Greater efforts must be made by the logistics sector to consolidate deliveries in order to reduce traffic levels in city centres, a Transport Select Committee inquiry into urban congestion heard on Monday.

 

Freight Transport Association’s head of policy Christopher Snelling said: “We want to consolidate loads into as few a deliveries as possible; a mid sized goods vehicle can take the load of 10 vans.”

 

But he admitted that the idea of sharing goods vehicles is not simple. “Everyone is looking to do that, but it is incredibly difficult to match specific addresses and days. More research is required to understand how vans are being used in a city.”

 

Select Committee member Huw Merriman MP asked if operators should receive a financial incentive to run goods vehicles at greater capacity, rather than with half a load. Christopher Snelling replied that “companies are already massively incentivised to do that”. Huw Merriman then added: “But there is no dis-incentivisation, put it that way.”

 

Robert Flello MP said he though consolidation centres are “a fantastic idea” but recognised that land in central London on which such facilities could be built is expensive. He then suggested that Transport for London make land available for consolidation centres to be built.

 

University of Southampton’s professor of logistics and transport management Tom Cherrett told the hearing that “customers with smartphones pressing the ‘buy it now’ button” might be having an impact on congestion caused by deliveries. Varying the cost of deliveries at certain times could, he added, change purchasing behaviours and help reduce traffic.

 

Gnewt Cargo’s managing director Sam Clarke told the hearing that despite what some people think the concept of free delivery doesn’t exist. “We are all paying for it, it is just we can’t see it. ‘Buy it now’ is increasing congestion.”

 

(Photo: Alastair Lloyd)