Not-for-profit organisation Barrow BID has drafted in a new addition to its ranks as part of its pledge to regenerate Barrow Town Centre.
To support its ever-growing programme of community initiatives and regeneration projects, Barrow BID has invested in an all-electric utility vehicle known as the Goupil G4.
The compact EV, which has already turned a number of heads on Barrow’s high street, has quickly become an essential part of its town centre’s day-to-day operations since its arrival earlier this year.
Supplied by Peterborough-based Bradshaw Electric Vehicles, which is the sole distributor of the Goupil range within the UK, Barrow BID’s Goupil G4, which has been purchased second hand, is a compact, road-legal electric utility vehicle designed specifically for low-speed urban environments, making it an ideal match for the organisation’s town centre operations.
Since 2016, Barrow BID has played a key role in enhancing the vitality of the town centre, delivering a wide range of initiatives and collaborating with public and private sector partners on major regeneration efforts.
Fitted with a cage body, the Goupil G4 is perfectly suited to the BID’s varied workload, from setting up large-scale events to supporting regular community clean-up and planting days as well as litter picking initiatives within the town’s centre.
The cage configuration has paid dividends in this regard by helping Barrow BID team members in the loading and unloading of everything from planting supplies and bags of compost to litter-picking tools and event infrastructure, such as pedestrian barriers and signage.
Paul Hodgson, Project Manager at Barrow BID commented: “Up until recently we relied on personal vehicles to tow trailers to transport planting materials and move equipment in and around the town.
“However, as our operations have inevitably expanded over the years, and more initiatives were introduced, we required a more robust and practical solution that could handle a greater workload. So, we observed how other BIDs across the country were approaching similar challenges and identified a growing trend towards the adoption of sustainable, purpose-built electric utility vehicles.
“As a team, we evaluated several manufacturers during the procurement process, but it was the Goupil G4’s unique combination of features that ultimately set it apart, particularly its ability to
operate within pedestrianised areas that still require highway-compliant vehicles – a capability that many competing vehicles surprisingly lacked.”
Public response to the Goupil G4 has been overwhelmingly positive according to Paul Hodgson, with residents regularly stopping to take photos of the electric vehicle.
With the BID also looking to integrate environmentally conscious solutions within its operation, the Goupil G4 has not only proven to be a hit in its day-to-day operations but has served as a visible symbol of its commitment to sustainability.
Paul continued: “Our investment in the Goupil G4 is already paying off and has been really well received by the public and local businesses within the town, which is great to see.
“Introducing the G4 into our operations serves as a practical example of how local organisations can adopt greener solutions while still being able to improve their day-to-day operation. There’s often a lot of range anxiety associated with EVs, but its low-speed, low-mileage and high payload was actually ideal for the context of its use and has benefitted our team hugely in terms of efficiency and ease of access around the town centre.
“Sustainability was of course a key consideration in the decision-making process because as a community we’re all looking to find ways to become greener, but it was also the G4’s functionality that made it the right fit for Barrow BID. Bradshaw Electric Vehicles were instrumental throughout the procurement process, working closely with us to ensure the vehicle met our specific operational needs, which was vital, as we wanted to be confident we were investing in a solution that genuinely worked for us.”
