Kessel-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal have been incorporated into the Leuven Ecozone. The enlarged Ecozone covers the entire territory of the City of Leuven, increasing the number of inhabitants receiving sustainable deliveries from 58,000 to 103,000. bpost has offered a dense network of pick-up points with zero-emission letter and parcel deliveries in an Ecozone encompassing Leuven city centre and Heverlee since April 2022.
The Leuven Ecozone delivers on all of its promises. Electric vehicles and bikes are used for all delivery rounds, while it’s also clear that the inhabitants of Leuven are happy to use the dense network of 52 pick-up points. At least one of these pick-up points – 3 post offices, 7 post points, 5 parcel points and 37 parcel locker locations – is within walking or cycling distance of every inhabitant. Within just a few months of the launch of the Ecozone in 2022 the number of home deliveries had decreased by 6% , and that figure continues to fall. The number of home deliveries in Leuven is currently 9% lower1 than the pre-Ecozone figure. Less traffic, lower emissions and less noise lead to improved quality of life and road safety in the city. An inhouse bpost study shows that Leuven performs well in terms of sustainable deliveries at Belgium level, with almost 1 in 4 parcels delivered to pick-up points. The inhabitants of Leuven usually pick up their parcels on foot or by bike, too. Four of the ten most popular locations in Belgium for parcel lockers (without screen) are in Leuven.
Jos Donvil, CEO bpost Belgium: “Sustainable urban logistics is an important driver of accessibility and quality of life in cities. That’s why bpost is investing heavily in zero-emission mail deliveries and a dense network of pick-up points. That’s because our Ecozones, which depend on a dense network of pick-up points and zero-emission deliveries, allow us to substantially reduce the ecological impact of our activities. What began as a pilot project in 2020 has grown into one of our most impressive achievements on our way to net-zero emissions by 2040.”
Enlargement to all suburbs
In 2023 the Leuven Ecozone served some 58,000 inhabitants (postcode zones 3000 Leuven and 3001 Heverlee). The inclusion of Kessel-Lo (3010), Wilsele (3012) and Wijgmaal (3018) adds more than 45,000 inhabitants. As a result, the Ecozone encompasses the entire territory of the City of Leuven, with all mail delivered from the Philipssite Mailcenter using 12 electric bikes with trailer and 65 electric cars. bpost and City of Leuven are also investigating the feasibility of new parcel locker locations in these suburbs. The enlargement of the Ecozone sees bpost make further strides in improving the sustainability of urban logistics.
“The inhabitants of Kessel-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal will now also benefit from zero-emission mail deliveries,” says Leuven council’s transport and sustainability portfolio holder David Dessers. “We are delighted that the Ecozone has been such a success in Leuven and that zero-emission deliveries will now be made across the whole of our city. The combination of the green fleet and the finely meshed network of parcel lockers and pick-up points has had a clearly positive impact on traffic and quality of life in the city centre and Heverlee. We are hoping for the same outcome in the three suburbs.”
Leuven council’s trade portfolio holder Johan Geleyns also notes that sustainable deliveries appeal to local traders: “The future of trade is hybrid. Our shops must offer their customers a great experience on the high street, but they also need to offer their products and services online. An online catalogue, rapid delivery and the option of picking up parcels after hours can induce customers to buy that book or dress they were in two minds about, or when they are unsure about making it to the shop before closing. Preferably by the most eco-friendly delivery method. So the continued rollout of the Ecozone with sustainable parcels lockers responds to the current demands of customers.”
bpost has now launched its Ecozone model in 15 cities and 36 postcode zones.
Source: bpost