The SNP group of councillors at The City Chambers are calling for a summit of delivery and logistics companies to work towards a new way of delivering goods within Edinburgh, This the group says will combat the broken pavements, dangers to pedestrians and cyclists and air pollution that larger heavy vehicles often cause in residential areas.
The SNP motion which is lodged to be heard at Edinburgh’s Transport and Environment Committee on 2 February aims to bring together leading industry providers of logistics with city transport officers and experts. In this way the Council will be able to establish a new way of working that supports sustainable practices such as using smaller electric vehicles and cargo bikes for “last mile delivery”. The SNP argue that this would save money for both the Council and the logistics industry in the long term.
Cllr Lesley Macinnes said: “Delivery companies, the City Council and residents all want to work towards the shared goals of meeting our climate obligations and increasing the overall efficiency of deliveries for businesses within the city. By working together I believe we can bring our historic city into the 21st century.
“European cities have led the way, with solutions like freight hubs at the edges of the city reducing the need for urban truck traffic. Long-distance trucks use these centres to unload packages at the edge of towns where they are redistributed into smaller vehicles such as electric vans and cargo bikes, freeing the big trucks to get back out and onto the highway.
“The benefits of minimising truck traffic in residential areas are obvious to residents, and they can clearly also be in the interest of the delivery companies who no longer have to navigate the dense historic Edinburgh streets.
“By learning directly from operators and academics, I am confident we can create an Edinburgh solution to do deliveries differently and do them better.”
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