bpost has launched a second Ecozone in Leuven, Belgium – meaning all parcel, letter and newspaper deliveries in the city center are to be completed with zero emissions.
Following bpost’s pilot in Mechelen in 2020, the Ecozone blueprint will be rolled out in the center of Leuven with a fleet of 13 bike trailers and 29 electric vans. More vehicles for deliveries to postcode zone 3001 will arrive later this year. The fleet will be powered by 47 charging stations.
The combination of green vehicles, mail carriers and a large number of pickup points means that bpost is able to limit the number of vehicles and kilometers per vehicle in the city. Additionally, the existing pickup point network of post offices, post points and parcels points has been supported with additional 27 parcel lockers to create a network where 76% of Leuven addressees are less than 500m away from a collection point.
Since the launch of the Ecozone, bpost has recorded an 11% increase in the number of people who have updated their preferences in the bpost app to have their parcels delivered straight to a pick-up point.
According to Professor Koen Mommens of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the shift to emission-free transportation in Leuven will reduce daily carbon emissions by 85% (1.9 metric tons). The university assesses the total sustainability gain in terms of society and environment (indirect social and ecological costs) at 69%, mainly due to lower costs of traffic congestion, noise pollution, carbon emissions and air pollution.
Jean Muls, CEO of bpost Belgium, said, “Sustainable enterprise, and specifically sustainable city logistics, is an integral part of the long-term vision and strategy of bpost group. We aim to be a role model in that field, working closely with various stakeholders. With the good results of the Leuven Ecozone and the planned replication of the concept in other city centers later this year, bpost shows that it is able to fulfil the role of trailblazer in sustainable city logistics in Belgium.”
This zone is a product of bpost and the City of Leuven’s ambition to boost sustainable transportation. Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, said, “The people of Leuven shop online and those parcels are increasingly delivered in an environmentally friendly way. Step by step, e-commerce is becoming greener. People’s lives and health in the city are better with fewer vans on the road. The popularity of the Ecozone among local stores shows that Leuven is one of the leading cities when it comes to green ambitions. The green transformation of e-commerce is a win-win and both the retailers and inhabitants of Leuven and bpost are showing they are all on the same side.”