Clean Air Freight (CAF) was an Impact on Urban Health-funded project helping the freight sector to minimise the harmful emissions from freight within the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark.

The project explored ways for London to prepare for more rail freight deliveries into London, including investigating the potential of passenger trains, and also trial a low emission last mile micro logistics hub in South London.

Key outcomes from the project were:

The Brixton Micro Logistics Hub trial supported over 200 deliveries, and led to some insightful learning on the delivery of low emission last mile micro logistics hub projects – read the lessons learnt here. 

The report ‘On Track For Sustainable Logistics‘ investigated the opportunity to utilise existing station infrastructure in Southwark and Lambeth to support the efficient and sustainable delivery of freight into Central London using rail.

This has led to the subsequent development of the Waterloo Freight Hub, with Waterloo Station identified in the report as a key potential future site for multi-modal inbound deliveries in London. 

The Clean Air Freight programme has combined researching the challenges and potential for London stations and their capacity for rail freight alongside an on-the-ground micro logistics hub trial. This has supported Impact On Urban Health, as part of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation, to improve air quality in Lambeth and Southwark.  

Both workstreams of the Clean Air Freight programme have fed into the development of the Waterloo Freight Hub, which has been developed through Clean Air Logistics for London and Smarter Greener Logistics.  

For more information on Clean Air Freight or the Waterloo Freight Hub, please contact CRP Sustainable Transport Manager Ross Phillips.