What is the London Symphony Orchestra?
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) performs over 120 concerts a year in London and on tour around the world. The LSO’s Music Education Centre and Venue, LSO St Luke’s, is based on Old Street in Islington, previously ‘St Luke’s’ – a derelict 18th-century Grade 1 listed Hawksmoor church. They have been a ZEN member since January 2021. In March 2021 they were awarded a ZEN Workplace Travel Grant and used the grant to purchase an electric cargo bike.
Why did the London Symphony Orchestra join the Zero Emissions Network?
The London Symphony Orchestra found out about ZEN through the Islington Sustainable Energy Partnership (ISEP).
Tara Hill, Trusts and Foundations Manager at the LSO said: ‘We decided to join the Zero Emissions Network because it’s important that, as an organisation, we are always looking to reduce our carbon footprint in effective ways. By being a part of the Zero Emissions Network, which is active in our local area, we can more easily monitor grant opportunities for implementing greener strategies in our ways of working, and learn more about eco-friendly practises being carried out in our local area.’
How has ZEN helped the London Symphony Orchestra?
Staff make up to 10 trips a week using their electric cargo bike, travelling around 10 kilometres through Islington, Tottenham and central London. The cargo bike is used to move equipment, instruments, music scores, orchestral parts, technological equipment and parcels between LSO St Luke’s and the Barbican reducing the use of cars and vans. In December 2021 the cargo bike was used when the orchestra arrived back from their trip to Paris to transport their Covid -19 tests from St Pancras Station to the laboratory in Paddington.
Alan Goode, Operations Manager at the LSO said: 'We have found the e-cargo bike not only saves us using small vehicles for short journeys, it also reduces the amount of manual handling tasks when we move equipment between St Luke’s and the Barbican, therefore protecting the wellbeing of our staff. It is also great fun to ride! Our cargo bike is lessening the LSO’s reliance on the use of cars and similar vehicles, reducing our carbon footprint in this way, and promoting getting around by bicycle.’
Interested in using a cargo bike for your business? Email zen@hackney.gov.uk or fill in the contact form below to arrange your free cargo bike trial.
You can now make sustainable deliveries with a free cargo-bike trial.
Apply for a grant of up to £2,500 for a cargo bike for your workplace.
Learn to ride a cargo bike with a free training session.