More E-Bike Vouchers Offered After Slow Uptake

Tuesday, 18 July 2023 08:26

The number of e-bike vouchers available in the latest round of applications has been doubled to 350.

It's because less than a quarter of the subsidies issued since January have been used.

The summer ballot for the £300 or £600 grants has opened this week.

350 vouchers will be awarded in this third window. That is more than double the number available in the spring.

Last month it emerged that - despite hundreds of people putting their name forward for help to pay for an e-bike - 3 in 4 successful applicants had not spent their voucher, which is valid for three months.

E-bike vouchers in numbers:

January - 1,800 applications and 210 grants awarded.

April - 1,300 applications. and 165 grants awarded.

85 vouchers - £32,000 worth- have been redeemed at Jersey bike shops.

“The number of applicants in the first two windows was excellent, with well over 1,000 each time, but the number actually redeemed was lower than we would have liked.

We’re regularly reviewing and evolving the scheme, and we’re making more vouchers available this time around to help ensure more Islanders who really want them are able to get their hands on them.

“We’re committed to helping people make the shift from petrol or diesel vehicles to electric vehicles, and these subsidies support those who are considering buying an e-bike but need that extra nudge and financial help to get there." - Deputy Hilary Jeune, Minister for Energy and Climate Change.

The split of vouchers available this time is 220 for e-bikes, 110 for e-cargo bikes, and 20 for adapted e-cycles. That's a total of more than £130,000 worth of potential subsidies.

The voucher scheme is part of the government's Climate Emergency Fund to support its Carbon Neutral Roadmap policies.

The July application is open for a week at www.gov.je/ebike.