TNT Express Services is planning to invest up to £20m in its UK commercial fleet to help combat strict new environmental controls.
The operator, which is planning to rebrand as PostNL across all markets, will upgrade up to 600 vehicles and trailers, which would help TNT address the needs of London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) when new green regulations come into force at the beginning of 2012, requiring all vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or above to comply with Euro 4 emission legislation.
Simon Harper, director of operations for TNT Express Services, said: “We are shaping our fleet to reflect our changing markets and our ongoing drive to reduce our carbon footprint.
“We are on track to achieve our strategic environmental goal of a 40% improvement in our CO2 efficiency between 2007 and 2020. Ensuring we make the necessary investment to meet the criteria of the LEZ makes both economic as well as environmental sense.”
The company is planning to purchase of a significant number of 5 tonne vehicles, in a departure from its traditional 7.5 tonne pick up and delivery (PUD) vehicle. “The move to using a more balanced range of PUD vehicles reflects increasing activity in the business-to-consumer element in our delivery schedules,” he added.
TNT is also moving to a more aerodynamic model of trailer, as it continues its ongoing programme of taking 10-year old trailers out of service. Steve Davis, national engineering manager, said: “The new trailers are something like 3% more efficient than a conventional version and that equates to approximately £1,500 per vehicle.”
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