Choosing Pedal Power over Petrol

What happened when six families in Aberdeenshire swapped four wheels for two… 

As part of a pilot programme to revolutionise travel behaviours, participating families in rural Scotland were given e-bikes as an alternative means of transport for a year. 

Just over a month ago BBC Scotland went to see how three of the families were getting on… 

Alternative Travel on E-bikes – BBC Scotland

On the BBC News page, a short video introduction shares the experience of two volunteer Volt riders who are piloting the scheme. Featuring the Pulse and Pulse LS hybrid e-bikes, the participants share the kind of journeys typically needed and how the electric bikes have impacted on those commutes. 

The video is a lead-in to a more in-depth article which features a third participant, Tim MacLaren in Kintore. Tim has a 15-mile journey into work and has been testing out a Volt e-bike to assist him on his commute. 

The written article finishes with Charlotte Milburn in Strathdon who was the project’s most remote volunteer for the scheme. Some 1,300ft up remote, to be precise!

Charlotte shares how having an e-bike has made her rural life much more accessible. Her journeys back up the hill from her closest village have been cut from half an hour to 12 minutes. 

Read the full piece and hear what each participant had to say on the BBC website here or download ebike article PDF:

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