LoCity TfL Launch event Jan 27th
LoCity TFL launch event Jan 27th
A snazy video with a Gnewt Hermes electric final mile delivery van set the scene for a positive exchange on an agenda for a healthier London at the LoCity Launch Jan 27th.
Ultra Low Emission is far more than Euro six, IOC welcomed Transport for Londons announcement of their January 27th launch event of LoCITY – a brand new industry led program aimed at helping the freight and fleet sector to lead the way in improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.
Ioc Tracey Worth was on hand to listen to Mike Brown, new boss of TFL, responsible for 13 million passenger journeys a day.
Mike Brown addressed the LoCity launch. ‘ Population of London 2015 recorded at 8.5 million, prediction for 2030 is 10 million more people. This will be a massive challenge. LoCity will tackle freight head on for solutions, a collaboration between operators and manufacturers to provide a greener healthier London. TFL is committed to LoCity, we want to see a step change in commercial vehicles in the next five years. TFL with GLA and the London councils are working towards an electric vehicle vision with rapid chargers all around London. By Jan 2018 all new taxis will have zero emission 30 mile range. Our red bus fleet is turning green, all single deckers will be zero emission by 2018. The freight sector should benefit from the research and engineering technology of the buses. I encourage you to invest in low emission vehicles coming to the market.’
Brian Weatherly opened the LoCity launch, ‘The bottom line is the health and well being of London. Driving low emissions, dealing with particulates and oxides of nitrogen. ‘
Glen Davies TFL, ‘Launching today, LoCity has been twelve months in the making, safety, efficiency and environment. Plain English language to bring change. 9416 people died early last year in London because of air quality!’ This is a programme, not a project, a change programme in action. 3 work-streams. 1 is technical, whole life of vehicles, alternative fuels. 2 is research, infrastructure and supply chain. 3 is market research, fleet advice and communication.’
Activity groups followed, post it note answers to all the key questions, a room full of practioners driving strong input into the LoCity questions. The practioners were being listened too. Sam Clarke was there for Gnewt, Justin Moore Citysprint, Andrew Lowery TNT, Peter Harris UPS.
Q&A session opened with ‘has anyone measured how much diesel is used in London?’ the tone was set for a constructive exchange. Peter Harris on the panel from UPS to talk final mile issues. ‘getting power in the building for charging vehicles is the first hurdle, the van grant at three and half tones needs to address heavier vans, we can move more, more efficiently in larger vans.’
Van grants - How do we get the message to the user, ‘grants of twenty per cent of the vehicle cost (upto eight thousand pounds) for an electric van, beware there is only two on the list, Renault & Nissan. Karl Anders at Nissan is detailing the battery technology for the IOC.
Check photos and more details of the event on the Institute of Couriers web at www.ioc.uk.com
LoCity will be on the agenda for the IOC Heads of Industry event Feb 26th