Royal Mail has bought 140 new double-deck trailers in an attempt to cut carbon emissions from itspostal distribution network by 20%.
The 4.4m-high trailers, 13.6m in length, can hold some 100,000 items of mail – 50% more thanconventional trailers – and will in this way reduce road miles and overall emissions. The purchaseof the double-deck trailers adds to 83 already in use.
“We are motoring towards our goal of creating a greener transport fleet,” Royal Mail networkdirector Paul Tolhurst said.
“Measures such as the double-deck trailers help improve our efficiency and we know thatimproved business performance goes hand in hand with improved environmental performance.”
“This is part of Royal Mail’s integrated Carbon Management Programme, which covers a range ofstrands including building energy and sustainable procurement,” he added.
The company says it reduced the carbon emissions produced by its distribution network by 28%between 2002 and the end of the 2006 financial year (March 31 2006).
Features of the new vehicle include a moving floor which can be loaded and then raised up tothe trailer roof to create additional load space underneath. Lift suspension raises and lowers bothdecks so that they can be presented at dock height.
