Lorries and vans are vital for London’s economy. Half of the value of household expenditure, around £79 billion per year, relies on road freight. However, the movements of goods vehicles in the capital have increased by around 20 per cent since 2010, contributing to poor air quality, congestion and road danger.

Lorries and vans currently account for around one fifth of road traffic in London and about one third in central London during the morning peak, when more people use public transport, walk and cycle. TfL research shows that heavy goods vehicles are involved in 63 per cent of fatal collisions with cyclists, and 25 per cent of fatal collisions with pedestrians, despite only making up four per cent of the overall miles driven in the capital. Lorries and vans also account for around a third of all nitrogen oxide emissions in the capital, having a damaging impact on the health of Londoners.

As London grows, the volume of lorry and van trips will continue to grow unless action is taken. 

The Mayor’s Freight and Servicing Action, unveiled today, outlines a bold programme to help address these challenges. It sets out how the industry can continue to meet the freight and servicing needs of London’s growing population and economy, while reducing the number of lorries and vans entering central London during the morning peak by 10 per cent by 2026. 

Encouraging Londoners to choose more sustainable delivery options is key as sales online have doubled since 2012. Between 200,000 and 400,000 personal deliveries are made to offices in central London every day, with every parcel having an impact on air quality and congestion. 

Key actions in the plan include:

• Working with boroughs to better coordinate the control of freight movements on London’s roads, including supporting London Councils’ review of the London Lorry Control Scheme, which helps manage noise nuisance from the largest lorries during unsocial hours and allow more deliveries where appropriate to take place during off-peak hours
• Supporting increased use of water and rail by protecting and reactivating wharves and working with Network Rail to take advantage of opportunities to grow rail freight where possible
• Reducing harmful emissions caused by lorry and van movements by launching the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone next month, which will bring in stricter exhaust emission standards for most vehicles, including vans and lorries, and supporting boroughs in introducing local zero emission zones. TfL guidance will set out a clear process to boroughs for introducing zones to tackle pollution hot spots across the capital
• Making freight vehicles safer by launching the HGV Safety Permit Scheme, incorporating the world’s first Direct Vision Standard for HGVs, with the first permits under the scheme to be issued later this year. TfL will also work with regulators to bring in additional mandatory safety equipment for vehicles where appropriate, including new technology to prevent vehicles being driven under the influence of alcohol and autonomous braking systems to reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “Freight is essential for London’s economy but for our future health and prosperity we need to be smarter about how we manage the millions of van and lorry journeys each week. By creating a pan-London network of micro-distribution centres and rolling out innovative click and collect points at more Tube stations, we will enable more commuters to collect packages near their home – helping reduce congestion across our city. Together with the introduction of our world-leading Direct Vision Standard and supporting businesses to switch to electric vans and cargo bikes, we will make freight more efficient while also reducing road danger and cleaning up London’s toxic air.”

Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “Freight and servicing are the lifeblood of London’s economy and without the industry, London would seize up. As London continues to grow, we all need to think about how we can keep freight moving whilst tackling toxic air and congestion and reducing danger to vulnerable road users. Whether through using click and collect points for online shopping, or shifting vehicle fleets to greener alternatives, we all have a part to play in making London a healthy and attractive place to live and work. We will continue to work closely with our partners and people across the capital to make our vision for cleaner and safer freight a reality.”

Delivery company DPD has recently opened a pioneering all-electric depot in central London on TfL land. The depot is completely zero emission for both incoming parcels, served by two 7.5t fully-electric lorries, and for last-mile deliveries, carried out by a fleet of 10 electric vans and eight micro-vehicles. DPD has invested £500,000 in the site, including extensive charging infrastructure, and the depot serves a two-square mile delivery radius in the heart of Westminster.

The plan also outlines how the most unsafe HGVs will be removed from London’s roads as part of the Mayor’s Vision Zero approach to reduce road danger. TfL’s Direct Vision Standard for Heavy Goods Vehicles will tackle road danger at its source by eliminating blind spots that are the cause of so many tragic deaths and life-changing injuries.

This will be the first initiative of its kind in the world to categorise HGVs depending on the level of a driver's direct vision from a cab. This scheme is due to be introduced in 2020 to improve vehicle safety and increase visibility of vulnerable road users. HGVs will be given a rating between 'zero-star' (lowest) and 'five-star' (highest), with only those vehicles rated 'three-star' and above, or which have comprehensive safety systems, able to operate in London from 2024.

TfL recently awarded six business groups a share of £230,000 funding for innovative projects that make freight and deliveries more efficient. The funding from TfL's Healthy Streets Fund for Business was matched by the business groups themselves and will be invested in schemes ranging from an electric freight consolidation centre at Borough Market, to underground waste storage containers in Vauxhall and the promotion of cycle freight in the London Bridge area. TfL is currently accepting applications from BIDs and Business Partnerships for another round of funding from the scheme, with applications closing on 19 March 2019.