News Articles Archive - Page 3 of 149 - Cross River Partnership

It’s hard to believe that over a year has passed since the launch of Just Streets. Those of you who follow us know we’ve been busy working on three exciting projects across central London:

Walking routes in Camden Town

A School Street initiative in Lambeth

A parklet in the Harley Street Business Improvement District, City of Westminster

Some of you may have joined our recent engagement and co-creation sessions. The latest took place earlier this month at St Marylebone Parish Church for the parklet, led by students from the University of Westminster, our technical partner. Lambeth Council’s School Streets team and mobility expert, Systra, also held an engagement session with parents and residents outside a primary school in Lambeth.

Our 32 partners across Europe have been hard at work as well. We recently had our General Assembly online, where we shared updates on our activities. The pilot cities are making progress with their engagement sessions and sharing valuable insights with the consortium.

In London, we’re excited to keep the momentum going. We look forward to continuing our conversations with stakeholders and their contributions to further co-design workshops. We also look forward to finalising the designs and moving forward with the installation approval process.

For more information contact CRP Project Lead for Just Streets Sefinat Otaru.

Saturday 8th March marks International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is #AccelerateAction.

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women’s advancement.

According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity.

Therefore, it is important to take swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

One of the biggest ways to help Accelerate Action for gender equality is to Support the Supporters.

With so many impactful groups across the world delivering critical work that assists women and girls, we can all lend our support in solidarity.

That’s why for 2025, IWD sees a big call-to-action for all IWD events to incorporate an element of women-focused fundraising.

From grassroots groups to large-scale bodies, philanthropic entities are working tirelessly to support and advance women and girls. So let’s step forward in solidarity and commit to helping these groups #AccelerateAction for IWD 2025 and beyond.

Nature, will you be my Valentine?

The 14th of February marked a day that you either love or dread – Valentine’s Day. But why just show love to your partner? With January 2025 being the hottest month on record ever, Nature deserves our love this February (and every other month, but February is a good place to start).

Here are some little things you can do this month to show nature your love:

Incorporate active travel into your daily commute. You could try walking, cycling or scooting part of (or all) the way to your destination! Using public transport instead of a car is also a great way to reduce CO² emissions.

Incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet and buy more local, seasonal produce. You can find some great recipes here!

If you have a balcony or windowsill, plant some flowers or herbs in pots. Having house plants is proven to increase wellbeing and reduce stress, and it will also provide some much-needed greenery for insects and bees.

These small changes can make a big difference.

Spread the love.

Cross River Partnership (CRP) has been prominently featured in the February 2025 issue of CiTTi Magazine, highlighting its innovative contributions to urban transport, in particular river freight.

Read the full article here: https://flickread.com/edition/html/6798c6a1ec8bd#22

The article showcases CRP’s pioneering London Light Freight River Trial, delivered through CRP’s Defra funded Clean Air Logistics for London Programme.

The trial supported to demonstrate the viability of river freight as a sustainable logistics solution. For trial learnings and outcomes read the full deep dive case study report: CALL Deep Dive: London Light Freight River Trial

CRP Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull highlights our continued work and passion for increasing the use of the River Thames for deliveries in London.

It’s time to rethink how we use our rivers for a cleaner, greener London!

CRP is delighted to announce its continued commitment to delivering sustainable logistics solutions by supporting the development of a low-emission micro logistics hub in the City of Westminster. This initiative, funded by Westminster City Council’s (WCC) Carbon Offset Fund, aligns with the Council’s climate action goals while addressing the challenges of freight-related emissions and traffic congestion.

The proposed micro logistics hub will optimise last-mile deliveries through innovative consolidation practices and the promotion of zero-tailpipe emission transport modes such as e-cargo bikes.

With a supported 6-month trial for a low-emission courier in Westminster, this initiative delivered by CRP will enable significant reductions in carbon emissions, support sustainable freight, and help local businesses. The project will also create new green jobs, providing vital economic opportunities and contributing to Westminster City Council’s objectives of becoming greener, fairer, and safer.

Read the full press release here: https://crossriverpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Press-Release-CRP-COF-Hub-Project.pdf

For further information, please contact CRP Project Manager Isidora Rivera Vollmer.

On 29th January 2025, CRP joined city and industry leaders at the “Let’s Talk About Parcel Lockers” webinar, co-hosted by C40 Cities, POLIS Network, and ALICE (Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe). The session brought together experts from New York, Stockholm, France, The Netherlands, and London to discuss best practices for implementing sustainable, accessible, and efficient parcel locker networks.

CRP’s Project Manager Isidora Rivera Vollmer shared lessons from their London-based parcel locker trials, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of integrating lockers into urban environments. Key takeaways included:

Strategic placement is critical: Parcel lockers should balance the needs of delivery operators and end users, ideally being located near transit hubs, residential areas, and commercial zones to encourage collection by foot or bike.

Cities play a key role: Local authorities don’t need to own lockers but can act as facilitators and regulators, ensuring optimal placement, size, and operator diversity to prevent over-saturation.

Multimodal opportunities exist: CRP’s pilots have integrated river and cargo bike freight, demonstrating how lockers can support more sustainable urban logistics.

Infrastructure planning is essential: Power supply and land use considerations must be addressed early, as seen in New York’s LockerNYC pilot, which faced challenges securing electricity connections.

CRP remains committed to supporting cities and businesses in developing effective parcel locker strategies. If your organisation is interested in data analysis, policy recommendations, or pilot projects, get in touch to explore how CRP’s consultancy services can help.

For more insights, check out the full webinar summary here: https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/lets-talk-about-parcel-lockers-location-size-and-operation/#UrbanLogistics

On 13th February 2025, CRP joined key London stakeholders at the London Network Roundtable, hosted by Centre for London, to discuss the updated GLA’s Growth Plan ahead of its official launch on Thursday 27th February.

The event, held under Chatham House Rule, featured Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor for Business, who provided insights into the upcoming strategy for London’s economic growth.

The London Growth Plan sets out a vision for a thriving, sustainable city, addressing challenges and opportunities in sectors like infrastructure, innovation, and investment. The roundtable discussion explored:

London’s position in a changing global economy

The role of business, transport, and sustainability in driving growth

Opportunities for public-private partnerships to support local economies

As London moves forward, collaboration between local government, businesses, and community organisations will be key to shaping a more resilient and prosperous city.

Stay tuned for updates on the London Growth Plan and its impact on CRP’s work!

2024 saw the kick off of the Healthy Streets Everyday II (HSE II) programme, CRP’s Mayor’s Air Quality Funded 3-year programme. HSE II will address the issue of over-dependence on private vehicles, and the associated issues of poor Air Quality, Environment, Safety, Health, and Wellbeing. 

One of the exciting outputs delivered so far has been 6 School Streets that have been installed across the London Borough of Lambeth, including 2 exemplar school streets, creating safer and more pleasant environments outside of schools by prioritising children, while reducing road danger and improving air quality.

This week has seen our HSE II School Streets Q&A campaign kick-off where we will be sharing lots of resources and knowledge about how local authorities can implement school streets in their borough. This will cover topics such as where is suitable for school streets, how to engage with the community and how to monitor these projects before, during and after.

Head to CRP’s LinkedIn and X channels for more!

For more information about this campaign, contact CRP Project Lead for Healthy Streets Everyday II, Ross Phillips.

Cross River Partnership (CRP) presents its London Light Freight Walking Trial Report. Part of the Smarter Greener Logistics (SGL) programme, funded by Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the trial showcased the efficiency of walking freight using electric-assisted trolleys (eWalkers) to reduce emissions and congestion.

Launched in May 2023 ̶ to support low emission last-mile deliveries in the London Borough of Camden ̶ the 10-month trial which operated from Heal’s, delivered over 12,000 parcels within a 2km radius. CRP’s Transport Emissions Calculator recorded significant air quality improvements, with savings of 43.16g of PM10 and 22.93g of PM2.5 emissions.

The trial demonstrated that walking freight can be operationally efficient, reducing noise and traffic while making better use of urban space. Supported by The Fitzrovia Partnership, The London Borough of Camden, UPS, and Heal’s the project received positive feedback from delivery staff, who noted improved efficiency and fewer logistical challenges.

CRP’s recommendations for future walking freight include identifying suitable locations, supporting multi-modal delivery, and expanding sustainable logistics solutions. This successful trial provides a model for cleaner, healthier, and more liveable cities.

Read the full report: https://crossriverpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SGL-Unpacked-The-London-Light-Walking-Freight-Trial-FINAL-1.pdf

Contact CRP Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull for more information.

Earlier this year, CRP joined stakeholders from across the country at the Future Transport Forum, which aimed to showcase various logistics solutions that are being piloted across the UK.

The event, which was hosted by Solent Transport, included some fascinating presentations, including one by CRP’s Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull.

As part of her presentation, Fiona discussed CRP’s work on delivering micro logistics hubs in central London and the power of strategic partnerships in driving innovation and implementing effective urban logistics solutions.

You can find out more about CRP’s micro logistics work here.

To understand how we can support you to deliver innovative urban logistics solutions, please contact CRP Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull 

Archives: News Articles

Just Streets: Designing People-Friendly Streets across Europe

International Women’s Day

Show Nature some love this month!

Unlocking the Potential of River Freight: CRP features in latest edition of CiTTi Magazine.

Westminster Low-Emission Micro Logistics Hub

Unlocking the Potential of Parcel Lockers: CRP Shares Insights at International Webinar

CRP Attends London Growth Plan Roundtable

Supporting Safer School Streets through Healthy Streets Everyday II

SGL Unpacked: London Light Freight Walking Trial

CRP Presents at Future Transport Forum