What the freight consolidation trial is, our freight consolidation hubs and how to express an interest in the trial.
About the freight consolidation trial
We're trialling a better way to manage goods deliveries in Bristol city centre, called freight consolidation.
Instead of multiple part-loaded vans and lorries driving into the city, goods are brought together at a local hub. From there, a specialist delivery company completes the last part of the journey using low or zero emission vehicles, such as electric vans or cargo bikes.
Freight consolidation:
- reduces congestion
- improves air quality
- makes deliveries more efficient
- saves freight companies from entering Bristol's Clean Air Zone multiple times
Our freight consolidation hubs
We're trialling small freight consolidation hubs in council-owned city centre car parks. The trial includes a free introductory 12-month lease of the space.
How it works
- A specialist logistics operator leases a hub or hubs from us for free.
- Businesses book a hub with the operator for last mile deliveries.
- Businesses drop off the goods to the hub.
- Deliveries from multiple businesses are grouped together.
- The operator delivers the goods using low or zero emission vehicles.
We're already working with one operator who is leasing our first freight consolidation hub out of one of our car parks.
Express interest in the trial
We're preparing to trial more freight consolidation hubs in our city centre car parks to operators that offer low or zero emission last mile delivery services.
If you're interested in taking part in the trial, email transport.engagement@bristol.gov.uk
In your email, explain how you'll help us meet our objectives for the trial:
- to reduce the number of freight related vehicles entering the CAZ and moving around the city centre
- to influence the emissions associated with vehicles entering the Clean Air Zone and moving around the city centre
- to enable businesses to respond to changes in the operational environment and reduce the impact this may have on their day-to-day workings
If the trial goes well, we hope to introduce more hubs.