12 Months of CRP

14th December 2021 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

…In the 1st month of 2021  

CRP kicked off the Lunchtime Launch webinar series!

…In the 2nd month of 2021 ♫ 

CRP’s accountable body, Westminster City Council, held an open online discussion event about the COVID-19 vaccine, chaired by Lord Simon Woolley CBE.

…In the 3rd month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s Town Centre Futures report made recommendations for Covid recovery!

…In the 4th month of 2021 ♫

CRP put the finishing touches on our short animation describing our collaborative project, EFLES.

…In the 5th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s interactive Urban Logistics Hub web page went live!

…In the 6th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s online Clean Air Tool launched!

…In the 7th month of 2021 ♫

New members joined the CRP Team!

…In the 8th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s Greening out the Grey guidance was published!

…In the 9th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s Clean Air Villages 4 project profiled in the Public Sector Executive publication!

…In the 10th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s ULEZ materials were featured by The Evening Standard’s The Leader podcast!

…In the 11th month of 2021 ♫

CRP’s Rapid Charging Guidance was showcased by CiTTi Magazine!

…In the 12th month of 2021 ♫

CRP commissioned studies into walking, river and rail freight!

CRP looks forward to working with you all in 2022!

Have a safe and sustaining Christmas break!

Susannah Wilks, Director of CRP

Lunchtime Launch 12 Green Logistics London: A Healthier City for All

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

Join us for the final Lunchtime Launch in the series. This interactive session, Thursday 16th December 2021, 1:15pm – 2pm, will explore improving air quality through more sustainable deliveries in London. Sign up for the webinar here.

Local air quality has direct impacts on both the business community and public health. CRP BID member The Fitzrovia Partnership and transport pollution experts EMSOL will discussing their latest initiatives to combat poor air quality in London.

Dan Johnson, representing The Fitzrovia Partnership, will be speaking about the BID’s sustainability goals and how to achieve these through new plans into green logistics and net zero. Ben Fielden, EMSOL, will be presenting on the monitoring of air quality and noise of the Guys and St Thomas’ and CEVA Clean Air Villages 4 (CAV4) river freight trial, comparing river and road deliveries. CRP Project Manager Kate Fenton will also be presenting on the progress of the CAV4 programme.

The main learning points of the session will be:

  • Initiatives to reduce air pollution from freight.
  • Comparing road and river freight in London.
  • Reducing emissions through micro-logistics hubs.

For more information please contact CRP Communications Project Manager Rachael Aldridge.

2022 Events

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

Following the success of the Lunchtime Launch series, we are pleased to launch our new event series for 2022: CRP’s Connect 4 Series

Thank you to everyone who attended our Lunchtime Launch sessions. From January to November, we’ve hosted 11 online sessions, with 990 attendees and a total of 1,110 YouTube views. We’ve had 21 external speakers, all experts in their fields, present on topics from air quality, sustainable shipping and monitoring on our high streets. And there’s still time to sign up to our final session!

2022’s events will take place on the last Thursday of each month, 4pm – 4:45pm. This new series will bring you exciting topics, with an opportunity for networking and discussion.

The panel for our first session, taking place online, includes expert speakers from Better BanksideDelivering London and DSDHA/David Bonnett Associates. CRP will be launching Central London Sub-Regional Transport Partnership Highways and Footways Guidance.

The first Connect 4 session is taking place on Thursday 27th January 4pm – 4:45pm. Sign up here.

Clean Air Villages 2021 Round Up

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

The CRP team and Clean Air Villages 4 partners have been working hard since April’s project launch. Here’s a round up of just some of the deliverables that have been achieved so far. To find out more information, join our final Lunchtime Launch of the year on Thursday 16th December, when CRP Project Manager Kate Fenton be presenting a roundup of activities to-date.

  • 154 1-2-1 meetings have taken place
  • The team have presented at 16 events
  • 11 Lunchtime Launch events have taken place
  • ULEZ supporting documents have launched
  • Telematics devices to support switch to EVs are currently in use
  • New pages of the Clean Air Villages Directory launched, and a Christmas promotion is taking place right now!
  • River, rail and walking freight feasibility studies are in progress
  • Air quality, noise and traffic monitoring devices are being used
  • Supplier consolidation schemes, a circular economy scheme, river freight trials, last mile logistics hub trials, virtual loading bay trials, case studies, and toolkits are all in the pipeline!

The total emissions savings resulting from the Clean Air Villages 3 and the Clean Air Villages 4 programmes combined for the year 2021 is as follows:

  • 275,212 g NOx 
  • 151,215 g PM 2.5 
  • 109,450 kg CO2

What do these numbers mean, I hear you ask? 

That amount of NOx is the equivalent produced from a forest fire the size of 1,245 football pitches, and that amount of CO2 has saved 328 square metres of arctic ice from melting!

For further information, please contact CRP Project Manager Kate Fenton.

#CleanAirChristmas

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! To celebrate, we have been running the #CleanAirChristmas campaign throughout December on social media, showcasing the CRP Clean Air Villages Directory and all of the amazing businesses and villages on there.

Every day until Christmas Eve, we’re featuring all 26 CAV4 Clean Air Villages and 13 businesses from the Directory, including Christmas deals and a look at what’s on across London this Christmas. Take a look on our InstagramFacebook and Twitter to take advantage of these great offers and ideas to make this year a Green Christmas!

All of the businesses on CRP’s Clean Air Villages Directory are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by delivering by zero or ultra-low emission methods. For any businesses interested in being added into the Directory, please get in contact!

For more information, contact CRP Project Officer Dave Ebbrell.

Small Business Saturday 2021

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

The Small Business Saturday Tour 2021 travelled across the UK from Monday 1st November to Wednesday 1st December, calling at different towns and cities for five weeks! CRP tagged along with Westminster City Council and Cycle Confident to showcase the CAV4 cargo bike scheme – take a look at the live video.  

Starting at COP26 in Glasgow, ‘The Tour’ visited twenty-four British towns and cities to support, inspire and highlight the six million small businesses across the UK, as part of the countdown to Small Business Saturday.

As the tour stopped in Soho, CRP showcased the CAV4 cargo bike scheme, which can save small businesses time and money on deliveries throughout the festive season! Free hours of bike and rider are available for all businesses, community organisations, non-profits and charities in Soho, Northbank, Covent Garden and surrounding areas. Please see here for more information.

This year ‘The Tour’ showcased an electric vehicle fleet. This was implemented following the fact that 97% of small businesses say that sustainability is important to their organisation (according to research by BT Skills for Tomorrow and Small Business Britain).

For more information about the CAV4 cargo bike scheme and to sign up to use free hours, please contact CRP Project Manager Kate Fenton.

Take a look at CRP’s favourite small businesses here.

CRP Team Planning Day

14th December 2021 / Posted by CRP Team

Thursday 25th November was the first time that the CRP Team have met up in-person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic for its team planning day.  It was a great interactive day and provided the opportunity for the team to collaborate in shaping the future of its activities.

The Team got down to planning its strategy for 2022/23 and beyond, which included discussing:

  • CRP’s Vision and revamped mission statement
  • How best to capture and showcase the partnership’s innovative projects and impact
  • Budgets and expenditure; and
  • How best to illustrate achievements in CRP’s upcoming annual report and business plan.

The team managed to pack a lot of activities into the day including a visit to the Westminster Wheels Project, based at a shop in Church Steet, NW8 8ES.  It is a training programme initiated by Westminster City Council in partnership with Groundwork.  The training programme supports young unemployed Westminster residents to gain valuable skills and experience to become qualified bicycle mechanics, by refurbishing unwanted bikes into high quality bikes that are either donated to community groups or sold.

If you have an unused or unwanted bike you would like to donate, you can drop it off at the shop on Monday-Saturday, between 09:00-5:00pm.  Alternatively, you can donate online.  Contact  ResponsibleEconomy-Team@westminster.gov.uk if you would like more information or to sponsor the project.

A Conscious Christmas: Ways to Minimise Your Environmental Impact

14th December 2021 / Posted by Sefinat Otaru

“Over the festive season the UK creates 30% more waste than usual.” Biffa.

As we start slowing down for the end of year festivities, let’s take a moment to consider how we can indulge in some of our favourite holiday pastimes, without hurting the earth.

Cards 

Having lived with the pandemic over the past couple of years, we’ve adjusted to giving and receiving e-cards. If you still prefer to give paper cards, you could upcycle old ones, use charity cards, or specialist retailers that use the proceeds for a green cause.

Presents

Give twice over by buying from a charity shop. In addition to second-hand goods, several charities also offer new items. Try reusing wrapping paper, shopping bags, old newspapers, crisp wrappers or old clothes to wrap your present, instead of buying new wrapping paper.

Or, instead of gifting an item, offer a favour or service.

Decorations

Try a pot-grown living tree, some of which can be kept for several years, or replanted after the holidays. Decorate it with handmade ornaments such as dried fruit or popcorn garlands.

Food 

If you’re making a Christmas meal, plan ahead to avoid waste. Done correctly, you could pull together a scrumptious Boxing Day meal from leftovers with minimal effort.

Travel 

Take the bus, train or carpool, if you can. Can’t avoid flying? Consider an airline carbon offset program. Walk, cycle, or use public transport as much as possible once you’ve reached your destination.

There are lots more pointers about how to reduce our impact over the next few weeks and well into the New Year. Click here for a full version of the infographic in the picture.

Chances are if you’ve considered it, someone else has, too, and found a solution. So look online or ask us – email CRP Project Manager Sefinat Otaru.

Season’s Greetings, everyone!

Hammersmith BID Hosts First Zero-Emission Market

14th December 2021 / Posted by Ross Phillips

CRP partner Hammersmith BID recently hosted London’s first zero emission market on Sunday 29th November.

From jams to jumpers, the market allowed shoppers to browse for Christmas gifts that had all been brought to the market on cargo bikes, electric vehicles or on foot. This added to the innovative work they are delivering through CRPs Clean Air Villages 4 and Healthy Streets Everyday programmes.

In addition, lighting was solar-powered, and delivery options were made available through cargo bikes, as attendees were encouraged to walk, cycle or take public transport. The event was held on Hammersmith Bridge, which is currently open to just pedestrians and cyclists. eScooter company, Lime, even offered free eScooter training to support residents to consider fun and alternative ways to get around London.

CRP is delighted to see that our partners are hosting zero emission events, encouraging active travel and improve Londoners’ health by tackling deliveries in polluting vehicles. Hammersmith BID are hoping to run more of these events in 2022, so if you are interested in attending, check out their events page.

CAV4 Cargo Bike Pier Visit

14th December 2021 / Posted by Fiona Coull

On Thursday 18th November, CRP Project Manager Fiona Coull met with colleagues from Ecofleet and Beckett Rankine to do some in-situ testing of cargo bikes on piers.

The testing was done to help inform an upcoming study on pier adaptions for river freight, which incorporates integrating cargo bikes for last mile deliveries as part of the designs. The study is being funded by CRP’s CAV4 Programme in partnership with the Port of London Authority and will be completed early in the New Year.

As part of the testing, Ruby (a rider from eco-fleet) cycled a cargo-bike onto Battersea Power Station Pier to help understand the space needed and any challenges or limitations. Surprisingly, we found that the angle of the brow of the pier was not an issue for Ruby due to the electric assist of the bike. The biggest challenge was actually trying to turn the bike on the pier.

The tests also highlighted the importance of making sure that there was enough space for the cargo-bike and pedestrians to pass safely.

Following the testing, CRP’s Fiona Coull gave the cargo-bike a mini trial herself. Results indicated that all cargo bike riding should be left to the experts in the future…

For further information about the River Freight Pier Study, please contact CRP Project Manager Fiona Coull.