GreenFleet: Mobility & Connectivity Report

Changing the way people and goods move

MOBILITY & CONNECTIVITY

Report

24 Mobility strategy New ways of travelling and transporting goods, such as car clubs, autonomous vehicles and cargo bikes for city centre deliveries, are believed to solve some of the most pressing urban challenges. We look at how the government hopes to transform transport and travel outlined in its Future of Mobility strategy 27 Mobility credits BVRLA’s proposal for a Mobility Credits Scrappage Scheme suggests providing credits to those getting rid of polluting vehicles, to be used on more sustainable ‘pay-as-you-go’ transport modes, including car and bike hire, car clubs, trams, buses and trains

30 Road charging By 2025, London could have at least five separate road user charging schemes with different requirements. A new report by Centre for London has called for the adoption of a new scheme which charges drivers on a permile basis for their journeys 42 Roundtable The quest for less congested roads and healthier air, as well as improved productivity, is driving the government and industry to look at alternative ways to travel and transport goods.

The recent GreenFleet roundtable concluded that leadership, a clear strategy, and investment is key to making these changes work for both consumers and the business sector

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Mobility & Connectivity Report

MOBILITY STRATEGY

Transforming the way people and goods move New ways of travelling and transporting goods, such as car clubs, autonomous vehicles and cargo bikes for city centre deliveries, are believed to solve some of the most pressing urban challenges. We look at how the government hopes to transform transport and travel outlined in its Future of Mobility strategy

Transforming the way people and goods move, such as through car clubs, autonomous vehicles and cargo bikes for city centre deliveries, are believed to solve some of the most pressing urban challenges, namely congestion and poor air quality.

It is also hoped to make the UK more productive and bring societal benefits too, such as opening up travel options for older people and those with disabilities.

The government’s recent ‘future of mobility: urban strategy’ examines this subject.

It says that new types of travel and new business models, enabled by data and connectivity, automation and electrification, are starting to transform how people and goods move. If the transition is well managed, it could help tackle urban challenges such as congestion and air pollution. It can also widen access to mobility for disabled people and older people.

Jesse Norman, Minister of State for Transport says in the foreword that “radical new technologies are emerging that within a generation will transform everyday journeys.”

The review explores regulations around new types of vehicles including e-scooters and e-cargo bike trailers, how sharing data can improve services by reducing congestion, and how journey planning and payment can be made more simple.

The strategy sets out how the government is planning to achieve these ambitions with nine key principles that will guide government decision-making going forward;

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miles in urban areas. This could alleviate congestion, reduce noise and emissions, and improve traffic flow. For example, trials of electric cargo bikes showed that they have the potential to increase road speeds in congested areas as well as reducing emissions, costs and delivery time when compared to van-based last mile delivery services. Drones could also take the place of vans for some types of urban deliveries.

The government also believes that there is strong economic benefit to new mobility solutions. Improving the flow of people and goods around the country can raise economic productivity and support the government’s Industrial Strategy. In addition, self-driving vehicles could free up travel time for work or leisure. The average driver in England currently spends 236 hours behind the wheel per year, equivalent to over six working weeks.

Achieving the ambitions A review of the legislation will be fundamental to achieving the desired changes. The strategy outlines how it will look at how taxis and private hire vehicles are regulated, with laws dating back to the 1800s currently stifling innovation.

Traffic regulation and street design may also need to evolve to accommodate new vehicles and new ways of using roads.

The review will also consider if regulation around sharing transport data needs the change, as this is crucial for mobility as a service to work.

Supporting local areas with the changes is also key. The strategy says “it will continue and expand upon efforts to understand and address the ensuring that emerging challenges local areas face, transport technologies I f the strengthening their capacity are safe, accessible transitio to prepare for and shape and green. n to mobilit the future of mobility”.

The report says manag y is well Money will continue that much of the ed, it co to be pumped technology required help ta uld into trialling and for new travel c k l e urban challen researching innovative modes, new business transport solutions. models, automation conges ges such as tion Future Mobility and electrification pollutioand air Zones for example, are is available today n cities given funding to and is already having test a range of new mobility an impact on people’s services, modes and models. mobility choices.

The West Midlands has been With 80 per cent of people in chosen as the UK’s first Future Mobility the UK now using smartphones, funding Area and will see money invested in new will be put into ideas to find smoother innovative new transport schemes to make payment systems, more up-to-date travel journeys quicker, cheaper and cleaner. information and the use of innovative Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) forms of transport. This is hoped to will work with companies to trial and make travel in towns and cities more demonstrate new modes of transport, convenient, more reliable and cheaper. services and technologies, like mobility as a service, car sharing, electric bikes and using The benefits of mobility data to bust congestion on our roads.

New mobility models could reduce Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street dependency on car ownership, therefore said: “Technology is going to completely removing car parks and allowing urban space change the way people get around, to be used more efficiently. This could allow and we’re pleased the West Midlands for more green space, with associated benefits is at the forefront of this revolution. including improved physical and mental health “The West Midlands is already the and mitigating the higher temperatures and beating heart of Britain’s self-driving air pollution of urban areas. vehicle testing, competing with Silicon There is significant potential for new modes Valley, Germany and China. of transport to replace traditional vehicle

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“As the UK’s first ever future mobility area we are already developing these new technologies to help people get around more quickly and easily, and to build the next billion-dollar company like Uber or Tesla right here in Birmingham, Binley or Brierley.”

Industry efforts Commenting for the automotive industry, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The automotive industry is responding to perhaps the most significant change since the invention of the car. Mobility as we know it is evolving, improving people’s day-today lives with implications for all of society.

This strategy offers important guidance on the objectives and principles underpinning the future of mobility in towns and cities, while giving industry scope to invest and innovate, developing exciting new services.

“We look forward to working closely with government and local authorities to shape the strategy’s implementation, helping to position the UK as a global leader in future mobility.”

Future of Mobility Grand Challenge business champion and former board member of BMW, Ian Robertson said: “With a long history of transport innovation, a worldclass research base and many established technology leaders, the UK is in prime position for a transport revolution.

“The government’s vision as set out in the ‘Future of mobility: urban strategy’ will ensure that going forward, all businesses within the transport industry create technology that is accessible to everyone,

environmentally friendly and economically worthwhile. In doing so, the industry can ensure it harnesses its domestic expertise to profit from a growing market for cleaner, safer and more efficient transport.”

Cargo bikes The government has published its response to the Last Mile call for evidence, outlining a range of measures to support cleaner and more sustainable last mile deliveries.

These include increasing the uptake of e-cargo bikes and e-vans. In addition, working with the Energy Saving Trust, the government is also now inviting expressions of interest for £2 million of funding to support the uptake of e-cargo bikes.

Matthew Eastwood, head of transport at Energy Saving Trust commented: “The Department for Transport’s eCargo Bike Grant Fund will support the adoption of ecargo bikes by businesses in England. An ecargo bike has the potential to be faster through traffic than a van and offer much lower operating costs. They are a practical sustainable transport solution for urban deliveries, generating zero emissions therefore contributing to improved air quality.

“Successful applicants will access grant funding for up to 20 per cent of the cost of a new ecargo bike up to the value of £1,000 per bike and must sign up to an agreed code of practice.” L FURTHER INFORMATION

SPONSOR’S COMMENT

Telematics: driving the future of mobility John Watkins, Executive Chairman, Trakm8

Mobility & Connectivity Report

Much of the technology required for new travel modes, new business models, automation and electrification is available today and is already having an impact on people’s daily lives and mobility choices

The UK has the potential to become a world leader in shaping the future of mobility. Our government has ambitious plans to transform how we move people and goods around our urban and rural areas, outlined in its Future of Mobility Grand Challenge.

As the UK’s largest manufacturer of telematics devices, Trakm8 is already embracing this challenge.

We invest heavily in research and development; and Trakm8 is the partner of choice for a wide range of R&D projects in the connected car, mobility and transport sectors.

Trakm8’s technology is driving research in vital areas such as improving machine learning for connected autonomous vehicles; creating algorithms for more efficient pothole detection; and enhancing the capabilities of all-electric refrigerated delivery vehicles.

However, one of the biggest challenges facing fleet managers today is keeping up with the pace of technological change. For any organisation which owns and operates vehicles, the connected car presents huge opportunities to reduce road risk, improve efficiencies and cut carbon emissions. Yet at the same time, connected vehicles can generate substantial amounts of data, which can be time-consuming to analyse.

This is why Trakm8 has developed Insight, a unique and customisable telematics and business intelligence platform. Insight enables fleet managers to view data from a variety of sources all within one web portal.

This additional level of integration will ensure that fleet managers don’t drown in data, and instead use it to create actionable insights around key metrics such as vehicle utilisation, fuel expenditure and driver behaviour.

Connected cars have the capability to change our lives for the better – which is why Trakm8 develops technology to harness Big Data in a way that is user-friendly and beneficial.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.trakm8.com

www.gov.uk Supported by

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0330 311 5157

www.trakm8.com

info@trakm8.com

Pay-as-you-go can drive future mobility With the UK Government devolving responsibility to the regions to tackle air quality, it now falls to local authorities to find a solution that doesn’t adversely impact residents, small businesses and local economies.

Having set out ambitions to see the complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2040, government has tasked local authorities with the challenge of reducing nitrogen dioxide in our most polluting towns and cities.

The BVRLA and its members have been engaging for some time with local and national policymakers to set out the role that BVRLA members can play in delivering the benefits promised by new mobility technologies and business models.

In London, where the pollution and congestion problems are so visible, and its public transport provision so excellent, it has been possible to introduce a congestion charging zone with relatively little backlash. However, in other UK cities charging zones are politically much more difficult and are only being considered as a last resort.

New technological innovations are guiding solutions, with emerging modes of transport like electric vans and e-cargo bikes having the potential to transform the way goods are delivered.

Behaviour change The benefits for local authorities are clear.

By incentivising long-term behaviour change, a scheme like this would limit congestion, reduce roadside air pollution Smart technology and would encourage individuals to The advent of the sharing economy has also embrace efficient, healthier and more opened up new ideas and a culture sustainable forms of transport. has evolved where people are Additional benefits would increasingly expecting to be also be felt amongst local A able to plan, book and residents and business Mobilit y pay for transport on owners, who would face Credits s their smart phone. increasing costs if an c h e me can be This ‘pay-as-you-go’ alternative solution like u s e d in conjun approach is increasingly Clean Air Zones were new te ction with part of the fabric of to be put in place. life in the UK. From We know that by such as chnologies M streamlining services nudging behaviour o b i l a Servic it to gym membership change, we can derive e (Maay as and transportation, long-term benefits. This platform S) s people are increasingly can be demonstrated by using a service-based model the introduction of car clubs, for meeting their needs. which have reported findings to It is this combination of culture suggest that their members have change and technological advancement directly contributed towards reducing that provides the backdrop for the BVRLA’s the number of privately-owned Mobility Credits Scrappage Scheme proposal. cars on the road. E It makes the case for a nationally funded, locally targeted vehicle scrappage scheme that provides Mobility Credits to those getting rid of older, more polluting vehicle.

Mobility Credits would be spent on more sustainable ‘pay-as-you-go’ private and public transport modes, including car and bike hire, car clubs, trams, buses and trains, reducing

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Written by the BVRLA

BVRLA’s proposal for a Mobility Credits Scrappage Scheme suggests providing credits to those getting rid of polluting vehicles, to be used on more sustainable ‘pay-as-you-go’ transport modes, including car and bike hire, car clubs, trams, buses and trains

emissions and advancing the shift away from vehicle ownership to usership.

A scheme like this is mostly suited to an urban area that has strong transport links and is under pressure to introduce measures to improve air quality. The infrastructure would need to be in place to enable people to fulfil all their transport needs without using their own private vehicle.

A Mobility Credits scheme can be used in conjunction with new technologies such as integrated Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms to incentivise more sustainable journeys involving public, shared and active transport.

Mobility & Connectivity Report

MOBILITY CREDITS

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Mobility & Connectivity Report

 A Mobility Credits scheme that utilises not only car clubs, but a range of other modes of shared transport would multiply the number of journeys available and have a huge impact on driving behaviour change.

Leading the way In October 2018, Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street announced that the region is to become the UK’s first Future Mobility city with £20m being invested to enable Transport West Midlands to work with companies to trial and demonstrate new modes of transport, services and technology. This will include investment in mobility as a service, car sharing, electric bikes and using data to tackle congestion.

Welcoming West Midlands Mayor Andy Street’s announcement, BVRLA chief executive, Gerry Keaney said: “The fleet sector is determined to play a lead role in tackling air pollution and this announcement, which must be the start of a wider transition in urban transport, has the potential to dramatically improve the sustainability of road transport in the West Midlands.

“We look forward to collaborating with authorities and government to deliver solutions that ensure customer safety and provide a fair and level playing field for service providers who will rely on having equal rights to access data.

The BVRLA believes that the scope of a Mobility Credits scheme can go far beyond local authorities giving credits to residents scrapping older, more polluting vehicles.

It could also be deployed as a method for businesses to give employees credits to help reduce their business grey fleet.

Protecting consumers and businesses must remain at the heart of this evolution.”

The BVRLA believes that the scope of a Mobility Credits scheme can go far beyond local authorities giving credits to residents scrapping older, more polluting vehicles. It could also be deployed as an effective method for businesses to give employees credits to help reduce their business grey fleet.

Unlike a diesel scrappage scheme, which continues to promote vehicle ownership by incentivising the purchase of loweremission vehicles, Mobility Credits really takes advantage of our changing cultural behaviours and advances in technology to derive much longer-term societal and environmental benefits.

Be part of the Future of Mobility The BVRLA Future Mobility Congress taking place in Birmingham on 4 July will explore the way new technology, supply chains and business models are tackling today’s urban transport challenges.

The event will provide plenty of opportunities to share new policy thinking, hear about innovative urban mobility solutions and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Find out more at BVRLA.co.uk/events L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bvrla.co.uk

What are mobility credits?

A mobility credits scheme is a targeted and progressive modification of previous diesel vehicle scrappage schemes. Instead of receiving a one-off payment towards the purchase of a new car after scrapping their polluting vehicle, participants are given ‘mobility credits’ which can be spent on more sustainable, ‘pay-as-you-go’ private and public transport modes such as car and bike hire, car clubs, trams, buses and trains. A mobility credits scrappage scheme is the only clean air measure that inspires long-term behaviour change. By incentivising individuals to give up private car ownership and use other shared forms of transport new travel habits are created.

The result is that participants adjust to using more sustainable forms of transport regularly and rapidly reduce their contribution to roadside pollution and congestion.

For local authorities this results in less congestion and pollution and healthier residents who embrace more efficient and sustainable forms of transport. It also places their cities at the forefront of the ongoing revolution in transport. Individuals do not suffer the economic hardship they often experience under alternative air quality policies.

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Stuart Thomas, director of fleet and SME at the AA, outlines why the advent of new technologies is revolutionising the way in which business drivers and fleet managers need to think about travel

Fleets are facing an increasingly complex environment when it comes to the future of mobility. ‘Mobility as a Service’ (MaaS) – where consumers are shifting away from personally-owned modes of transportation and towards mobility solutions that are consumed as a service – is becoming a common-place industry discussion.

Connected car technology As is connected car technology, which is likely to be shaped by a number of new vehicle safety systems soon to be mandated across the European Union (EU). These should be welcomed, with emphasis placed on explaining why these systems will be of benefit for drivers, fleets and businesses.

We can all agree that cutting traffic collisions by 30 per cent and potentially saving up to 25,000 lives over 15 years is a positive goal.

However, we need to ensure that those buying and driving vehicles from 2022 understand what all this new technology can do for them – and, if relevant, how they can advocate for it with their customers and fleet drivers.

All new vehicles will be fitted with Electronic Data Recorders (EDRs) and compulsory Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems.

Existing optional Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, driver fatigue detection and a reversing camera or sensor, will also be essential.

AA Populus data Indeed, AA Populus data from January this year showed that drivers are looking for increased technology, with three fifths

wanting adaptive cruise control and AEB, while just under half would like lane keep assist on their next car. There has also been a lot of support for systems that warn drivers of speed limits; however the mandatory ISA systems have caused some contention as 64% stated that while ‘cars should know the speed limit at all times, drivers should be able to decide whether they are prevented from exceeding the speed limit or warned only’.

Over a quarter of the AA Populus panel agree their current vehicle has safety features they don’t know are there (February 2019).

It is likely, therefore, that fleet and company car drivers could also benefit from a little education in how to make the most of their vehicles. In the same survey, almost half of respondents said they wished they had a better understanding about existing safety technologies, providing a massive opportunity for business owners and fleet managers to add value to their fleet management and driver training programmes.

For example, while an initial furore about ISA systems focused on the potential dangers if drivers are not able to override the system, the reality is somewhat different. Combatting such misperceptions is a vital part of the fleet sector’s responsibilities to those on the road.

It should be reassuring for fleets to know that the ISA will use traffic sign recognition cameras and GPS to calculate speed limits – and ensure the vehicle does not exceed them by automatically limiting engine power. If conditions dictate, drivers will be able to override deceleration if necessary, by pushing further on the accelerator. It has also been suggested that additional

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Mobility and connected cars: The great transport revolution warnings such as dashboard lights and an increasing audible warning should continue to alert the driver until the vehicle is travelling below the limit, however the EU are still in the early stages of discussion on how ISA will look and feel for drivers.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems The introduction of these compulsory Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is paving the way towards fully autonomous vehicles. According to the AA’s 2018 Operational Fleet Report, created in partnership with BT Fleet, fleet managers felt that autonomous vehicles will roll-out with certainty once practical considerations have been addressed. However, many remain sceptical, with just 29 per cent stating they would expect vehicles with autonomous capabilities to be used in operational fleets within five years.

Almost two thirds (63 per cent) agreed that autonomous vehicles would represent a positive opportunity for operational fleets, offering safety benefits as well as a reputational effect of being seen as innovative, while 67 per cent of fleet managers believe autonomous vehicles would represent a threat to fleet management, with job losses for drivers topping the list of concerns.

Use the terminology around vehicle safety, mobility, connectivity and ADAS, and that response might be different. The language of autonomy remains tinged with some scepticism, but we can all agree that safety should be a key priority.

Indeed, the AA welcomes any technology that will make UK roads safer, with significant impact on freedom or mobility.

We just need to ensure that dialogue is open on the potentially controversial topic of autonomous vehicles in fleets.

Aspirations for future transport The aspirations for future transport infrastructure are laudable – zero-emission, low carbon, pollution-free intelligent and connected vehicles, operating within a safe environment. Bringing together functions such as customer information and payments across different transport modes will eventually means a vast expansion of services – more choice, more reliability and accountability, greener journeys and lower cost. That can’t be bad for business! L FURTHER INFORMATION www.theaa.com/business

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Mobility & Connectivity Report

ROAD CHARGING

Moving in the city

rate regardless of how much they drive in a zone, the scheme would consider the impact of individual journeys in terms of journey length, road surface damage, economic costs and environmental damage.

Charging drivers on the most congested By 2025, London could have at least five separate road user roads the equivalent of a cup of coffee or charging schemes with different requirements. A new report by a bus ticket could reduce total emissions Centre for London has called for the adoption of a new scheme and air pollution levels across the whole of London by up to a fifth (over and above the which charges drivers on a per-mile basis for their journeys anticipated impact of the current ULEZ).

A new report by Centre for London has called The report emphasises the need to update This idea would also reduce congestion for the adoption of a new road user charging the existing system; while the new Ultra and make for a healthier, more liveable city. scheme in the capital, which charges drivers Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is a much-needed The report recommends that the Mayor of on a per-mile basis, rather than a complicated environmental measure, it comes on London should ask Transport for myriad of charges with different requirements. top of the existing Congestion London to develop options Costs of the proposed ‘per mile’ charge Charge, and proposed charges for a new approach to City would vary by vehicle emissions, local levels for the new Silvertown and road user charging, with Move of congestion and pollution and availability Blackwall tunnels. This a view to introducing would of public transport alternatives – and prices means that by 2025, the first version of London give would be set before the journey begins.

London could have a scheme by the e travel in rs all their The scheme would be integrated with at least five separate end of the 2020formati London’s wider transport system via a road user charging 2024 Mayoral o o n n in e place new app and digital platform, which schemes – each term. This would them to , allowing the report proposes would be run by featuring different include developing Transport for London. The scheme, vehicle standards, a customer platform, plan an compare, d pay f which the report calls City Move, would hours of operation, upgrading the required journey or provide Londoners with more choice charge amounts and GPS and mobile s about how they travel around the city. payment arrangements. network capacity, and a City Move would use the technology to This has created a confusing trial to test the technology. give Londoners all their travel information system for drivers to navigate.

Silviya Barrett, research in one place, allowing them to compare, manager at Centre for London said: plan and pay for journeys. Drivers, for The impact of a journey “The Congestion Charge was pioneering example, would be presented with costs The City Move app would be fairer than the when it was introduced 16 years ago, and impacts of using their vehicle versus Congestion Charge and ULEZ, the report and the ULEZ is desperately needed to alternative modes of transport. says. Rather than charging drivers a flat daily address a growing air quality crisis.

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Mobility & Connectivity Report

“But new technologies are rapidly transforming the way people travel – and how they pay for their journeys.

“It is time for London’s approach to road user charging to keep up with the pace of change.

“The Mayor should move towards embracing new technology and create a simpler and smarter approach to road user charging. This would be both fairer for drivers and better for the city overall.”

A fairer and simpler way to travel City Move has the potential to make life simpler and fairer for people and businesses traveling around London, believes Anthony Alicastro, chief executive officer of emovis, a global electronic tolling solution provider, which runs the Dart Charge scheme in London. He said: “The technology exists – we are currently involved in Road User Charging pilots in the USA, and the concept of mobility credits makes this an innovative proposal that policy makers in London should be backing. City Move will make travelling through London smarter and fairer and maintain London’s position as a world leader in this field.”

Cllr Julian Bell, Chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee, said: “London boroughs are keen to promote, cleaner, greener, more active forms of travel in order to clean up our city’s dirty air, improve people’s wellbeing and reduce congestion.

Centre for London’s report makes a welcome contribution to the debate on road user charging, which can have a positive impact on a city but also needs to keep pace with the changing needs of our residents.

“That is why any scheme should use digital innovation and help Londoners make better-informed travel decisions.”

For a system like this to work, it would need to be simple to understand and easy to use, believes Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation. He said: “As this report rightly highlights, to have any chance of working smoothly and attracting public support, rules and regulations need to be simple to understand and easy to plan for.

“One wonders whether this is the case in London – and increasingly in other towns and cities across the country – where drivers are confronted with an array of charges designed to do different things across different geographical areas. Many could be forgiven for confusing their CCs, CAZs and ULEZs. “No one would challenge the urgent need to tackle congestion and reduce emissions so the easier things are made for drivers to comply the quicker change will be accepted.”

The scheme would be integrated with London’s wider transport system via a new app and digital platform, which the report proposes would be run by TfL. The scheme, which the report calls City Move, would provide Londoners with more choice about how they travel around the city.

Tackling urban challenges Helping millions of people move around the city in an sustainable and efficient way is a necessary and positive step, Will Judge, Vice President of Urban Mobility at Mastercard, believes. He said: “By 2050, more than 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas, yet partly due to congestion, cities already account for this same percentage of global CO2 emissions. So the recommended creation of an integrated transport charging model is a sustainable and efficient way for London to tackle its challenge of moving millions of people around the city.

“Helping residents and visitors plan, book and buy their journeys through one digital platform, would reduce complexity but also aid people’s understanding of the environmental impact of their travel.”

Looking back at the congestion zone, Richard Dilks, Transport Director at London First, said: “London paved the way for congestion charging 16 years ago and, as charging for road use becomes more common-place in big cities across the world, we need to plan to stay one step ahead.

“With the city now boasting various charges designed to tackle congestion and emissions, more than six in ten (63 per cent) of Londoners support a simpler combination of these charges in future.

“In order to keep London an attractive place to visit, live and work we need to modernise and cohere our charges as part of a package of measures to effectively tackle congestion and air quality.”

A change to charging A radical overhaul of the growing number of road user charges is needed, says Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member.

She said: “An intelligent use of our crowded roads must involve moving to a system of

charging per mile for trips made in areas of high demand and poor air quality.

“We need a radical overhaul of the growing number of road user charges and instead move to a single comprehensive system that directly tackles congestion and air pollution wherever it occurs in the capital.”

Stephen Edwards, director of policy and communications at Living Streets said: “Centre for London’s report is a welcome and authoritative guide to the issues that will need to be considered in relation to road charging. Whilst positive progress has been made, more needs to be done urgently to address poor air quality, climate change, safety and traffic congestion throughout the Greater London area.

“Electric vehicles will reduce some, but not all, kinds of vehicle emissions. And they won’t solve the congestion problem. The potential of modern technology and the phasing out of oil-fuelled vehicles means that a more sophisticated version of road charging than the Congestion Charge should be worked upon to be an option for London’s future.”

Robert Molteno, vice-chairman of London Living Streets, said: “This report details the principles on which any road user charging scheme for London should be based. Its proposal for a single, multi-modal London transport platform (smartphone app and website) will make it possible for Londoners to choose for the first time the best way they want to make each particular journey.

“All candidates standing to be Mayor of London next year need to have the courage to commit to develop a single, distance-based road user charging scheme. It is the only effective way of making a real difference to London’s transport challenges.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.centreforlondon.org Supported by

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figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. *There is a new test used for fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures shown, however, are based on the outgoing test cycle and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration. Preliminary data. Please contact your retailer for latest information.

ROUNDTABLE The future of mobility & Connectivity

At the recent GreenFleet roundtable on the future of mobility and connectivity, the collective opinion of delegates was that the road to flexible mobility solutions, facilitated through connected and autonomous systems, was worth the considerable effort of investment.

The journey to better transport, less congestion and healthier air will be long and hard won, but the collected wisdom was that we must succeed.

The roundtable was held on 14 May at the Connected Places Catapult in Milton Keynes. It was attended by businesses, vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure experts and technology specialists, who explored the future landscape of transport.

Will it be possible to break away from the reliance on vehicle ownership and embrace multi-modes of transport? Will disjointed modes of transport be unified to create a world where you can move around for a fixed or variable fee, bought as a service? It is a vision that is challenging both conceptually and in practice.

It was agreed that leadership, a clear strategy and investment are key to embedding the necessary behaviour changes.

The day kicked off by looking at the current policy landscape for low emission and electric vehicles, in both the consumer and business car markets, as well as for commercial and heavy goods vehicles.

Written by John Curtis

The quest for less congested roads and healthier air, as well as improved productivity, is driving the government and industry to look at alternative ways to travel and transport goods. The recent GreenFleet roundtable concluded that leadership, a clear strategy, investment, and incentives to change mindsets is key to making these changes work for both consumers and the business sector

Mobility & Connectivity Report

With support from

Understanding business needs As the old adage goes, knowledge is power, and one of the major challenges faced by any fleets operator is understanding exactly what their needs are to deliver the people and products required in a timely and efficient way.

Chris Evans from Trakm8 set out how route optimisation can play a part in helping fleet managers to understand and improve fleet performance. It enables managers to be able to increase vehicle utilisation and identify vehicles that are surplus to requirements, as well as reducing mileage by optimising routes, providing a typical cost saving of up to 30 per cent. The software can also help fleets identify which vehicles and routes are most suitable for switching to electric vehicles. E

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Mobility & Connectivity Report GF Roundtable GF Roundtable

GreenFleet roundtable delegates Sponsors

Steve Beattie Head of Business Sales Volvo Car UK Chris Evans Corporate Sales Manager Trakm8

Delegates

Chris Rimmer Infrastructure Strategy Lead Cenex Andrew Green Project Manager Catapult Gary Bowling Project Engineer Babcock Fleet Management Chris Smith Transport Manager Ringway Jacobs Tom Gadsby Technologist Freight & Logistics Catapult Marcus Helliwell Sustainability Developer IKEA Jethro Punter Associate WYG Group

Event chair

John Curtis, motoring journalist

 Chris continued: “With route optimisation we can analyse data in order to improve vehicle utilisation, and introduce electric vehicles, whilst taking account of the loads carried, topography, and so on.”

Trakm8 also designs and manufactures a full suite of telematics products, which can provide vital data on vehicle status and driver performance, through deep connectivity with a vehicle’s CAN bus system. “Most vehicles have some form of telematics; but the data can be hard to access by third parties. This data is incredibly valuable to fleets, and we have several ways in which we can connect to vehicles to gather it. Generally we collect data via the OnBoard Diagnostic port.”

Chris Smith, fleet manager at Ringway Jacobs uses another telematics system, but such data can be readily used as a source, as Trakm8’s Insight telematics platform can utilise data from third parties as well as data gathered by its own telematics devices.

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Will it be possible to break away from the reliance on vehicle ownership and embrace multi-modes of transport? Will disjointed modes of transport be unified to create a world where you can move around for a fixed fee, bought as a service? It is a vision that is challenging both conceptually and in practice.

The commercial dilemma Where possible hydrogen transport The significant lack of technology, clusters are being established to provide apart from Euro 6 compliant diesel a collaborative resource for multiple engines, for heavy goods vehicles, businesses, as with the increased range was discussed around the table. of hydrogen over electric, there is no Andrew Green from the Connected need for fuelling stations everywhere.

Places Catapult believes that Euro 6 This approach can spread cost and risk. compliant engines are currently slowing the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) could be a development of alternatively powered HGVs. solution but needs significant infrastructure, With barriers to entry high with whilst only reducing emissions enormous capital investment by half. Biofuels may also required, government support have a place in reducing L e adershi was felt to be necessary in emissions from HGVs p and inv order to encourage the use but the volume estmen of hydrogen and CNG. of biomass is a t are key t Refuelling infrastructure limiting factor. o e m beddin is key, yet it was felt that The road to low g necessa investment by government emission HGVs was ry behathe was tough to justify for change felt to be amongst viour s to ma things that may happen the hardest to ke mobilit in three parliaments time. achieve, worthwhile Additionally businesses are but a real challenge. service y as a work managing expenditure carefully IKEA’s Marcus Helliwell in a period of heightened added to the challenges business and political uncertainty. by taking us back a step. Grid

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capacity continues to be a major issue.

Whilst smaller vehicles, cars and light commercials can be bought, and charging infrastructure is available to buy, getting a grid connection of a sufficient size remains a limiting factor. In a number of locations IKEA have paid for an upgraded sub station which benefits other businesses who have not contributed and whilst the greater good is a positive for IKEA, other businesses may not sanction what is significant infrastructure investment.

IKEA has an aspiration to make all last mile deliveries by electric vehicle by 2025, which, whilst challenging, is going to deliver on their core sustainable business model.

Last mile logistics and solutions such as electric vans, cargo bikes, walking deliveries, coupled with shared centralised and local distribution centres are all part of a rich tapestry of changes required to decarbonise deliveries in city and town centres.

Electric future Low emission and electric cars have become very much part of life for many, with up to 70 per cent of drivers now considering an electric car as their next vehicle.

Steve Beattie from Volvo said that many customers have accepted that they want an EV. Key to adoption is sufficient battery range to cover the customer’s needs, and a vehicle that’s not necessarily differentiated from other cars aesthetically. Manufacturers are responding with new products and technologies launched almost every week. Hybrid technology continues to be the way for many to start the journey.

Andrew Green from Catapult observed that from his research, “plug in hybrids cars have proved to be a company car winner with low benefits in kind tax but have had little effect on the majority of driver’s behaviour, with most miles still done on petrol or diesel.”

We returned to the issue of driver data as a way to influence behaviour change.

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vehicle ownership. The vehicle owner is the owner of any data and so the task seems to capture and share the data. The same is true of fleets who often resist sharing data outside of their organisation, for the greater good. As Andrew succinctly put it, the catapult do the “thinking and the linking” bringing the fleet owners and support functions together to support data sharing and analysis. E Event Sponsor

Steve Beattie, Head of Business Sales, Volvo Car UK

Chris Evans, Corporate Sales Manager, Trakm8

Steve Beattie is head of business sales of Volvo Car UK and is responsible for overseeing all of Volvo’s fleet and corporate sales.

Steve has considerable sector experience and heads up the team at Volvo as they grow sales volumes within the business sales market in the UK.

Chris is a corporate sales manager at Trakm8, the UK’s largest manufacturer of telematics devices and a leading provider of vehicle cameras, route optimisation and fleet management solutions. Chris works closely with major fleets to help them improve safety and efficiency through implementing telematics and related technologies.

Issue 121 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Central to reducing transport emissions is behaviour change; getting people who have a job to do, to do something different, in the knowledge that the positives will outweigh any initial negatives caused by the change.  Mixed fleet requirements Gary Bowling from Babcock spoke about Heathrow and the challenges faced by operating the BA fleet. The fleet uses unique specialist vehicles, many of which are are large and made overseas. The vehicles do not do many miles but operate for many hours. Heathrow do operate many electric vehicles but prices are increasing and replacement of these vehicles can be after 15 years of service so replacement is not always a speedy option when looking to decarbonise or introduce new technologies.

Collaboration may be key to working in a more sustainable way. Vehicles at Heathrow are currently owned by separate airlines and not shared. A shared ownership model may reap rewards. However, It can be difficult to get collaboration to work across airlines with competing agendas.

Tom Gadsby outlined the challenges of shared ownership, experienced through the catapult operated “freight share lab”.

Difficulties have emerged in apportioning savings, sharing insurance cover, and having different business models across participants.

Finding a way forward across companies is difficult and for many, with competing demands, can prove almost impossible.

Chris Rimmer from Cenex noted that car clubs and e-car clubs are now available but shared ownership is far from truly embedded in most domestic or business users.

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Tom went on to suggest that appropriate legislation is key to overcoming the challenges of reducing emissions and having a better environment.

If government, for instance, mandated that every vehicle needed telematics, an immediate effect would be seen in reducing emissions. Government can and should act to provide certainty and set challenging targets, coupled with the necessary incentives and financial support.

Marcus Helliwell from IKEA pointed out that Client Earth, amongst others, are holding the government to account over poor air quality and this will continue to drive new legislation and provide the certainty necessary to secure investment for major infrastructure projects.

The younger generation Andrew Green from Catapult has observed the phenomenon of young millennials not owning cars, and forecasts that shared ownership is a natural development.

Taxis and ride hire companies like Uber have become a way of life, rather than the luxury they used to be.

This shift to shared ownership is what has influenced car manufacturers to look more holistically at mobility or movement as a service.

We are clearly a long way from achieving or, some might say, truly starting the transition

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to zero emission cities and there appears to be a lack of strategy about how we really achieve this, beyond vision and warm words.

It was agreed that leadership and investment are key to embedding the necessary behaviour changes.

Central to reducing transport emissions is behaviour change; getting people who have a job to do, to do something different, in the knowledge that the positives will outweigh any initial negatives.

Future of mobility and connectivity Autonomous and connected vehicles will enable people to reclaim time they currently waste travelling, as well as make things more efficient for the driver, such as pre-warmed or cooled vehicles, or a satnav already programmed from diary commitments.

Volvo will be making such technologies available from the early 2020s.

Reliability is key to mobility as well as removing the hassle out of modal connections. But as Chris Rimmer posited, the increasing personalisation of travel could lead to increasing isolation?

Chris Evans from Trakm8 summed the day up succinctly when he said “there is no one single simple solution. It is only by really understanding your business that you can be sure of making informed choices and equipping your business for what will, undoubtedly, be an everchanging transport landscape.” L

To view the video of the roundtable event which took place on 14 May, including individual interviews with Steve Beattie (Volvo) and Chris Evans (Trakm8), visit www.greenfleet.net/roundtables

Telematics can provide a vast array of vehicle and driver data to fleet managers.

However, it needs to be filtered, presented and analysed in the right way in order to maximise its value. Nickie Hunt-Mason, sales and marketing director for fleet and optimisation at Trakm8, explains how to get the best out of Big Data Advances in connected car technology, the Internet of Things and Big Data all mean that we now have richer and deeper insight into driver and vehicle performance than ever before. However, without the right systems and processes in place to analyse that data, fleet managers are at risk of being swamped with too much information.

Here are some Trakm8’s recommendations on how to make the most of the wealth of information you can access from connected vehicles.

Integrated systems Fleets can often end up with a mixed bag of telematics due to acquisitions, or onboarding new technologies. This can create data silos, meaning fleet managers are unable to see the big picture and have to use multiple web portals to view key metrics.

This is why Trakm8 has developed Insight; a unique and highly-customisable telematics and business intelligence platform. User-friendly dashboards display data on the metrics which matter to you the most, such as real-time location, driver behaviour, and vehicle health and maintenance information. Alternatively you can easily build your own dashboards for a personalised overview of your fleet.

Insight’s comprehensive reporting suite includes time sheets, expenses, league tables, journey details, and vehicle status.

Our user‑friendly, step-by-step report builder enables you to build personalised reports to deliver data in the way you want it packaged.

Video technology Trakm8’s award-winning RH600 telematics camera is already established with major fleets such as Iceland Foods and Calor Gas. These cameras combine full telematics capabilities with the additional benefits of vehicle cameras, including live-streaming of footage over the 4G network.

The RH600 is proven to cut accident rates by up to 39 per cent and incidences of speeding by up to 35 per cent. It can also cut fuel expenditure by up to 10 per cent.

Trakm8 is adding advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to the RH600, which include the ability to monitor distracted driving or driver drowsiness. If the driver looks away for a few seconds, for example to check a mobile phone or is nodding off, the RH600 will issue an audible alert. The device can also send footage or photographs of the incident to the fleet manager.

Connectedcare Trakm8 Connectedcare provides in-depth vehicle health and status information, helping to improve road safety and reduce the risk of a costly breakdown. With a recent study placing the daily cost of a van being off the road at £800, the return on investment is clear.

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Getting the best out of Big Data For example, Connectedcare provides a true ODO reading, delivering the most accurate possible information on mileage. It can also inform the fleet manager when a service is due, or a warning light illuminates on a vehicle’s dashboard. This means that you are no longer reliant on the driver telling you about these issues – and can act before they become major problems.

Connectedcare also provides insights into actual fuel tank levels, and can detect a rapid decrease in fuel levels caused by siphoning off fuel. In addition, Connectedcare can monitor tyre pressure and send alerts back to base. Correct tyre pressure reduces wear and tear, improves vehicle safety, and also optimises fuel consumption.

Route optimisation Along with telematics and cameras, Trakm8 is a leading provider of route optimisation and fleet scheduling software, sold under the Route Monkey brand. Going beyond basic journey planners, Route Monkey is proven to cut fuel expenditure by 20 per cent and increase productivity by up to 33 per cent.

Trakm8 also now offers full ePod integration with Route Monkey. ePods help to further reduce paperwork and speed up invoicing by providing proof of delivery or job completion.

Plug n Play For smaller companies that are not ready to make a two or three-year commitment to a telematics provider, there are now more flexible options. Trakm8 Prime is the UK’s first fully online vehicle tracking solution – customers can order from the website, receive the devices the next day, install the units themselves, and be up and running in minutes.

For added flexibility, Trakm8 Prime is now available on a 30-day rolling contract, which provides customers with complete control over their telematics requirements.

Trakm8 Prime is also competitively-priced, available from £6.99 per device per month.

Trakm8 is the UK’s largest manufacturer of telematics devices, which are designed and produced at its headquarters in the West Midlands. The company is proud to hold the Made in Britain marque. Currently it has more than 250,000 units in play. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.trakm8.com

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GF GreenFleet rOUNDTAbLe

LOWERING EMISSIONS FROM COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

JULY 16TH 2019 ST MARY’S STADIUM SOUTHAMPTON

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT:

www.greenfleet.net/roundtAbleS