Sustainable road freight studies under way
One year after its formation, Cambridge University’s Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (CFSR) is running more than 10 research projects aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from the road transport sector.
Projects include work on smarter logistics and collaboration between operators; reducing aerodynamic drag through interventions both over and under trailers; weight-saving measures through novel use of composite materials; and an investigation of the environmental and commercial performance of diesel-gas dual fuel vehicles.
CSRF is a collaborative programme between Cambridge and Heriot Watt Universities and the freight transport industry to develop innovative technical and operational solutions to make road freight economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Importantly, the members of the industry consortium help to set the research agenda, and will spearhead early adoption of the results.
The consortium includes key freight operators such as Coca-Cola, Denby Transport, DHL, John Lewis, Laing O’Rourke, Tesco, Warburtons and Wincanton, as well as the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and vehicle industry partners such as Goodyear, Haldex, SDC Trailers, Optrak and Volvo Trucks.
The consortium is supported by an Advisory Committee with members from the Department for Transport, Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, SMMT, Transport for London and the Road Haulage Association (RHA), as well as experts from other universities.
The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight has four main aims: to perform a comprehensive programme of research on the sustainability of road freight transport, at fundamental and applied levels, micro and macro level; to develop innovative technical and operational solutions to minimise fuel consumption in freight transport; to assess solutions to meet short, medium and long-term government emission reduction targets for the road freight sector, including an achievable roadmap to provide an 80 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions due to road freight transport by 2050; and to establish and maintain links with all the main stakeholders in the road freight sector in a stable , long-term research collaboration.
