Soft Market Test - Shared eCargo Bike Schemes for Cambridgeshire County Council

In May 2020, the Department for Transport awarded 18 local authorities funding through the eCargo Bike Grant Fund.

Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council, supported by City Changer Cargo Bike and the Greater Cambridge Partnership, put together a joint bid for 30 eCargo Bikes to deliver four separate initiatives, including two shared and pool eCargo Bike schemes for Cambridge.

Through a separate Request for Quotation document, we are seeking a provider to supply, service and maintain the eCargo Bikes (details available on ProContract Ref: DN495845), and in parallel we are carrying out this soft market testing to understand how the schemes could work in practice.

These shared cargo bike schemes will build upon the strong local cycling culture in Cambridge to support families and small city centre enterprises, and contribute to healthy lives, active travel, sustainable transport and local employment.

As a lead partner on the Horizon 2020 project, City Changer Cargo Bike, we have recognised the value cargo bikes have within the transport mix in Cambridge.

The grant funding will increase the impact of many of the activities within City Changer Cargo Bike, providing the opportunity to transform the project implementation plans, into schemes working in practice.

We are carrying out this soft market testing, to better understand how best to run the schemes.

This includes, but is not limited to, booking systems, locks and security, battery charging, storage, promotion, pricing structure, insurance and rider training.