The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (CSRF), which the University is a partner member of, has produced ground-breaking research and policy proposals to help put the road freight sector on a zero-carbon trajectory.
The CRSF was established in 2012 to help industry and Government minimise carbon emissions from the road freight sector. It aims to research engineering and organisational solutions to make road freight economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The CRSF previously won the 2022 IEEE TSSS Presidential Prize for Sustainability in Transportation.
The CRSF is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Westminster, and works closely with leading road hauliers and companies as well as industry and government groups.
The Westminster team, led by Dr Maja Piecyk and Julian Allen, and including Marzena Piotrowska, Dr Mengqui Cao and Dr Allan Woodburn, focuses on policy advice, producing reports and briefing materials that form key input to policymaking at regional, national and international levels. In 2019, heavy goods and light duty vehicles were responsible for 8.5% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, and so the freight sector has been a key target in the government’s drive for net zero emissions by 2050. The reports produced by Westminster academics are also used by individual companies looking for advice on how to decarbonise their logistics operations.
The Westminster team are working on a project aimed at identifying the main challenges faced by small and medium road freight transport companies, to develop tools and guidance specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. Marzena Piotrowska is at the final stages of a project, carried out with additional support from Transport for London (TfL), to identify opportunities for goods consolidation to London schools, leading to less traffic, healthier air and a safer environment for pupils.
Dr Maja Piecyk, Professor of Logistics and member of the CSRF’s Executive Team, said: “Over the last decade, the Centre has been highly successful in carrying out pioneering research on ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from supply chains. Participation in the project and guidance delivered by the Centre’s staff has saved the participating companies a significant amount of cost and carbon emissions. Our recommendations help shaping national and international decarbonisation policies, leading to a better environment for everyone.”
Learn more about Transport and Logistics courses at the University.
