Raleigh are donating £42,000 of electric bikes to the National Trust for their staff to trial at key sites from this month.
The models on trial will include the Motus as well as e-cargo bikes for transporting goods and equipment around some estates. With the charity looking to reduce its reliance on traditional vehicles, the trial will include estates such as Tyntesfield in North Somerset, Saltram in Devon and Blickling in Norfolk.
Edward Pegram, Commercial Partnership Manager for Raleigh outlines how the bikes will benefit each National Trust property. “An electric bike is a fun, modern solution for the National Trust to use instead of diesel powered quad bikes, trucks and vans. Whether it’s an e-bike for staff to use to get from a visitor centre to a stately home quickly and quietly, or one of our business cargo e-bikes to transport supplies for the shop, we’re committed to helping the National Trust achieve a more environmentally friendly future”.
Rob Rhodes, Head of Countryside Management and Rangers at the National Trust said: “The climate crisis is one of the biggest threats facing nature and heritage and reducing our own carbon footprint is a key part of how we plan to tackle it. As well as being a carbon-friendly means of travel, we’re hoping the e-bikes will become a talking point, giving staff an opportunity to speak with visitors about how climate change is affecting our places, and what we’re doing about it. Our staff and volunteers are enjoying riding the e-bikes and we have already seen a reduction in vehicle mileage and therefore a carbon saving. It’s exciting to be harnessing the latest in low carbon technology to keep our places moving.”
