Green freight drivers 'to be rewarded with gold membership'

Date: 15/4/2011

London freight operators who are able to deliver environmental savings and demonstrate self-improvement could be rewarded for their actions.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has made a new Gold membership available within the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme - which currently represents around one-quarter of the lorries and vans on the capital's roads.

It is estimated that overall the 75,000 vehicles registered with the programme successfully reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by 70,000 kg last year.

In response, TfL has updated its membership requirement to allow operators to apply for Gold status.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London's transport advisor, says: "The Gold standard demonstrates that the Mayor is challenging the industry to raise the bar even further when it comes to reducing the impact they have on London."

He adds that through the Silver and Bronze standards, significant improvements have already been recognised in freight operators reducing the number of penalties they are subject to, along with their emissions.

In a further effort to make London greener, work has begun to construct two new Barclays Cycle Superhighway routes in order to encourage more commuters to take to two wheels.

Posted by Nick Anderson