Always well attended by London based final mile operators. The first table event of 2024 was Feb 21st. TFL LoCity group is an operator group focused on clean air, alternative fuel vehicles in London. Royal mail, Amazon, Addison Lee and more at the table. IOC, RHA and Logistics UK representing members at table. Carl Lomas chairs, secretaried by Laura Carleton and Issac Little. The group has a reputation of key operator input and strong interaction on current issues. Meeting quarterly the next event, pending election is June.

Additionally at the Feb meeting Colin Brady, who has taken on the role of Strategy and Planning Manager in TfL’s freight team following the departure of Polyvios Polyviou attended and engaged the interactive event of operators. Coolin closed with a clarity of vision on need for Infrastructure.

Carl Lomas – Welcome and introductions to LoCity Alternative fuel vehicle operators

Amazon, Royal Mail, Addison Lee amongst the operator members at a full room of square tables that also saw OEMs, users, planners and DFT, GLA, PLA, C40 and Cross River Partenrship in the TFL room.

Infrastructure hit the top of the table for challenge, home charge was in there but depot was the highlight issue. The room was mixed mode from River to road. Planning and the London plan got mentions, Certainty of future made a big highlight.

Keynotes

Harry Macey Moby Move – latest light vehicle cargo parcel trollies in London

Harry spoke new vision with cargo trolly. Opening with inspiring video of giant boxed trollies towed by cargo bikes. Key item was 95% up time, high reliability. Talk of engagement from the room.

Nick Bithell heavy vehicle clean air focus – Nick opened with a lens on the smaller operators working with electric HGV, (Real numbers only sees small numbers in the HGV park, there are twenty models, but only one public HGV charge facility and that’s up on the M62.) Nick focused cost standing against the business model for electric heavy. Shared infrastructure discussed, sharing charge solutions for HGV was on the cards and in talks.

Operators at the table, ‘We are seeing progress. There is an appetite for HGV EV but cost remains the challenge, infrastructure is the leading challenge. The discussion did extend beyond freight.

Colin Brady TFL - MTS interactive session

A vision for 2030, Colin chaired a busy interactive session with data to reported on the view of 2030 by TFL.

John Oosthuizen, TFL Cargo Bike update at LoCity, ‘it’s a wild west out there.’

LoCity guests asked for regulation.

John opened with the question of cargo bike future. ‘Are cargo bikes catching on? E cargo bike growth in parcel builds but there is a wide use of cargo bikes from services.’ John spoke about a need for vision on cargo safety use. We have seen trolly systems but no trial has taken place yet. We have a draft document working towards a review to become an action plan for cargo bikes. TFL are working with the Bicycle Association to develop a safety plan for cargo bikes. John explained he was short of statistics in road safety and welcomed input. John said, ‘it is a wild west out there.’ Amazon spoke need for regs on cargo bikes up to 35kg and then heavy cargo bikes up to 600kg.

Stephen Mann & Simon Cordrey TFL – EV Hub update

‘Getting the EV hubs up and going. Five seed sites, Park Royal, Tottenham Hale, Hillingdon, Ealing, Hatton Cross amongst the list. These are not just car park sites there should be micro hub opportunity.’ We are looking at shared access. Your feedback is shaping our approach.

Carolina Buneder & Adam Stagg TFL – Freight needs for Electric Vehicle infrastructure

TFL have completed stakeholder engagement. We have looked at infrastructure demand and are looking at GLA land to unlock opportunity for future. We are looking at access and shared infrastructure. Private and public infrastructure in our view should be opened up for all. We do see shared infrastructure. Adma spoke Zap Map. TFL are talking to some boroughs about sites for EV infrastructure.

The questions, Do you think shared infrastructure will play a relevant role in future EV?

Photo gallery

TFL LoCiy chair Carl Lomas with new TFL freight boss Colin Brady and TFL Laura Carleton

Colin Brady runs interactive session of future vision for 2030

Colin Brady, new head of freight at TFL

TFL LoCity, Alternative Fuel Vehicle meeting quarterly the next event at TFL HQ Palestra House on the afternoon June 18th