Cross River Partnership has delivered an innovative, sustainable and transformative trial of low-emission cargo bike deliveries from the Waterloo Freight Hub underneath Waterloo Station, supporting residents and businesses across London. 20,000 parcels from March 2025 to July 2025, courier, Delivery Mates, has received, sorted and sent by electrically assisted cargo bikes from the hub, located in Arch 242A, across London.
The trial has seen Delivery Mates’ cargo bikes travel over 4,600 km, delivering over 20,000 parcels. The Waterloo Freight Hub has delivered over 2,500 kg of CO2 savings, supported job creation, community benefits, reduced congestion, and supported the creative use and retrofitting of an existing Network Rail and Department for Transport asset. This has improved air quality across London by shifting freight journeys from polluting vans to electrically assisted cargo bikes, supporting communities to receive more sustainable deliveries at no extra cost. The trial also demonstrated the long-term potential of the space, which can be used to create a Multi-Modal Waterloo Freight Hub, with inbound deliveries by rail, river and road and outbound deliveries made by a range of low emission vehicles.
The Cross River Alliance report outlines the positive impact of the trial, before outlining and exploring the extensive delivery, processes and sign-offs required, alongside learnings that CRP had experienced from the project conception in 2022 to its delivery in 2025. A strong coordinating presence is needed to ensure there are no missed opportunities for the delivery of the next phase of the project, to ensure that economic, community and environmental benefits are delivered to their greatest potential impact. CRP has worked closely with partners from Network Rail, the London Borough of Lambeth, the Department for Transport (DfT) and London and Continental Railways (LCR) to deliver the trial.
See the whole report here Waterloo Freight Hub Trial Evaluation Report - Detailed - Dec 25
