Irish postal operator An Post will introduce hundreds of electric vehicles for zero-emission deliveries in Dublin by the end of this year and in other major cities next year, and is also planning to install a network of parcel lockers.
The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, yesterday announced that all An Post deliveries in the Irish capital ‘between the canals’ (Royal and Grand) will be zero emission by the end of this year.
Under the company’s ‘Post Eco’ plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, An Post will introduce 200 electric vehicles (delivery vans & cycles) this year and a total of 750 by 2022 to replace its urban delivery fleet.
The company will achieve zero-emission postal deliveries in Dublin city centre by the end of this year and then in Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford by the end of 2020. All drivers will have Eco-Driving training to ensure best practise driving in all vehicles and for all road and weather conditions.
In addition, An Post will launch various other eco-measures, including trialling public charging points for electric vehicles outside post offices and installing solar panels on its buildings. Altogether, initiatives being introduced in 2019 will save 1,000 tonnes of carbon annually.
Minister Bruton said: “We must step up Ireland’s response to climate disruption. It is vital that every aspect of our society seek ways to reduce their carbon impact and the public service and our semi-state bodies must be the first to show that it takes policies for sustainability seriously, if we are to persuade the rest of society to make the step changes which we need to make.
“Today’s announcement shows that An Post is taking the lead and recognising the urgency of taking action in adapting to the changes that are needed. By placing sustainability at the core of their business strategy, they are leading by example.”
An Post CEO David McRedmond added: “As An Post moves from the old world of mail to the new world of e-commerce, sustainability has to be the guiding principle for the business. An Post is transforming for generations to come: as a major employer with a huge fleet footprint, this demands responsible climate action with this commitment to carbon-free delivery.”
Meanwhile, Irish newspapers reported earlier this week that An Post plans to set up a nationwide network of parcel lockers to offer more delivery options to consumers and to compete with the Parcel Motel lockers operated by UPS-owned local rival Nightline.
The company, whose parcel volumes soared by 42% to more than 30 million last year, has contacted potential suppliers and hopes to start the contracts in city centre areas later this year.
