Businesses in Shepherds Bush and Fulham town centre are being asked to do their bit to improve local air quality by exploring ways to reduce delivery journeys.
Using electric vehicles, collecting items on foot and sharing internal deliveries, are just some of the steps businesses in priority ‘hot spots’ could explore.
The ideas will be shared as part of the Clean Air Villages project, funded by Hammersmith & Fulham Council to support local businesses to reduce unnecessary delivery journeys.
“Supporting local businesses in reducing their pollution levels helps in our own aspiration to become the greenest borough in Britain,” said Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for Environment.
“Reducing the number of deliveries in and out of the borough is an obvious measure that will have a profound effect in reducing the levels of dangerous air pollution on our streets.”
The one-year project is being delivered by the Cross River Partnership on behalf of H&F Council, and has been awarded funding from Defra’s Air Quality Grants Scheme, which the council is match-funding.
As well as looking at how the businesses can reduce deliveries, they will also be given advice on other measures to reduce pollution.
The project
The scheme will begin by providing seminars and one-to-one support for businesses to identify local solutions for the areas that would help reduce the number of delivery vehicle trips to the area.
Clean Air Villages aims to enable and support businesses, schools and other organisations to reduce emissions from deliveries of goods and services.
What can businesses do?
Some companies could explore sharing deliveries with a neighbouring businesses to reduce journey numbers.
Bulk-ordering stock is another option that could be taken to reduce delivery numbers.
Some businesses may also be able to compact their own rubbish on site to reduce waste pick up deliveries.
Research by the Cross River Partnership found that a high proportion of deliveries to businesses tended to be personal items for staff members. Reducing the number of these would mean a large reduction in delivery journeys.
In London, approximately 50 per cent of air pollution stems from road transport and one third of that is from freight vehicles, such as vans and trucks.
Want to read more news stories like this? Subscribe to our weekly e-news bulletin.
By sending us a comment, you are agreeing to our publishing policy.
