Royal Mail moves away from air freight to be greener and more efficient
This month Royal Mail completed the removal of 18 domestic flights as part of its effort to improve reliability and minimise carbon emissions.
One of the last flights departed from East Midlands Airport on Saturday 5 April – the planes will be replaced by road vehicles which are both better for the environment and more reliable.
In recent years, Royal Mail has invested significantly in its road fleet with its Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) now partly running on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
This renewable alternative to diesel reduces direct greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 per cent.
The company also operates the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet, with over 6,000 electric vehicles.
In total, Royal Mail has discontinued 18 domestic flights, saving c.30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year and marking a significant step forward in achieving its Net-Zero target by 2040.
Besides reducing carbon emissions, this effort will also increase reliability for customers with mail transported by road less likely to be delayed by weather.
Road transport also helps meet the growing demands of online shopping, with consumers buying larger items – in the last six years, the average parcel handled by Royal Mail has grown by nearly 30% and the number of parcels classed ‘large’ has more than doubled.
The only domestic flights that will remain are those that are essential for Royal Mail to fulfil its Universal Service Obligation, providing a next day delivery service to all 32 million addresses in the UK.
The capability to divert mail from air to road has been unlocked by changes Royal Mail has made to its operation, including later start times at delivery offices across the country to enable the movement of parcels and letters overnight by road.
Alistair Cochrane, Chief Operating Officer at Royal Mail, said: “This is about delivering for the future. By moving away from air freight, we’re making Royal Mail greener, more efficient, and ready for the long term.”
