Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have all signed the new ‘Greater Manchester Food Delivery Charter’ alongside the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Transport for Greater Manchester, the police and fire service.
It aims to create an industry standard for couriers who use bikes – including electrically-assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) and e-bikes – to deliver food safely across Greater Manchester without endangering themselves or others.
Developed in collaboration with the food delivery companies and GMCA, the charter positively reinforces how couriers should ride safely and legally – on roadworthy bikes – at all times, with delivery schedules that are realistic and do not incentivise them to break the law. Under the charter, couriers are also encouraged to report collisions involving injury to the police to help identify hotspots and reduce incidents.
Food delivery couriers offer vital support to Greater Manchester’s hospitality sector, enabling local businesses to connect with more customers through quick deliveries on meals, grocery and retail items.
The number of food delivery couriers working across Greater Manchester has significantly increased as the industry and the population have grown. It is anticipated that 100,000 people will live in the city centre by 2026, highlighting the need for food delivery companies and Greater Manchester to work together as the demand for these types of services inevitably grows.
Meanwhile, Greater Manchester is committed to becoming a safer, healthier and more sustainable city region, with its Vision Zero strategy targeting zero deaths or life-changing injuries involving road traffic in GM by 2040.
The Food Delivery Charter will play an important role in achieving this, specifying the legal requirements and regulatory expectations of cyclist couriers and fostering better collaboration between the companies and public sector in Greater Manchester.
Read more about the new GM food delivery charter here: UK’s biggest food delivery companies sign new charter to help make Greater Manchester roads safer
