News Articles Archive - Cross River Partnership

Cross River Partnership (CRP), a non-profit and impartial partnership organisation, are excited to announce that 2 Virtual Loading Bays are now live in the London Borough of Richmond. The 2 Virtual Loading Bays are located in Sheen Lane, Mortlake and The Quadrant, Richmond and will be available to book, free of charge, for the trial period to the end of 2024.

Virtual Loading Bays are dedicated spaces that can be pre-booked to deliver goods by participating operators with the Grid Kerb Delivery booking application.

The Virtual Loading Bays form part of CRP’s Defra-funded Kerbside Management Trial and are being delivered in partnership between London Borough of Richmond, Grid Smarter Cities and Cross River Partnership. The trial uses Grid’s Virtual Loading Bay technology to dynamically manage the kerbside and aims to improve congestion and air quality in the local area.

Find out more about the trial and how to book the Virtual Loading Bays here: https://gridsmartercities.com/smarter-greener-logistics-crp/

The Kerbside Management Trial is part of Smarter Greener Logistics (SGL) a Defra-funded project led by Westminster City Council in collaboration with 25 project partners. The project aims to minimise the impact of freight on noise, air quality, traffic and pavement space in London by making improvements across 14 London boroughs and two London Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

Laura Jacklin, Commercial Development Manager from Grid Smarter Cities said:

“Delivering to different spaces comes with challenges especially in strategic corridors. These two bays are in different locations but will face similar challenges for delivery drivers, we are excited to see how managing and booking space will help deliveries at the kerbside.”

Carl Gellard, Senior Engineer Traffic & Parking Policy Richmond and Wandsworth Council:

“The Virtual Loading Bay (VLB) initiative will enable the council to monitor loading/unloading activity at two key sites in the borough which experience increased volumes of traffic and poor air quality. We look forward to realising the benefits of managing kerbside space through the platform.”

Katherine Fairfax, Project Manager from Cross River Partnership said:

“Cross River Partnership are excited to launch a further 2 Virtual Loading Bays in the London Borough of Richmond as part of our Defra-funded Kerbside Management Trial. The London Borough of Richmond join the City of London and London Borough of Lambeth in testing Grid Smarter Cities innovative kerbside solution to understand the potential freight management and air quality benefits.”

July marks the end of Q5 of CRP’s Smarter Greener Logistics (SGL) Programme and we’ll soon be reporting all the progress that has been made so far to Defra. This has included:

Finalising contracts for the Waterloo Freight Hub
The identification of a suitable site for the Islington Micro Logistics Hub
Data analysis for the City Soil Lab circular food waste scheme
The soft launch of several Our Bike schemes
Continued noise, air quality and traffic count monitoring at several partner locations
The launch of additional Virtual Loading Bay locations

However, a big part of our quarterly reporting requires input from SGL Partners on their match funding activities. Therefore, this is also a little reminder for any SGL Partners to please complete and return your match funding templates by COP Friday 19th July.

For any queries or support completing your match funding template, please contact Fiona Coull, CRP Senior Programme Manager fionacoull@crossriverpartnership.org.

Cycling in London is becoming safer, thanks to the continuous efforts of Transport for London (TfL). The city is witnessing a transformation, with cycling gradually becoming more accessible and easier for everyone.

Last month, TfL added 35 km of Cycleways across Greater London, including Stratford, New Cross, Barnet, Walthamstow, and Ealing. The new routes, designed to cater to cyclists of all backgrounds and abilities, mean that 390 km of Cycleways across London currently support a diverse range of cyclists, encouraging greater inclusivity in cycling. 

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “Expanding London’s cycleway network is key to enabling more Londoners to choose cycling as their mode of transport for shorter trips.”

To encourage more cycling, TfL has also produced a new user-friendly map that shows where the routes are. Additionally, Cycle Sundays offers a range of easy-to-follow leisure cycle routes and maps across London to explore the capital on Sundays.

Helen Cansick, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment, said, “We look forward to connecting even more Londoners to our cycle network and making cycling more accessible to all.” 

TfL is making significant progress in transforming outer London for people walking and cycling. Further Cycleways are planned this year across outer London, including two of the longest Cycleways in Brentford and Hackney later this year.

Love Parks Week is being celebrated this year from the 26th of July to the 4th of August 2024! 🎉 It is a great time to enjoy our green spaces in London and across the country. Promoting health, wellbeing, and enjoying time with loved ones within your local community.

Love Parks Week is set up to celebrate and support the efforts of volunteers and workers throughout the country who maintain and help protect our natural green spaces, helping to promote a sustainable future. Why not organise an event, maybe a picnic, a family get-together or simply go for a nice long walk and enjoy some fresh air.

Keep Britain Tidy are using Love Parks Week as a reminder that we need to care for, appreciate and love our parks and green spaces. If you are a local authority, manage or help take care of a park in your area, you can register for Love Parks Week to receive a free resources pack by clicking here.

On Sunday 4th August, The Conservation Volunteers are hosting a family event in Lloyd Park for Love Park Week 2024, a free family event which includes seasonal arts and crafts, nature crowns, scavenger hunts and more. Find out more here.

This year more than 500 local authorities and landowners have taken part in a diverse range of fun activities, by organising family fun days and much more!

Find out more about what’s happening near you by checking out the hashtag #LoveParks across social media or by contacting your local park and local authority.

#LoveParksWeek #LoveParksWeek2024 🏞️🌳

CRP have partnered with EMSOL, a leading provider of real-time emissions monitoring and analytics solutions, and London Borough of Merton, to address the pressing issue of pollution and dust emissions from an industrial estate in the Wandle Way area of Mitcham.

The six-month project will leverage EMSOL’s advanced emissions monitoring technology to assess the severity of the air quality and noise pollution problem in Wandle Way. By deploying air quality and noise sensors and analytics, valuable insights will be gained into the levels of particulate matter and other pollutants in the area, enabling a data-driven approach to tackling this environmental challenge.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Cross River Partnership on this important project,” said Freddie Talberg, CEO of EMSOL. “By combining our expertise in emissions monitoring with CRP’s deep understanding of local sustainability issues, we aim to shed light on the pollution challenges faced by the Wandle Way community and develop effective strategies for mitigation.”

The project has been funded through Cross River Partnership’s Smarter Greener Logistics (SGL) programme. SGL is a Defra-funded project led by Westminster City Council in collaboration with 25 project partners. The project aims to minimise the impact of freight on noise, air quality, traffic and pavement space in London by making improvements across 14 London boroughs and two London Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

The collaboration between EMSOL and CRP reflects a shared commitment to promoting sustainable practices and improving air quality in urban areas. With visible dust pollution being a significant concern in Wandle Way, this project represents a crucial step towards understanding the extent of the problem and identifying potential solutions.

“Cross River Partnership is dedicated to delivering innovative projects that address environmental challenges in London,” said Ross Phillips, Sustainable Transport Manager at Cross River Partnership. “Partnering with EMSOL on the Wandle Way project allows us to leverage advanced technology and data analytics to gain a comprehensive understanding of the air quality and noise challenges in the local area and the role of freight, and work towards a cleaner, healthier environment for the local community.”

As the project progresses, EMSOL and CRP will engage with relevant stakeholders, including the London Borough of Merton, the local Business Improvement District, and companies working on the industrial estate to explore collaborative approaches to mitigating the pollution problem. The findings and insights from this initiative will be used to inform future strategies and interventions aimed at improving air quality in Wandle Way and beyond.

Further details regarding the project’s progress and outcomes will be shared in due course, in line with the agreed publication plan and any sensitivities surrounding the involvement of local waste companies.

For more information on the project and CRP’s Smarter Greener Logistics programme, please contact Ross Phillips, CRP Sustainable Transport Manager, rossphillips@crossriverpartnership.org

CRP recently attended the Reset Connect Conference on 26th June 2024 at ExCeL London, which aims to bridge the gap between sustainability, business, and funding. This was a flagship event of the London Climate Action Week

Industry leaders discussed challenges such as standardising data and engaging senior management. Emphasis was placed on the importance of defining responsibilities and enhancing supply chain engagement to drive sustainability.

Speakers also highlighted that sustainability involves more than just carbon emissions, emphasising circular economy approaches and the significance of other resources and factors like water usage, biodiversity, and social impact.

The conference explored the complexities of decarbonising supply chains and the role of technology. Investment in sustainable commodities and materials, along with the use of AI and blockchain, were presented as critical components for achieving net-zero goals and improving supply chain operations.

Overall, the event highlighted the growing need for collaboration and technological integration to advance sustainable logistics and supply chain decarbonisation. Aspects that align with CRP’s mission as well!

In August 2023, CRP launched a six-month micro logistics hub trial in the Southside Shopping Centre Car Park, managed by APCOA, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Delivered through CRP’s Defra-funded Clean Air Logistics for London and Smarter Greener Logistics programmes, the hub, managed by Decarbon Logistics Solutions, aimed to support low-emission last-mile deliveries.

During the trial, fresh flowers were delivered from outside London overnight by e-van, then sorted at the hub before being distributed. Read the hub case study here.

Since concluding in February, the courier has been renewing their license on a monthly basis while evaluating long-term use of the hub.

The courier has now vacated the hub, potentially making it available for another operator! Would you be interested? For more information please contact CRP Project Manager Isidora Rivera Vollmer: isidorariveravollmer@crossriverpartnership.org

As part of our celebrations of 30 Years of CRP, this month we are promoting all of our innovative on-line support tools that we have developed over the years to support our CRP Partners on their sustainability journeys.

They are all available on the CRP website and include CRP’s:

Urban Logistics Hub Map

Thames Directory

Business Cargo Bike Guide

Clean Air Tool

Transport Emissions Calculator

Sustainable Steps

Have a look now if you haven’t done so already! They have been designed to de-mystify and to provide clear, accessible information to get us all started on real, meaningful action.

For further information, or to add any extra information, please contract CRP Project Manager sefinatotaru@crossriverpartnership.org

Our second JUST STREETS campaign, Clean Air Routes, is now live!

The campaign highlights the adverse effects of air pollution and how we can all adopt small changes to make our journeys healthier and more sustainable! Avoiding busy main roads by using side streets or cutting through parks where possible can reduce your exposure to air pollution.

As part of the campaign, the CRP Team will be sharing their favourite clean air walking routes and green spaces in London!

Funded by Horizon Europe, JUST STREETS will be transforming streets in 12+ cities across Europe! The JUST STREETS project will focus on (re)developing street space for active mobility that are both, sustainable and inclusive for all citizens.

We are excited to share that Westminster City Council’s and Cross River Partnership’s Pimlico micro logistics hub project was recognised as a finalist at the MJ Awards on 21st June in the ‘Best Transport Decarbonisation Project’ category.

Although we did not win this time, we are delighted to have been shortlisted among such distinguished organisations!

This category recognises the innovative approach to the strategy and delivery of localised transport decarbonisation projects, making quantifiable differences to the environment and local communities.

This recognition was made possible through the combined efforts of our dedicated partners. The trial was supported by Decarbon Logistics Solutions and implemented by Delivery Mates low-emission couriers.

Learn more about the Pimlico micro logistics hub trial here.

Archives: News Articles

2 Virtual Loading Bays Launch In London Borough Of Richmond

Smarter Greener Logistics Update and Match Funding Reminder

TfL Launches 10 New Cycleways

Love Parks Week (26th July – 4th August)

CRP Partners with EMSOL for Wandle Way Sustainability Project

CRP Attends Reset Connect 2024

Seeking New Operator for Wandsworth Micro Logistics Hub

CRP 30 Years – The Tool for the Job!

JUST STREETS Clean Air Routes Campaign

Pimlico Micro Logistics Hub Project Honoured at the MJ Awards 2024!