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SW20 Community Mobility and Tool Hub

paul_1 paul_1  •  2023-02-10  •  7 comments  •  The Edinburgh Community Climate Fund  • 

bike.jpg
bike.jpg

Investment project code: 38

Estimated Price


Description

We will create a mobility and eCargobike / tool library hub for residents in the South West of Edinburgh, allowing people to access items that they need occasionally or would like to trial before they purchase. Community residents have told us they want to learn how to travel more sustainably as well as access Edinburgh Tool Library resources more easily.

Our project has three strands:

  • We will create a mobility hub in the South West of Edinburgh. From this hub we will provide free single-day eCargoibike hires to the local community.
  • This will also house SW Edinburgh branch of the Edinburgh Tool Library, a cooperative venture to share the use of tools between residents and community groups.
  • We will expand our existing free-to-hire eCargobike fleet to help promote active travel. As well as hires, we are partnering with other SW Edinburgh community groups to give tasters event of sustainable, active travel across SW Edinburgh.

SW20 Community Mobility Hub:

 We plan to expand and have agreement of Edinburgh Council to site a container to house multiple eCargobikes in the rear Car Park of Colinton Library. This funding will allow us to purchase a storage container.

The funding will pay a small rent, extend insurance cover, have appropriate site/bike security and expand the use of online booking system. The storage space will also allow for future expansion to include a wider range of bikes, including accessible cycles.

Edinburgh Tool Library partnership:

 The storage location will also become the SW Edinburgh branch of the Edinburgh Tool Library. It’s a simple idea and works like a normal library, but you borrow tools (like drills/sanders/steamers) instead of books.

 The funding will allow for the purchase of a starter selection of tools. We intend to adapt our existing booking system for local hires. We see significant potential for this model to be self-sustaining – this funding would just be the start.

 Expand the fleet, promote active and sustainable travel:

 In addition, the funding will purchase an additional eCargobike. User feedback indicates that alternative and additional bikes will enable more (and different) users to test eCargobikes and particularly for families to use. This will also allow our members to support sustainable local food bank deliveries, including the Sunflower Pantry in Clovenstone.

 We will use events to collect data on the barriers to active travel locally. This will help inform local community councils and forthcoming consultations on active and public transport schemes.

 The funding will allow for a small marketing budget for leaflets, adverts in local press (Currie & Balerno News, Dell Directory, Colinton Magazine, Evening News) and branding of the bikes.

 

Location: Colinton, serving South / West Edinburgh

Proposed on behalf of: SW20, South West Edinburgh 20 Minute Neighbourhoods, is a community-led group of local people. We came together to discuss how we can make our community better. As residents, parents, professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, we share an interest in wanting to ensure we can live well locally. We constituted as a community association in Summer 2022 with the following aims and mission: SW20 Mission: To live better locally. We want to promote the 20 minute neighbourhood concept in South West Edinburgh. Aims: Create inclusive, resilient & accessible communities with thriving local business and services Enable local people to choose more sustainable ways to access local businesses, transport, public services, schools and green spaces.

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  • alansplanet

    Would be so good to see this happen in the SW. It would be really well used. Good luck!

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    • eilidh.troup

      Would love this! I like the idea of a tool library but the ones in the north of the city are too far away

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      • davidfkey

        Excellent idea, thanks👍

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        • katie_impetuous_imp

          Tool library is very exciting!! Have been wishing such a thing would start here as leith is too far. Cargo bikes would be very exciting too if I didn’t have LC.

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          • hunter_jim

            A really worthy application with potentially tangible benefits for the local community.

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            • laid-back

              An excellent initiative combining tools and the means to transport them easily.

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              • suzylynch

                Tool library will be a great resource. 👍

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                Don't have defined milestones