Electric cargo bikes could soon be making deliveries to York shops and businesses in a bid to stop so many vans and lorries coming into the city centre.
A planned pilot scheme will look for alternative ways to move goods around so the city is not clogged by polluting HGVs and Transit vans.
One possible alternative is a delivery ‘hub’ allowing the last or first mile of the journey to be made by low emission modes, including e-cargo bikes.
The plans aim to reduce carbon emissions and the government has put almost £300,000 towards the project.
The council has been awarded £297,237 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to do a feasibility study and trial scheme.
There are five areas of the city centre where air quality needs to improve.
Cllr Andy D’Agorne said: “We already have a clean air zone for buses coming into the city centre and this now provides the opportunity to reduce diesel emissions from HGV’s and vans in the air quality management area.
“Developing suitable and sustainable alternatives will benefit the health of our residents through improved air quality, reduced congestion, and fewer large delivery vehicles around the city centre.”
A third of York’s carbon emissions are from transport.
Cllr Paula Widdowson added: “Air pollution remains a risk to human health. This exciting new project will help the council pioneer new ideas for the city and improve the air we breathe as we visit, work or shop in the city centre.”
The scheme could also cut emissions in nearby areas, depending on the location of the trial hub.