Pedal & Post, a cycle courier company based in Oxford, has ceased trading after more than a decade of operating in the city, following the loss of a major client.
The eco-courier entered liquidation earlier this year. Christopher Benton, the CEO and founder of Pedal & Post, told Cherwell: “Despite exploring every possible avenue to continue trading, the loss ultimately made the business unsustainable.” He added that following a review of forecasts and options, the company made the “difficult decision to cease trading”.
The company’s closure has resulted in the loss of around 60 jobs in Oxford and London.
Pedal & Post, was founded in Oxford in 2013 and expanded to London last July, but the loss of this major client, which Cherwell understands to be e-scooter rental company Voi, resulted in the closure of its Oxford and London sites. Its involvement with Voi was to service e-bikes and e-scooters. By transporting large volumes of freight on cargo bikes or bikes with trailers, Pedal & Post deliveries reduced the volume of delivery vans entering the city centre.
Over its 14 years of operation in Oxford, Pedal & Post delivered millions of items across the city, serving residents, local businesses, and national logistics firms. Its work ranged from local coffee and vegetable box deliveries to last mile deliveries for major couriers like DPD, Yodel, and Evri. The company also conducted critical medical deliveries such as cancer medications for hospitals and NHS trusts.
Robin Tucker, Co-Chair of the Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel (CoHSAT) told Cherwell: “We’re very sad to hear that Pedal & Post have gone into administration after losing a major client. Their bright blue cargo bikes and friendly riders have been a cheering sight on Oxford streets for more than a decade, reducing traffic congestion and pollution, and transporting vital medical supplies through traffic jams.”
Tucker highlighted the scale of the company’s work, noting that Pedal & Post “transported a considerable volume of freight and packages, most notably consolidating deliveries to many Oxford colleges from several package companies on a single large cargo bike, or bike with trailer, rather than being several vans”. He added that their closure “may lead to an increase in van traffic and with it congestion, pollution, and road danger in the centre of Oxford”.
Tucker also pointed to the wider policy context, explaining that Oxford’s Temporary Congestion Charge and upcoming traffic filters permit vans to enter the city for free, while the city’s existing Zero Emission Zone incentivises the use of electric vehicles.
In recent years, Oxford has seen the growth of publicly supported e-cargo-bike schemes, alongside private operators offering a range of delivery models. Some local courier companies, such as Velocity Cycle Couriers, operate mixed fleets combining e-cargo bikes with electric vans, allowing them to handle larger or longer-distance deliveries alongside bike-based work.
Tucker described Pedal & Post as an ethical business, where all riders were paid the Oxford Living Wage and trained to high standards. Benton told Cherwell the company’s current focus is on supporting its team through the transition, including “helping people find new roles, transferring contracts where possible, and keeping riders in work” within the cargo-bike sector.
Benton went on to say to Cherwell “While it’s incredibly hard to see the business come to an end, we’re proud of the impact it had on the city, the people it employed, and the conversations it helped start around sustainable urban logistics,” adding that “Pedal & Post showed that a different kind of delivery model is possible – one that puts people, communities, and the environment first. While this chapter is closing, the idea that cities can be cleaner, fairer, and more human through cargo-bike logistics is very much alive”.
