E-bike trial hopes to start a chain reaction

Rise, a North East charity, is looking for volunteers from Northumberland and Tyne & Wear to try out electric bicycles from local company Ride Electric for six months.

Seventeen residents who currently commute for work within Northumberland or Tyne & Wear are invited to swap cars and public transport for an electric bike in a bid to provide a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative.

Rebecca Bennett, active workplace manager at Rise said, “We are working with Ride Electric because we would like people to seriously consider the many benefits of using an electric bike. As well as providing a healthy and active way to get to work, e-bikes offer a way of avoiding the need to mix with others on public transport at a time when people are concerned about Covid-19.”

Electric bikes are designed to travel at up to 15.5 mph and to take away the effort of cycling uphill or into the wind. They can be charged using a standard plug socket and reach full charge within six hours.

The e-bike trial. which is being run in partnership between Rise and Ride Electric, has also been backed by local authorities.

Rebecca continued, “Although there is a cost to trying the bikes for six months, it will be heavily subsidised by us and we hope that people will soon see the benefits of using bikes for their daily commute.”

To find out more contact rebecca.bennett@wearerise.co.uk