Freight and air pollution. What’s the problem?

In those cities, it’s people from minoritised communities, people living in lower income areas, children, older people, and people with health conditions whose health is most affected by air pollution.

In cities light and heavy goods vehicles travelling on already congested roads contribute heavily to air pollution.

A freight system offering same day deliveries directly to our doorstep gives us ‘quick fix’ convenience. But it’s a system that’s unfit for cities; it’s disjointed and inefficient, with diesel vans often following overlapping routes. One study found that journeys made by polluting vans can sometimes deliver just one box.

This outdated system is bad for business and the economy. And, because it pollutes the air we breathe, it’s bad for our health.

Why is freight a problem?

Freight produces harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) emissions. Using London as an example, freight represents 15% of total vehicle miles travelled and makes a significant contribution to air pollution.

Alarmingly, road freight usage is only increasing. Changes in consumer behaviour, born out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to a sustained increase in demand for delivery services. Diesel van sales increased 82% during the pandemic and petrol van registrations increased twofold. This trend looks set to continue as the number of parcels delivered is expected to double by 2030.

It’s bad for health

Breathing polluted air reduces healthy lifespan and affects people of all ages, including unborn babies, often leading to lifelong illnesses. Prolonged exposure to air pollution significantly increases the risk of stroke, dementia, and respiratory and cardiovascular disease. It increases pregnant women’s chances of having a miscarriage or a premature baby. And, the more air pollution we’re exposed to, the more likely it is that we will develop cancer.

Research shows that children are one of the groups most vulnerable to these harmful effects. Children living near busy roads are four times more likely than adults to have reduced lung function. Because children are smaller and closer to the fumes from traffic, they are exposed to 30% more air pollution than adults when walking along busy roads.

It’s bad for businesses

While freight underpins the flow of commerce, poor organisation is costing businesses.

Disjointed planning and logistical systems mean businesses often need several shipments from multiple suppliers in the same day. This incurs costs in terms of productivity, sales and service fees.

Increased haulage costs and fuel prices, combined with labour shortages, workers’ ill-health and regulations compliance, also affect the bottom line.

An efficient road freight system needs its deliveries to keep moving. Yet with delivery and service vehicles already accounting for a third of peak road traffic, drivers are spending an average of 71 hours a year in gridlock during peak hours. This poses a real challenge to companies looking to meet doubled demand by the end of this decade.

Though price and convenience remain important, a growing number of consumers are considering sustainability when choosing where and how to buy. With the effects of the climate crisis more evident each year, businesses that don’t futureproof their operations by looking at greener, cleaner alternatives will become less competitive.

It’s bad for the NHS

The health effects of air pollution put additional pressure on our stretched NHS. Respiratory conditions such as asthma, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases have cost the NHS £5.56 billion since 2017 alone.

It’s bad for the economy

Our outdated freight system has huge costs to cities. Diesel van deliveries alone in London have hidden social, environmental, and health costs that come to over £2 billion every year.

It’s bad for our climate

Transport is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gases in the UK and urgently needs to be decarbonised if net zero targets are to be met. Home deliveries were responsible for an estimated 100 million kilograms of CO2 emissions between 2020-2021.

Looking for solutions

In the pages below, you can read our recommendations for Government for reducing air pollution from freight; ways that businesses are already prioritising low-polluting freight; and a breakdown of our work on freight and air quality.