Cycling into Dundee's Low Emission Zone to shop: how was it?

Can the bike handle your shopping as well as a car boot can? Environment and transport writer, Joanna, hit Dundee streets to find out. Image: Joanna Bremner/DC Thomson.

It is one year until drivers will be charged for driving banned cars into Dundee’s Low Emission Zone.

An e-cargo bike is one of the eco-friendly alternatives to the fuel-guzzling vehicles that are banned in the clean air zone.

But how easy is it to actually cycle to do your shopping in Dundee’s city centre? I wanted to find out.

Joanna Bremner on the e-cargo bike ready to put it to the test in Dundee’s Low Emission Zone. Image: Joanna Bremner/DC Thomson.

Now I will preface this by saying I am not the most keen cyclist. I am guilty of taking my car on short trips which could easily be done on a bike.

However, I do not currently own one.

Dundee Cycle Hub is offering businesses two free months of e-bike trials to help them adjust to the Low Emission Zone.

Enforcement in the zone starts on May 30 2024.

So I headed out around Dundee to test out one of these e-cargo bikes to see how it compares to my car for doing shopping in the LEZ.

Did I feel safe on an e-bike in Dundee’s Low Emission Zone?

Having grown up in the countryside of Aberdeenshire, most of my cycling has been reserved for disused railway lines. The only competition I’d have on the ‘cycle paths’ was stray cows, sheep or neighbours’ vicious dogs.

But in Dundee’s busy city centre, there are a lot more hazards around.

I couldn’t believe how close some drivers would pass me on my bike.

Although I’ve heard tale of inconsiderate car drivers from cyclists I know, it was very different to actually experience this myself.

Listening to the angry revving of engines before they shot past me was pretty unnerving. You can hear my genuine surprise (and woe) as this happened multiple times on Meadowside.

This is one aspect that would make me more likely to take my car into the LEZ – fears for my safety.

Luckily, as I am based in the Ferry, most of the route between my flat and the city centre is along the waterfront.

This route is not only beautiful but it feels pretty safe.

Joanna Bremner stops for a selfie on her e-cargo bike on the Greenway cycle path towards Broughty Ferry. Image: Joanna Bremner/DC Thomson.

Did my shopping weigh down the e-cargo bike?

Just as I would if I took my car into town, I headed to the Overgate shopping centre on the e-cargo bike to buy some non-essentials.

There is a storage space at the front of the bike for keeping your shopping, backpacks and so on. This was very handy as dangling shopping bags off the handlebars wouldn’t have felt safe on a number of levels.

So I took advantage of the e-cargo bike’s handy storage bin and sought out to find the heaviest items I could to put it to the test.

Here’s what I bought on my shopping trip at the Overgate.

Ceramic jug/vase: 1278g
Tanning and mitt: 307g
Body scrub: 504g
Total grams: 2089g

Joanna's shopping in her e-cargo bike. A pot of body scrub, tanning foam plus mitt, and a ceramic jug. Did they survive a shopping trip through Dundee's Low Emission Zone on the e-bike? — Joanna’s shopping: body scrub, tanning foam plus mitt, and a ceramic jug. Image: Joanna Bremner/DC Thomson.

These are the sort of things I might buy on a weekend jaunt into town – looking at the small list, it feels like a waste of fuel (and emissions) to use my car to buy these sort of non-essential items.

With just over 2kg of added weight on the e-cargo bike, I was worried it might weigh it down. The bike is already difficult to handle as it is pretty wide and heavy on its own.

Although I didn’t notice a difference with manoeuvrability of the bike, my shopping was rolling around a lot. This is something I wouldn’t notice so much in my car, as my shopping usually sits pretty stable in my Fiat’s wee boot.

I feared for the survival of my jug, which was wobbling around every time I cycled over speed bumps, tarred over pot holes or cobbles.

However, it survived the journey between the Overgate and Broughty Ferry, much to my surprise.

What was the e-bike like to cycle on?

It was my first go on an e-bike (an e-cargo bike in particular) and I really enjoyed it.

I could absolutely feel the difference of having the assistance of the bike’s battery to help push me along.

This gave me a great boost going uphill and with starting off from stationary too.

Though it did feel pretty strange turning a key to start your bike.

Two e-cargo bikes in Dundee. Image: Dundee Cycle Hub.

It took quite a while to do my shopping trip in the LEZ on the e-cargo bike.

I would have been able to get into town in just fifteen minutes in my car. But the journey between Dundee and Broughty Ferry took twice as long. It was around half an hour each way on the e-bike.

However, I saved the £3.50 parking for free, and the fuel costs as well.

I also enjoyed being able to cycle pretty much right up to the door too.

So – car or e-cargo bike in Dundee’s Low Emission Zone?

Overall, I enjoyed my day cycling into the Dundee LEZ.

I think the sunshine made a big impact on my overall experience. I probably wouldn’t feel as motivated to get onto my bike to go shopping in the Dundee LEZ if it was a cold, rainy day in December.

Joanna Bremner in Broughty Ferry. She cycled between Broughty Ferry and the Dundee LEZ to test how an e-cargo bike works for shopping, instead of car. — Joanna at her stop at Broughty Ferry castle. Image: Joanna Bremner/DC Thomson.

There were a lot of factors which I hadn’t considered going into the cycle, such as being worried about my shopping rolling around in the storage bin.

But going forward, if I can get my hands on an e-cargo bike, that’s how I will do my shopping – by cycling into Dundee’s Low Emission Zone.

Knowing I am doing the right thing by not adding to the pollution in the area is worth building up a bit of a sweat.

But I know that isn’t an option for everyone, especially those with mobility issues.

I’ve put together my thoughts in a list of pros and cons below.