UPS “at the forefront” of adopting eco-friendly transportation measures
UPS has established a micro hub in the city of Cambridge, the first of its kind in the UK. Operating from a converted shipping container, the hub will serve as a consolidation and dispatch point for packages bound for the city centre.
The hub will be home to three electric-assisted quad cycles, known as eQuads. These innovative vehicles provide final-mile delivery to residential and commercial properties in the city with zero tailpipe emissions – supporting deliveries typically made in two conventional diesel vans.
The eQuads, developed by UK-based company Fernhay, can use cycle lanes and dual-use pedestrianised zones, ensuring safe access to areas where cars and trucks are restricted.
The investment not only supports UPS’s global sustainability goals of network decarbonisation, it also aligns with Cambridge’s Clean Air initiative – a citywide effort to reduce emissions in the city centre by promoting more sustainable methods for local deliveries.
The UK has long been a laboratory for UPS’s sustainable innovation. The company’s Central London package facility is home to a smart charging grid for its fleet of electric vehicles. UPS is also participating in the London Light Freight Walking Trial, part of the Defra-funded Clean Air Logistics for London project with Cross River Partnership – which sees an operator and an electric-assisted walker delivering to recipients in Fitzrovia.
These solutions complement the network of some 6,398 UPS Access Point locations in the UK, which not only provide convenience and choice to customers but can also bring carbon reductions of 33% compared to deliveries directly to an address.
Artur Drenk, Director of Sustainability, UPS EMEAI said: “As cities worldwide adopt eco-friendly transportation measures, such as low-emission and zero-emission zones, we are at the forefront, aligning our operations with more sustainable solutions. The Cambridge hub is evidence of our dedication to serving customers and communities while reducing our footprint on the ground.”
