A new report has revealed that 60% of London-based couriers and food delivery workers feel unsafe on the capital’s roads.
The report, dubbed “Hot Wheels,” was written by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and the climate change charity, Possible. Among other things, it highlights that there is little research and few policies are in place to ensure food delivery workers are provided with safe, green, and fair transport systems.
With more than 23,000 road casualties in London every year, motorbike and moped users are around 11-15 times more likely to be killed on the city’s roads. The IWGB and Possible are calling for more support for delivery drivers, who often rely on motorbikes, travel long distances and work long hours.
The chair of the Couriers and Logistics Branch of the IWGB, Shaf Hussain, said: “We need broader support from politicians and delivery companies to be able to travel safer, produce fewer emissions, and better infrastructure so we can continue to work and bring people across London their takeaways and packages.”
The “Vision Zero” strategy, by the Transport for London (TfL), aims to eradicate all road deaths and serious injuries in London by 2041.
In support of this, the report recommends that the Government introduce a scrappage scheme or social leasing policy to make legal e-bikes more accessible. The piece also calls for better cycling infrastructure, low-traffic routes, and up-to-date mapping platforms when new traffic restrictions are implemented. On top of this, the report recommends increasing enforcement and education to tackle the rise of illegally modified two-wheelers and dangerous driving.
Sustainable transport campaign and research manager at Possible, Izzy Romilly, has said that many couriers are keen to make the switch to greener options, but this is not without its challenges: "With more Government support, better working conditions, and increased road danger reduction measures, couriers would be able to transfer millions of miles from fossil fuels to electricity while being safer on the streets.”
