Section B - freight servicing and delivery
Servicing and delivery is an essential element of a successful city and requires a careful management approach to minimise unwanted impacts. We have high demand on our road network and reducing vehicle dependency for freight servicing and delivery is key to improving its efficiency. Road congestion means that operators often need to deploy more vehicles, which exacerbates the problem.
Westminster is working with industry partners and business stakeholders to develop a city-wide freight servicing and delivery plan that will set out plans for:
- a network of urban logistics hubs
- development of delivery consolidation centres (small scale logistics centres where deliveries can be routed based on environmental impacts)
- establish opportunity to use the river and rail network
- establish area freight management plans and Delivery and Servicing Plans
- collaborative procurement; and
- kerbside management and access restrictions
Through this plan we will be able to support our carbon reduction and climate resilience objectives by reducing the number of combustion engine delivery and servicing vehicles in the city and:
- improving air quality
- improving road safety
- reducing congestion; and
- working towards city-wide net zero carbon emissions
The use of urban logistics hubs is an innovative approach to operating freight and logistics services within dense areas like Westminster. They range in size – from larger sites hosting a fleet of electric vans, to small temporary facilities served by cargo bikes. They can be used as a base for both customer collection and low carbon last mile delivery.
For more information and guidance, please see:
Better Delivery: The Challenge for Freight, National Infrastructure Commission (2019)
Mayor’s Transport Strategy (2018)