Sustainable courier Delivery Mates and Q-Park UK are to continue their operations from a central London micro logistics hub following successful trials.
Based in the Q-Park Pimlico parking facility, the hub provides zero-emission last-mile deliveries for the local neighbourhood.
The emissions reductions benefits of the hub were proven in a nine-month trial funded by Cross River Partnership (CRP) and Westminster City Council (WCC). And Delivery Mates has now struck a deal with Q-Park UK to continue independently operating from the Pimlico micro logistics hub for a minimum of 12 months.
The hub receives parcels from an electric van and then distributes them by electric cargo bikes in the City of Westminster and surrounding areas.
As with other micro logistics hubs, the site acts as a crucial step for consolidating deliveries, which can reduce the number of polluting vehicle trips and congestion, thereby improving local air quality.
The findings from the trial show the eco benefits of such an approach. After nine months of operations, the e-cargo bikes travelled total distance of 22,578 km (14,029 miles), which led to significant emissions reductions of 4,186kg of CO2, 15,141 g of NOx, and 303g of PM2.5 when comparing the e-cargo bikes to polluting van deliveries on the last mile.
According to the CRP Clean Air Tool, that’s equivalent to the CO2 emissions from 85 football pitch-sized forest fires and NOx emissions equivalent to what 459 people emit in one day.
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality at Westminster City Council, said: “We are immensely proud of the success of the Pimlico Micro Logistics Hub, which demonstrates the power of working together to tackle urban transport challenges. This project exemplifies our commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable economy while supporting local businesses and improving the quality of life for residents.
“Building on the success of the trial, Westminster City Council hopes to expand and replicate similar initiatives across the city to transform urban logistics and improve sustainability.”
Cross River Partnership (CRP) is currently working on an in-depth report which will include detailed data, insights, learnings, and recommendations from the trial in Pimlico.
