Belgian postal organization bpost has launched a pilot project in the city of Mechelen to attempt emissions-free delivery of letters and parcels throughout the city. The group says that the collaboration will last two years and looks to develop a blueprint for the introduction of sustainable delivery solutions in a phased manner. It is hoped that the foundation of its scheme will be an increase in its network of parcel lockers, meaning the population of Mechelen has to collect their parcels on foot or by bike.
Further to expanding its network of lockers, the postal service is also looking at investment in electric vehicles and cargo carrying bicycles.
Jean-Paul Van Avermaet, CEO of bpost group explained, “As a company, we want to take the lead in sustainable e-commerce. Thanks to this partnership with the city of Mechelen, we are taking a step in the right direction and the people of Mechelen can count on a growing network of services that complement and strengthen each other perfectly. We naturally hope that this can also serve as inspiration for many other cities and we will have discussions with interested parties in the coming months.”