According to statistics published by the Department Of Transport, 356.5 billion miles were driven on Great Britain's roads in 2019 (a 360-mile increase per person year-on-year) . Car traffic increased by 2.2% from 2018 levels. The figure of 278.2 billion vehicle miles (bvm) is the highest annual estimate ever of car traffic! There are a whole host of factors contributing to this staggering increase. However, when delving deeper into the data, the trends of today's consumers become starkly apparent as the main contributing factors. As of 2019, the UK represents Europe's most advanced economy in terms of consumer online adoption. This mass adoption has given rise to a reliance on home deliveries for many households, which in turn has had some sway on the increase the data reflects.
The 2020 figure of miles driven on Great Britain's roads by the Department of Transport was 280.5 billion, a 21.3% decrease in comparison to the previous year . This is because road traffic trends were massively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic where travel across the country was largely restricted. However, the mass adoption and reliance of online shopping throughout the pandemic combined with the continued easing of lockdown restrictions could lead to a rapid spike in this number if online shopping legacy trends are not changed.
We must then posit the question, with the massive adoption of home deliveries due to the recent (and ongoing) lockdowns, has there been an adverse effect on congestion-related air pollution due to increased 'white van traffic'? The Office of National Statistics reported that van traffic grew by 2.0% from 2018 to 55.5 bvm, a new peak level for van traffic.
With delivery companies rapidly increasing their workforces to keep up with the exponential growth of in-home delivery, has sustainability been put on the backburner as consumers seek fast and convenient delivery? Consumer demand for next-day delivery and one-hour delivery is on the rise, and this, in turn, has a large effect on the number of delivery vans being used.
Sustainability has always been at the heart of what makes Parcelly such an innovative company. Our mission since we set out in 2014 has been to simplify parcel delivery for consumers and to do so in a sustainable manner, from first to last mile. Underlining our CSR initiatives as a business and industry Thought Leader, we were recognized in 2017 with the 'Responsible Business In the Digital Age' award at the Business in the Community's Responsible Business Awards, for 'fundamentally rethinking social and environmental impact' by the Prince's Responsible Business Network - but also Finalist in the Sustainable City and Business Green Awards from 2016-2019.
Through constant innovation, we are continuing to revolutionize the world of logistics . By partnering with various retail and logistics partners, providing innovative PUDO technology , we empower partners through offering services such as hyperlocal fulfillment, Click & Collect and returns consolidation . We are diligently working on our mission to ensure last and first mile logistics is getting more sustainable, one parcel at a time.
Parcelly's Hyperlocal warehousing technology, allows retail and logistics brands to continue to grow and cope with increasing demand for fast delivery options whilst being more environmentally friendly . By reducing the distance between stock and the final destination for consumers not only are delivery times reduced, but the distance also traveled by delivery couriers is slashed, allowing sustainable delivery methods, such as bicycles, cargo bikes or EV's. Working with instant delivery partners like Stuart , Gophr , On the dot and many more, has allowed us to offer a sustainable urban logistics solution that are available in an ever-growing number of cities across the UK and abroad.
Accenture recently published a report outlining the substantial environmental benefits local fulfillment centers, * cough * cough * (parcelly locations) can have on the last-mile operations of companies. They have estimated that with the help of local fulfillment in London there would be a 13% decrease in delivery traffic which in turn could save 144 thousand tonnes in carbon emissions (approximately 17% of delivery van emissions) . This is just a glimpse into the potential sustainability gains that local fulfillment offers and with today's consumers ever more conscious about the sustainability of their online shopping habits, solutions like the one Parcelly provides are even more essential.
Through offering innovative solutions such as Hyperlocal Warehousing, Click & Collect and Returns Consolidation , Parcelly has been able to ensure any online retailer can have access to physical storage space without the need for a traditional brick and mortar space in an expensive urban location. Our innovations present a solution to the home delivery sustainability crisis by enabling brands to reduce traffic congestion on the roads. The Parcelly service reduces both the monetary and environmental costs which online shopping presents.
In conclusion and monitoring market developments and global initiatives by industry-leading brands, such as DHL's 'Mission 2050' , we fully believe that E-commerce can and will be managed sustainably in the long run and PUDO and Hyperlocal fulfillment technology will be at the forefront of this drive to protect our climate. Parcelly offers a multitude of tailored first and last-mile solutions for any type of retailer or logistics provider and we invite companies to embark on this journey with us to ensure parcel delivery is environmentally friendly from first mile to last mile.
