Archives



Express, Feature, Freight News, Logistics


The Big Brown goes green in Cambridge

[ April 11, 2024   //   ]

UPS has opened a micro hub in Cambridge, the first of its kind in the UK.

It allows electric assisted four-wheeled cycles to deliver packages, reducing emissions and congestion in the city.

It is housed in a converted shipping container and will serve as a central dispatch point for packages bound for the city centre.

Three electric-assisted quadracycles known as eQuads will be stationed at the hub and will carry out final mile deliveries on routes previously operated by two diesel vans. The eQuads, developed by UK-based company Fernhay, can use cycle lanes and dual-use pedestrianised zones.

The solution will also advance Cambridge’s Clean Air initiative, to reduce emissions in the city centre by using greener methods for the delivery of goods. 

UPS has also been participating in the London Light Freight Walking Trial, part of the Defra-funded Clean Air Logistics for London project, with Cross River Partnership. In the Fitzrovia district of the West End, an electric-assisted walker is assisting with deliveries until September 2024, while an eQuad trial in London is also ongoing.

The company’s Central London package facility is home to a smart charging grid for its fleet of electric vehicles.

Director of sustainability for the EMEAI region, Artur Drenk, said: “As cities worldwide adopt eco-friendly transportation measures, such as low-emission and zero-emission zones, we are at the forefront, aligning our operations with more sustainable solutions. The Cambridge hub is evidence of our dedication to serving customers and communities while reducing our footprint on the ground.”

Tags: