Freight Group Backs Use of Low Emission Road Haulage Solutions

UK – Regular readers will know the Handy Shipping Guide actively promotes the growth of freight carriage using low emission vehicles such as electric and hydrogen powered vans and trucks plus fuel conservation measures by the road haulage industry. Now the Government’s latest moves on the matter revealed by the Department for Transport (DfT) on Thursday have been praised by industry stakeholders.

The DfT Logistics Growth Review (read in full HERE) was launched some months ago and has canvassed the industry for feedback as to the best methods to improve both the effectiveness and way forward for freight transport throughout the UK. Published on Thursday the Review has highlighted the role both central and local government must play in partnership with industry to utilise the benefits of low carbon HGV’s and quieter night-time deliveries in urban areas.

Now, to promote the uptake of low-carbon, low emission trucks, an industry-led task force will work with local authorities to incentivise the use of these vehicles in urban areas and provide guidance to operators regarding the most appropriate low-carbon technology for a given HGV duty cycle. At the same time the Government has set aside £8 million to pump prime the procurement of low emission HGV technologies and their supporting infrastructure.

The Logistics Growth Review also announced that FTA and the Noise Abatement Society will be asked to build on the Quiet Deliveries Demonstration Scheme by expanding the existing Scheme’s best practice guidance into a toolkit that includes standards for quiet night-time deliveries and identify if further government guidance is needed to promote uptake.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) have both supported and actively promoted the scheme to their members and Chief Executive, Theo de Pencier commented:

“The industry-led task force, backed by Government funding for investment in low-carbon hgvs and refuelling infrastructure, provides much-needed impetus for technologies which until now industry has only used in trials or on a small scale. The FTA-managed Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme, an industry-led voluntary agreement to reduce the carbon-intensity of freight transport in the UK, highlights industry’s appetite to keep innovating to drive down carbon emissions. However, this has got to make commercial and environmental sense, and it is this challenge that the task force will help address.

“Out of hours deliveries offer well proven operational and environmental benefits for both operators and communities, when combined with practices, vehicles and equipment to reduce noise levels, the intrusion on local residents can be minimised. However, the current planning system makes such innovations difficult. This log jam needs to be broken and tackling the planning system at a national level is the place to start.”

Photo: The revolutionary Vision Motor Corporation Tyrano. The world’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered Class 8 Truck. 536HP Electric Engine producing no emissions whatsoever whilst running silently.