Amazon to cut vehicle use in the City
Amazon has teamed up with the City of London Corporation to reduce the number of delivery vehicles from streets in the Square Mile.
The final leg of Amazon’s parcel deliveries will be made by e-cargo bikes and people on foot to reduce traffic and cut harmful emissions.
The plan will take up to 85 vehicles off the roads each day according to Alistair Moss, Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation. This will mean 23,000 less vehicle journeys in central London every year.
Moss said: “We are determined to deliver better air quality and to improve road safety for our residents, workers and visitors. This commendable scheme delivers on both counts.”
The Last Mile Logistics Hub will transform 39 car parking spaces in the London Wall Car Park into a hub for Amazon Logistics. From there, Amazon is expected to complete all deliveries within a 2 km radius without motorised freight vehicles.
The City of London Corporation aims to deliver a total of five Last Mile Logistics Hubs by 2025 as part of its Climate Action Strategy. The City Corporation has committed to a target of net zero carbon emissions in the Square Mile by 2040.
In October, the governing body was also considering controversial proposals to make timed road closures, introduced in the wake of the pandemic, permanent. The move was designed to encourage commuters to the financial district to walk or cycle to tackle air quality issues.