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 practitioners driving strong input into the LoCity questions. The practitioners were being listened to. 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 tonnes 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 (up to eight thousand pounds) for an electric van, beware there are only two on the list, Renault & Nissan. Karl Anders at Nissan is detailing the battery technology for the IOC.
May 25th is the next date for your LoCity diary event.
Mike Brown will be at the Feb 26th IOC heads of Industry event and takes the IOC Honorary Gown for 2016, nominated by Sir Peter Hendy.
Glen Davies, TfL opening speech
