Royal Mail and Ford have partnered to trial a new city-friendly approach to parcel delivery in Manchester. 

The purpose of the trial was to examine whether multi-modal delivery using Ford’s routing software could help Royal Mail to increase its foot-based deliveries of larger parcels in urban areas.

Ford’s software helped Royal Mail to use fewer vans in the trial area. The software enabled several posties to make deliveries with one vehicle supporting them. 

It identified safe, convenient locations for the handover of parcels to postmen and postwomen who then made deliveries to a mix of high-rise, business, and residential buildings. 

During the trial, postmen and postwomen used a smartphone app that provided the location of the van and showed the most efficient routes to deliver the parcels. 

The process resulted in fast and efficient deliveries, whilst maintaining human interaction at the point of delivery, ensuring trust on the doorstep.

The trial took place in the M4 postcode area of Manchester. This is ahead of Manchester launching its Clean Air Zone next year, with daily van charges coming into effect from 2023.

Achim Dunnwald, Chief Operating Officer, at Royal Mail, said: “Ford’s software enabled Royal Mail to reduce van usage and mileage in the trial area, whilst still offering a prompt and reliable parcel delivery service. At Royal Mail, we are continuously looking at opportunities to reduce our emissions, alongside delivering convenience to our customers.”