A zero-emission freight zone (ZEZ-F) in central London would deliver healthcare savings of £50m annually and cut 285,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

A zero-emission freight zone in central London would prioritise access for electric- and pedal-powered freight

That’s according to a new report that warns London’s renowned leadership on clean air and climate is at risk without a clear pathway to decarbonising freight.

Commissioned by the Clean Cities campaign, the report reveals that a fully operational ZEZ-F would help the Government to meet World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines and prevent health conditions such as asthma, heart disease and strokes.

The new analysis reveals a zero-emission zone for freight vehicles in central London would save the NHS and healthcare services more than £50m a year, equivalent to the salary of nearly 1,500 nurses.

The report also calculates that a ZEZ-F – prioritising access for electric- and pedal-powered freight – would reduce CO2 emissions by 285,000 tonnes in 2030 in its first year, roughly equivalent to the total CO2 savings from the first four years of ULEZ.

This level of carbon reduction would reduce ‘damage costs’ to London’s productivity and the environment by almost £90m each year, according to models used by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The document sets out a five-year pathway towards a zero-emission freight zone in London.

This includes continuing the congestion charging exemption for electric freight vehicles, a targeted scrappage scheme for polluting diesel lorries and vans, better charging infrastructure and a national subsidy or loan scheme for SMEs to fund second-hand purchases of battery powered vans.

London is lagging behind its European counterparts in its clean city plans; 41 European cities have adopted plans to introduce zero-emission zones by 2030, or signed ‘green deals’ with alliances with businesses on zero-emission urban logistics.

Oliver Lord, UK head of Clean Cities, said: “London is being leapfrogged by cities in Europe that are proving it is possible to deliver zero-emission freight zones in partnership with the private sector.

“We want the Mayor to succeed in his commitment to deliver the world’s first electric-vehicle ready global city and that requires much stronger policies and incentives for zero emission freight.”

The findings were launched at an event hosted by Clean Cities with a panel including Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport and Deputy Chair of Transport for London, alongside the government Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), Just Economics, Transport & Environment, and the Climate Group.

It’s the latest call from Clean Cities to accelerate the uptake of electric- or pedal-powered commercial vehicles in London; its Clean Cargo Capital campaign launched in August, focused on accelerating the uptake of cleaner vehicles in London.

The campaign also recently wrote to the Mayor of London, calling for the electric vehicle Congestion Charge exemption to be extended for electric vans beyond 2025. The call has been backed by more than 40 businesses operating across the capital including the AA, Ocado and the Federation of Small Businesses.