A new e-bike service has been launched today (8th October) to revolutionise business waste and recycling collections in Putney – the location of one of the most congested high streets in London.
The new service has been set up by Positively Putney, with support from the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB), and aims to increase recycling, make waste collections more convenient for local businesses and reduce traffic congestion in a high street that regularly breaches its annual air pollution limits by the second week of January.
A distinctive blue cargo bike has been kitted out to pick up recycling and waste from retailers and other businesses around Putney and take it to a storage space owned by the council, where it will be collected and processed by sustainable recycling experts, Paper Round.
There are a number of excellent waste consolidation schemes across the capital, but this is unique for its innovative approach to collection which offers benefits to businesses as well as the wider community
Two enthusiastic cyclists have now joined the team and will be talking to businesses in the neighbourhood over the coming weeks, hoping to sign up customers who want to recycle more and help reduce air pollution.
Putney Pedals Recycling was created by Positively Putney with the support of London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB), following feedback from local traders and business owners who have struggled to find commercial waste contractors who can collect from their premises at a convenient time.
The e-bikes can collect recycling and waste throughout the day, as they are not restricted by council time bands, and have the added benefit of being able to negotiate heavy traffic without the same toxic fumes.
The benefits of the pioneering new service include:
- Reduced vehicle movements and emissions as local businesses’ waste will be consolidated on a single site – requiring only one vehicle (operated by Paper Round) to collect it each day
- Increased recycling as businesses will be offered reduced cost recycling collections, subsidised by Positively Putney
- Flexible collection times from business premises and access to off-street waste storage, keeping business waste off the streets and where it belongs
Toby Lewin-Lloyd, Chair of Positively Putney Business Improvement District, said: “This project has taken a while to come to fruition – but it’s been worth the wait. We were well aware of the issues that our local businesses faced, and knew we needed to find a solution that worked for them and for the neighbourhood as a whole.
“This new scheme is a huge improvement on the current set-up and has the added benefit of helping reduce damaging air pollution around the high street. I’m certain that local traders will welcome being free from collection headaches so that they can concentrate on running their businesses.”
Sarah Craddock, Commercial Waste Manager at LWARB, said: “LWARB are excited to be part of this partnership, which has a double environmental dividend of improving recycling and reducing air pollution.
“There are a number of excellent waste consolidation schemes across the capital, but this is unique for its innovative approach to collection which offers benefits to businesses as well as the wider community. We’re hoping to show it’s a model that could be adopted more widely as part of London’s green recovery.”
