Work has started on a sustainable parcel delivery hub at Friarsgate Car Park in Winchester, Hampshire. The hub, which will use electric cargo bikes for last-mile delivery, is expected to launch in November.
During a 12-month trial, parcels will be delivered to the hub by vans, before being transferred to e-cargo bikes for the final leg of their journey to homes and small businesses.
The hub will utilise 14 parking spaces at Friarsgate Car Park, leaving 58 public spaces available during the trial. It will include secure storage and charging stations for up to 10 electric cargo bikes, unloading areas for delivery vans, as well as welfare facilities for staff.
The project is being led by Solent Transport in partnership with Winchester City Council and Decarbon Logistics Solutions, which is leading on design, setup, and operator management. The University of Portsmouth will support the project by monitoring its environmental and operational benefits.
“The [Winchester] parcel delivery hub project is an exciting step towards making our air less polluted and our roads less congested, while still ensuring residents and businesses can efficiently receive deliveries,” said Councillor Kelsie Learney, cabinet member for the climate and nature emergency.
The initiative forms part of the Department for Transport’s Solent Future Transport Zone programme. At the end of the trial, the carpark will be returned to its original condition. The results of the e-cargo bike trial will be reported back to DfT to inform how similar projects can be implemented in future.
The Solent Future Transport Zone is investing £28.8m in trials across the region to make transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient. A micro-logistics hub trial was launched by Portsmouth City Council in partnership with Delivery Mates and Decarbon Logistics Solutions in May.
