Launches in the Rhondda Fawr valley: Initiative enables residents to rent electric bikes locally
The Rhondda Fawr valley in South Wales is set to welcome a new sustainable transport initiative, as the E-Move e-bike borrowing project arrives, thanks to a partnership with Welcome to Our Woods and funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
The project, which has already shown promising benefits in Treherbert, is poised to bring improvements in health and well-being, increased confidence, changes in travel behaviour, and more to the local community. Businesses participating in the E-Move project have reported quicker journey times, savings on fuel, and improved employee morale.
The E-Move project offers an opportunity for local residents to try e-bikes that they might not otherwise have used, enabling people, businesses, and organisations to try an e-bike or e-cargo bike for free. The project will operate out of Treherbert for the duration of its run in the Rhondda Fawr valley.
For those interested in setting up their own community e-bike borrowing project, more information is available. The key steps for success, based on the model launched by Sustrans in partnership with Welcome to Our Woods, include establishing partnerships, securing funding, selecting locations, developing borrowing terms, promoting accessibility and awareness, monitoring and supporting users, and encouraging multi-modal travel.
Benefits and impacts of such community e-bike borrowing projects include improved feelings of health and well-being, increased confidence, changes in travel behaviour, economic and operational benefits for businesses, encouragement of multi-modal travel, and increased accessibility. E-bikes also offer the significant benefit of making hills easier to cycle up.
The E-Move project in Treherbert will run for a year in the Treherbert and Treorchy area, with the Old Library on Bute Street serving as its base until May 2026, with staff on-site on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The project aims to make e-bikes more accessible to the everyday person and help encourage multi-modal travel in the Welsh valleys.
Interested individuals can contact the E-Move project's staff for more information about borrowing an e-bike. The project offers a variety of e-bikes, including fold-up bikes for commuting, step-through bikes for accessibility, and e-cargo bikes for carrying large loads.
Sharing information about the E-Move project is encouraged, as the impact of projects like E-Move can be read about and the benefits enjoyed by many. The E-Move project is a fun and sustainable mode of transport that is set to make a difference in the Rhondda Fawr valley.
- The successful implementation of the E-Move project in Treherbert has led to discussions about expanding its influence to other areas, potentially incorporating elements of home-and-garden and sustainable-living, to foster a lifestyle that prioritizes both environmental consciousness and community well-being in the Rhondda Fawr valley.
- Beyond the immediate benefits of improved health, increased confidence, and changes in travel behavior, the E-Move project also promotes a sustainable-living mindset by encouraging multi-modal transport and reducing reliance on cars, contributing to a greener, more eco-friendly home-and-garden lifestyle in the Rhondda Fawr valley.
