Evaluating the use of an urban consolidation centre and electric vehicles in central London

TLDR

The paper focuses on the role that urban consolidation centres (UCCs) can play in reducing freight traffic and its environmental impacts in towns and cities. The study evaluates a trial by a major stationery and office supplies company that replaced diesel‑powered depot deliveries in central London with an urban micro‑consolidation centre and electrically‑assisted cargo tricycles and electric vans. The trial reduced total distance travelled and CO2eq emissions per parcel by 20 % and 54 % overall, but increased distance per parcel in the City of London because of the electric vehicles’ smaller load limits, yet virtually eliminated CO2eq emissions there, and proved successful in transport, environmental and financial terms, prompting the company to continue and officially launch the system in 2010.

Abstract

The paper focuses on the role that can be played by urban consolidation centres (UCCs) in reducing freight traffic and its environmental impacts in towns and cities. It is based on the before and after evaluation of a trial led by a major stationery and office supplies company in which urban freight deliveries in central London made from a depot in the suburbs using diesel vehicles were replaced with the use of an urban micro-consolidation centre located in the delivery area together with the use of electrically-assisted cargo tricycles and electric vans. The results show that the total distance travelled and the CO2eq emissions per parcel delivered fell by 20% and 54% respectively as a result of this delivery system. However, the evaluation has also indicated that the distance travelled per parcel rose substantially in the City of London delivery area as a result of the electric vehicles having far smaller load limits in both weight and volume compared with diesel vans. But, at the same time, the trial system was able to virtually eliminate CO2eq emissions per parcel delivered in the City of London. The trial proved successful from the company's perspective in transport, environmental and financial terms. The company therefore decided to continue the operation beyond the end of the trial with it being officially launched during 2010.