The micro-mobility sector has grown up this year and matured into an integral transport mode for the city and its residents - over 2 million trips were completed this year alone. As is true with many transformative industries, popularity can tend to lead to an increased level of scrutiny particularly around any claims made by businesses. For our industry in particular, the question of how sustainable operators themselves actually are has been a recurring theme which is why this report is so important.
50% of air pollution in London is caused by road traffic. Our mission is to facilitate a mode shift away from cars and in 2023, we gave away 14 million minutes of riding and eliminated 235,000 car trips (based on our new modal shift methodology). We are confident every one of those trips reduced air pollution in London. We are the only company with zero emission operations and last year, by implementing initiatives within our supply chain and procurement processes, we reduced CO2 emissions per bike by 14%.
We were founded with a sustainable mindset and a simple mission to reduce emissions. While we may have lost the Human from our name this year, to become “Forest”, providing a mode to allow humans to reduce their carbon footprint and create a better future for our planet will always be front and centre of what we do.
Another area where we have had great success has been through The Refurbishment Project. We’ve created teams dedicated to recycling and repairing parts which has led to a 10% increase in the repair rate of broken parts to 71%. The teams are made up of craftspeople who, for example, expertly stitch new leather covers or patches onto seats to be reused. The introduction of new battery diagnostic technology and air tyres is expected to reduce broken parts by 35% in 2024.
Cities were created with a hierarchy of transport modes in mind. 2023 showed us that people are well on their way to embracing new technologies and sustainable ways of moving. While we do not yet have all the answers as to what a bike-led future for urban transport might look like, we are committed to facilitating the modal shift needed to decarbonise transport and create a cleaner future for all.
Laura Elms, Head of Sustainability
Check out our Sustainability Report here!
