The Kerb Delivery Scheme, operated by Grid Smarter Cities on Walworth Road in Southwark, has contributed to a 40% reduction in Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for operators using the bookable loading bays.
Assessed by sustainable design and engineering consultancy Stantec, its findings suggest the five-bay pilot is driving measurable improvements in efficiency, compliance and cost savings.
Its report suggests the improvement in compliance is matched by operational gains, with its analysis indicating that a single supermarket supplier could make up to 66 additional deliveries per year due to time saved through more efficient kerbside access.
For the local authority, the Stantec report estimated the scheme delivered a Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR) of 3.8 in its first year.
The findings also reinforce earlier feedback from Southwark Council and industry stakeholders that digitally managed, bookable loading bays can play a key role in reducing congestion and improving the reliability of urban logistics.
Looking ahead, Stantec’s modelling suggests that scaling the scheme across Southwark to 32 bays could unlock £126,394 annual saving in fuel costs,
181 additional delivery drops enabled each year, and £33,067 in annual PCN savings. The projected Benefit Cost Ratio rises to 6.4, alongside a 2.1 percentage point increase in operational efficiency.
Tim Hapgood, Senior Associate at Stantec, said:
“Our analysis indicates that scaling digitally managed kerbside solutions across London could enable around 21% more deliveries annually while reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 15,000 tonnes.
“The assessment also highlights the potential to save more than three million hours currently lost to inefficient delivery activity, cut freight mileage by around 20 million kilometres each year and remove the equivalent of 12,600 cars from the capital’s roads.”
Grid’s Sales & Partnerships Director, Toby Hiles, said:
“The results add to growing evidence that smarter kerbside management, supported by digital booking systems, can deliver tangible benefits not just for freight operators but for the wider transport network.
“With pressure mounting on urban road space and increasing demand for deliveries, schemes like the one on Walworth Road are being positioned as a scalable solution to balance efficiency, sustainability and access in busy city environments.”
Image courtesy of Grid Smarter Cities
