DPD pledges to deliver “totally green” in 25 towns and cities by 2025

Delivery giant DPD is aiming to slash its final mile emissions by 89% in 25 cities across the UK by 2025 by using either zero or low-emission vehicles.

The move follows a trial of a low emission final mile delivery model in London, which was part of a wider DPDgroup strategy to cut its emissions in 225 urban areas in 20 countries.

UK towns and cities earmarked for the new low emission delivery method include Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kingston-upon-Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton and Stoke-on-Trent.

DPD’s fleets in the 25 towns and cities will be made up of a variety of low emission and zero emission vehicles, depending on the lay out of the town or city centre, delivery needs and regulation constraints.

The move is expected to deliver an 89% reduction in carbon emissions and 80% in pollutants in the cities and towns selected.

DPD is already operating over 700 EVs including MAN eTGE, Nissan eNV-200 and 7.5t Fuso eCanters in the UK and has recently announced trials with LEVC and Volta Trucks.

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Dwain McDonald, DPD's chief executive said: “This is a hugely significant announcement from DPDgroup and we are very proud to be playing such a key role here.

“We've led the way on EVs in the UK parcel market, first with our all-electric micro depots in London and then with the scale of our nationwide investment. We already have over 700 EVs in the UK and they are in every depot.

“This is the next stage of our plan, to deliver totally green in 25 of the largest towns and cities in the country, drastically reducing our emissions in the places with the highest populations.

He added: "We are very conscious of our responsibility to the planet and its people, and we aim to be the most sustainable delivery company in the UK and Europe.

“We were among the first to put our hands up and acknowledge our part in climate change issues and since then we have put our hand in our pocket and started investing in the solution.

"We know from what we have done in central London that this model works, and we know that shippers and shoppers both love seeing parcels delivered green.

“So, we have made significant progress already. It is great now to be able to share our longer-term vision and we look forward to turning these 25 towns and cities green."