The Government says all An Post deliveries between the Royal and Grand canals in Dublin will be zero emission by the end of this year. Galway city will have a similar zero emissions fleet a year later.
This is all part of the company’s ‘Post Eco’ plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
Under the Post Eco Plan, An Post claims it will also deliver zero emission postal deliveries in Galway, Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford by the end of 2020.
By 2022, 750 electric vehicles (delivery vans and cycles ) will replace the urban fleet by 2022, 200 of which will be on the streets this year.
A number of trials include public charging points for electric vehicles outside post offices, as well as installing solar panels on its buildings, and sharing the financial benefits with local community-based environmental initiatives.
Eco-driving training for all drivers will ensure best practice driving in all vehicles and for all road and weather conditions.
Altogether, initiatives being introduced in 2019 will save 1,000 tonnes of carbon annually.
Minster Richard Bruton and An Post CEO David Redmond launched the plan in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
As a footnote, two charging points have already been installed at Leinster House to date, with more points to be rolled out in the near future. These measures mean An Post electric delivery vans can charge up at Leinster House.
