On your bike! Chestertons aims to get Londoners cycling by summer 2024

Chestertons has launched a new initiative with its e-Bike partner Forest that it hopes will get 5,000 of its customers and clients cycling before summer 2024.

If the London agent were to achieve this ambitious aim, it claims it would help prevent up to 60,000kg of CO2 emissions entering the environment.

As part of the initiative, Chestertons will be encouraging all of its clients, customers and staff to sign up for a free Forest account which will give them an initial 30 free minutes of cycling and then 10 additional free minutes every day.

It has also launched a ‘Chestertons Cycle Club’ in collaboration with Forest, which will host events and allow members to claim additional free minutes across the year. The first 100 people to sign up will receive an hour in free minutes, equal to four trips between Kensington and Mayfair.

In August, Chestertons began an e-Bike trial for 30 of its staff, encouraging them to use e-Bikes for their commute and to conduct viewings. To date, more than 500 ride journeys have been completed, saving an estimated 53kg of CO2.

Fion Wang, one of Chestertons’ green champions and manager of the Chestertons Cycle Club, said: “Our staff trial went so well that we have pushed forward the next phase of the partnership with Forest and we are now ready to start encouraging our customers and clients into the saddle. 

“5,000 sign-ups is a big and very ambitious target but achieving this would have a real impact on the environment and London’s air quality, not to mention people’s health.”

Noting the challenges faced by the weather, she added: “We are aware that fewer people may want to start cycling in the winter months but are confident that there will be a good take-up amongst our clients and staff and it will give us time to iron out the teething issues before we do another big push in the spring.”

As a final part of the expanded partnership, Forest will feature Chestertons’ branches on its in-app map, showing support for Chestertons’ upcoming Winter Coat Drive campaign when all Chestertons branches will serve as donation point for members of public to donate warm jackets and coats.