Funding announced for London parcel lockers and electric delivery vehicles

The Great London Authority has announced five projects that will benefit from the new £1m Major’s Air Quality Business Fund. They include initiatives in Islington for parcel lockers and a shared electric vehicle for deliveries; and a “micro-consolidation” scheme for parcel deliveries in Southwark.

The successful projects were announced on 24 November 2017, and will be delivered by April 2019.

According to a notice posted on the Greater London Authority website:  “Five ‘Business Low Emissions Neighbourhoods’ (BLENs) across five boroughs were selected from a total of 15 proposals, showing the wide support for improving air quality within London’s business community. The BLENs will include measures such as anti-idling campaigns, zero emission delivery services and cleaner walking routes for staff and customers. They are being delivered by local business groups working in partnership with their local councils, who have supported the development of the proposals.”

In Islington, the Archway Town Centre Group will deliver a variety of “interventions”. These will include the shared electric vehicle for deliveries; and installing lockers for deliveries at the Archway tube station,  in order to “help residents avoid missing deliveries and provide an alternative to getting their online shopping delivered to work”.

In Southwark, Better Bankside and Team London Bridge Business Improvement Districts are working a number of schemes including a green cycle path, walking routes and a “micro-consolidation scheme which involves having all deliveries sent into one location and distributing with a low or zero emission vehicle to reduce congestion and pollution”.

Hammersmith Business Improvement District is working on a project around the Hammersmith Flyover, which will include a secure hub for people to store their bikes.

In Camden, Euston Business Improvement District’s schemes include a new “rapid” electric charging point. (And it is worth noting that Camden is home to a UPS depot which is currently trialing cargo bikes.)

In Westminster, the Northbank Business Improvement District project includes an initiative in which “consultants will work with all the local businesses and organisations to help them cut unnecessary deliveries”.

The Mayor’s Air Quality Business Fund is funded through the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP) with money awarded from Growth Deal 3.