Environmentally friendly transport hits Oxford

A new generation of bikes has arrived in Oxford, encouraging you to get around in an environmentally friendly way.

The Electric Transport Shop, founded by two graduates in 2003, Jamie McAlley and Eddie Kehoe, have launched a new shop on Magdalen Road on Tuesday the 3rd of June, an exciting opening following the successful shops in Cambridge and London. Special guests toasting to the occasion were Cllr. Jean Fooks, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Summertown and Wolvercote, and Katie Parnell, Sustainable Travel Coordinator for the Oxfordshire County Council. With the national focus on reducing your carbon footprint, Oxford residents now have the perfect opportunity to get on board and swap four wheels for a two-wheel electric ride across town or to work.

Katie Parnell says: “I’ve been contacted by a few of the staff here at the County Council asking about electric bikes; so they are clearly something with great potential here in Oxfordshire. They provide a number of environmental benefits, and allow people to travel further than they would be able to by a regular bicycle. This is therefore a positive endeavour, allowing a wider range of people to enjoy cycling and to reduce their individual carbon footprints, as well as the footprint of Oxfordshire.”

Covering 1000 miles on an electric bike costing only £3 worth of electricity enables you to not only save money on short journeys, but also encourages you to do your bit for the planet, reducing fuel emissions and traffic congestion. Instead of sitting in an hour of traffic to travel 5 to 20 miles why not cycle that distance in 10 to 30 minutes with minimal effort? The company is certain that the demand for electric transport is high in Oxford. The shop is managed by environmentally conscious Nickie Claassens from Wolvercote.

Cllr. Jean Fooks says: “Despite the Oxford Transport Strategy reducing car traffic in the centre of Oxford, air quality is still relatively poor. Anything which reduces traffic and helps people to travel by less polluting modes has to be good news. I welcome the arrival of The Electric Transport Shop in Oxford and hope people will try out this innovative, highly sustainable form of transport as their contribution to cleaning Oxford’s air as well as a fast and convenient way to travel within the city.“