Before-After Assessment of a Logistics Trial with Clean Urban Freight Vehicles: A Case Study in London

The paper addresses the potential role that can be played by clean vehicles especially cycles in conjunction with urban consolidation centres (UCCs) in reducing freight traffic and its environmental impacts in towns and cities. A trial is presented in which a major stationery and office supplies company making deliveries to customers in central London replaced their diesel vans with electrically-assisted tricycles and electric vans operating from a urban micro-consolidation centre located in the delivery area. The results show that the total distance travelled and the CO2e emissions per parcel delivered fell by 14% and 55% respectively as a result of this delivery system. The trial proved successful from the company's perspective in transport, environmental and financial terms and it has therefore decided to officially launch and continue the operation.