Air Quality Funding Opportunity

29th June 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

The Mayor of London has launched a second round of Air Quality Funding (MAQF2), with a total of £8 million available to be spent between April 2016 – March 2019 (3 years). £2 million of this will be set aside for two Low Emission Neighbourhoods (LENs), leaving £6 million for all other standard projects.

This MAQF2 falls within the Mayor’s commitment of £20 million in funding over 10 years to help local authorities reduce air pollution. The first round of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (MAQF1) supported over 40 innovative projects including Cross River Partnership’s (CRP’s) Clean Air Better Business.

CRP on behalf of Westminster City Council and its sub-regional partners aims to submit a proposal which will focus on the £6 million pot for standard projects. MAQF2 provides an excellent opportunity for CRP and partners to reap maximum rewards from the development time already put in for MAQF1. It also provides the chance to offer even more services and more innovation, to business and residents. The CRP MAQF2 bid would be additional to any other bids that CRP partners also wanted to directly support.

The deadline for outline applications is 31st July 2015, and full standard applications is 14th September 2015.

Partners that are interested in participating in MAQF2 should contact CRP’s Air Quality Champion
Uto Patrick at:
E. UPatrick@lambeth.gov.uk

 

Picture source: AirQualitynews.co.uk

FREVUE success in the Netherlands

25th June 2015 / Posted by CRP Team


TNT has just announced the deployment of seven new 3.5 tonne electric express delivery vehicles for its operations in and around Amsterdam and Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as a partner of Cross River Partnership’s FREVUE (Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe) project, an urban e-mobility project supported by the European Commission. FREVUE seeks to demonstrate to industry, consumers and policy makers how electric vehicles can meet the growing need for sustainable urban logistics.

TNT’s new e-Ducato vehicles purchased from BD Auto replace the standard diesel vehicles previously operating in Rotterdam and Amsterdam and will enable to save 24,000 litres of diesel and 76 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions each year. They provide a range of 200 km and a loading volume of 13m3.

Erik Uljee, Managing Director, TNT Benelux, said: “The partnership with FREVUE is part of TNT’s corporate responsibility agenda and meets the objective of our Outlook strategy to increase efficiency and productivity. To support zero emission transport in city centres, the authorities extend certain privileges to TNT such as exemptions from parking bans and access to closed areas outside loading and unloading times. With the three vehicles in Rotterdam and four in Amsterdam, TNT’s electric fleet in the Netherlands is nine in total.”

Pex Langenberg, Vice Mayor of the City of Rotterdam, said: “It is the ambition of the City of Rotterdam to have a zero emission freight transport in the inner city by 2020. This is formalised in the Green Deal Zero Emission. We welcome the new electric freight vehicles as they will help to make the air in the city centre cleaner and decrease noise pollution.”

The city of Amsterdam welcomes the emission-free TNT trucks in line with its plans to step up improvements in sustainability as outlined in the Sustainability Agenda Amsterdam (www.amsterdam.nl/duurzaam). According to these plans, in 2020 renewable energy generation in the city will be increased by 20% while energy consumption will be reduced by 20%. The city encourages electric mobility and plans to expand the low emission zone for delivery vans to further improve air quality and health of its citizens.

http://www.tnt.com/corporate/en/data/press/2015/06/tnt-introduces-electric-express-delivery-vehicles-in-amsterdam-and-rotterdam.html

http://www.logisticsmanager.com/2015/06/tnt-picks-electric-vans-for-dutch-cities/

New CRP address

25th June 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

CRP have recently relocated to a dedicated area on the 19th floor of Westminster City Hall, alongside colleagues from the Policy, Performance and Communications Directorate. We have a lovely view! Do come and visit us. The new address for CRP’s Westminster Office is:

Westminster City Council
19th Floor
Westminster City Hall
64 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 6QP

Please update your records accordingly.

CRP Board Co-Chairs Confirmed

5th May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

At its Board meeting in March there was unanimous and strong support for CRP’s excellent Co-Chairs to remain in position for at least another year.  The City of London Corporation’s Councillor George Gillon CC (Public Sector Co-Chair) and Camden Town Unlimited BID’s Simon Pitkeathley (Private Sector Co-Chair) have been successfully leading CRP alongside Director Susannah Wilks for three years already.

CRP is recruiting!

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

Cross River Partnership is recruiting a European Programme Manager.

Are you interested in working on an exciting cross-boundary EU funded project, focussed on improving environmental quality in central London and across Europe?

The Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe (FREVUE) project is designed to integrate electric freight vehicles with innovative logistic operations in order to improve air quality and help businesses become more efficient. The main London activities include the deployment of 20 electric freight vehicles, looking at charging constraints, optimising logistic operations, consolidation centres and sustainable procurement, whilst also looking at regulatory opportunities linked to zero noise and air emissions.

Cross River Partnership wishes to employ a London-based European Programme Manager to work on this innovative project funded under the EU Seventh Framework Programme.

This post is a Fixed Term Contract.

Please note that the closing date for this role is: Friday 22nd May 2015

Click here for more details of the role and how to apply: https://jobs.westminster.gov.uk/internal/vacancy/european-programme-manager-215474.html

Recruit London Success

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

Matalan is opening a flagship store on Oxford Street and they came to CRP’s Recruit London programme for help finding the best new local staff.

Over 120 local candidates have received expert training from New West End Company Workplace Coordinator Isabelle Benard. They learnt about customer services, product knowledge, cross-selling, understanding the retail sector in the West End PLUS how to impress at interview. After they graduated they were put forward for direct second-stage interview with Matalan’s store managers.

Roles available include stock, tills, sales and visual merchandising. Successful candidates should start in early May.

Isabelle will continue to work closely with Matalan’s Area Manager and Retail Learning & Development Manager to explore their internal retail training and look into developing it for their flagship Oxford St branch to help their new staff to continue to develop.

On time and emission free!

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

At the March CRP Board meeting, UPS demonstrated their latest electric delivery vehicle as part of the FREVUE project. The delivery vehicle has involved the conversion of older, existing diesel vehicles into zero tailpipe emission electric vehicles will save over 1.9tonnes of CO2 per year, 180kg of NOx and 6.5kg of particulate matter. This is a prime example of what the electric freight vehicles that CRP is championing can do to improve air quality in central London.

With wider opportunities for electric freight vehicles across London, this is a great way for companies to reduce their emissions, be prepared for the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and demonstrate to their customers their commitment to minimising their impact on the environment.

Image: From left : Cllr Jack Hopkins (Lambeth), George Gillon (City of London), Simon Pitkeathly (Camden Town Unlimited) and Susannah Wilks (Director, CRP)

Multiple Contract Wins through SXR2!

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

Wandsworth based, Beaver Pest Control LLP, has won multiple contracts thanks to CRP’s SXR2 project. These include pest control work at Battersea Power Station through Carillion and BPSDC, Merchant Square through Rendall and Rittner and Riverside Studios through the developers, Mount Anvil.

The company was founded in 1990 by brothers David and Graham Lodge. They soon built up a good reputation and went on to employ a third person in 1993. Today the company employs 36 people and works on contracts from restaurants and Hotels to the MOD, the CAA and Universities. Establishing a new company as an alternative viable supplier to the more established ones has always been a challenge but they have based their USP on an excellent personal service a quick response and taking ownership of any pest problem.

Getting in front of large buyer organisations has historically been a challenge for Beaver. SXR2 has allowed them to meet organisations face to face and given them the opportunity to win contracts from a number of buyers. As well as this the events hosted by the project has allowed them to develop their networking and marketing skills and understand exactly what buyers are looking for.

“As a result of the events held by SXR2 and Supply Nine Elms, Beaver Pest Control LLP has become one of the main pest control, urban wildlife and bird control suppliers at the Battersea Power Station Development Project. This has consequently led to further work across London as a result of these initial contacts. We could not have achieved this without having access to these projects. The support has exceeded all of my expectations; both the principle of SXR2 and the people involved with it have been fantastic. I cannot praise them highly enough.” David Lodge, Partner (Head of Service and Quality Control).

Beaver Pest Control has recently worked on many prestigious buildings such as County Hall and Horse Guards Parade , they have provided pest control to the Kia Oval since 1996. They are now carrying out work for large construction companies, Blue Chip Companies and the NHS. Beaver Pest Control hope to continue this trend of attracting these types of clients whilst still looking after their traditional client base. By growing at a sustainable 15% growth per year they hope to continue to offer the best possible service to customers whilst maintaining a happy and passionate workforce.

West Norwood Next Phase

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

As part Lambeth Councils’ restructure, Rheanne Gonyou, Business Manager for West Norwood, has been successful in securing a promotion to the role of Delivery Coordinator, with a focus on supporting the delivery of Regeneration within West Norwood. This marks the end of CRP’s management of the Business Manager post and Rheanne’s secondment to CRP. A BID development Phase 2 report is in production, leaving Tulse Hill and West Norwood well poised to continue developing towards what would be Lambeth’s seventh BID. An external resource will be commissioned to lead this work. Rheanne will maintain involvement in this process – we wish her all the very best of luck!

CRP will continue to work closely with the London Borough of Lambeth on delivering its regeneration priorities, including supporting the implementation of its successful Brixton Central High Street Fund programme.

Immediate Action on Air Quality

1st May 2015 / Posted by CRP Team

In a unanimous ruling, a panel of five judges, headed by the court’s president Lord Neuberger, ordered “that the Government must prepare and consult on new air quality plans for submission to the European Commission… no later than December 31 2015. The new Government, whatever its political complexion, should be left in no doubt as to the need for immediate action to address this issue.”

The historic ruling is the culmination of a five year legal battle fought by ClientEarth for the right of British people to breathe clean air.

The ruling will save thousands of lives a year by forcing the Government to urgently clean up pollution from diesel vehicles, the main source of the illegal levels of Nitrogen Dioxide found in many of the UK’s towns and cities.

More detail about the judgement can be found here.

Cross River Partnership looks forward to continuing to work closely with the GLA, TfL, its Local Authority and BID partners to escalate measures that will effectively address Air Quality challenges.