don’t know about them – LCC could help in disseminating information;
• They are expensive (about 1500/2000 GBP) – LCC could work with the Mayor of London to develop specific subsidies to bring costs down (I personally think that would be a better use of public money than subsidising rental schemes as targeted people would then use them on a regular basis on a route they are used to taking every day)

Supply-side

• Supply-side: They are difficult to get hold off – LCC could work with suppliers to bring them into the UK
• They are difficult to park, because very bulky – LCC could campaign for more parking places, particularly in front of blocks of flats, council estates, etc where these machines (and other types of bicycles) could safely be parked at night and sheltered from the rain. 

Ultimately, much like sanitation (and mobile phones!), it's all about behaviour change, strengthening supply chains, getting the right incentives in place and building essential support infrastructure. Will keep you posted!