The government has developed Quiet Deliveries guidance to help local communities and residents understand how out-of-hours deliveries work, the benefits they can provide, and how they can have a say in the planning process.

Advice complements an existing series of DfT guides designed for other stakeholders considering out-of-hours deliveries, including freight operators, retailers and the construction sector, following the Quiet Deliveries Demonstration Scheme trial in 2010-2011 and further pilots during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Benefits promoted to communities include reduced congestion, alongside road safety and air quality enhancements resulting from fewer peak-time deliveries.

“We hope that through the use of this guide that this will help local communities in their understanding of what a good quality, well-managed Quiet Delivery Scheme looks like, and for them to be able to work proactively with retailers, freight operators and developers alike.”

Earlier this week, TfL urged operators and businesses to explore re-timed deliveries while its £4bn Roads Modernisation Plan took place in the capital.