Clean delivery firm XeroE has partnered with the UK’s first high-speed rail logistics company Varamis to provide rail freight services from Birmingham to Glasgow.
Set to commence from February 2024, the partnership adds another sustainable stage in how goods are transported across the country before last-mile delivery is then carried out in Glasgow.
XeroE aims for the cooperation to reshape the landscape of urban freight transport with a particular focus on addressing the challenges associated with the middle mile.
“While clients express a strong interest in embracing sustainability, there is often hesitation when it comes to absorbing additional costs,” XeroE Founder Steve Evans told Zag Daily.
“By leveraging the efficiency of economic rail freight, we not only align with their current rates but also provide a seamless transition, making it more enticing for them to embrace eco-friendly practices.”
Client deliveries will be aggregated and dropped off at Birmingham international station, before they are transported to Glasgow Central via the Varamis rail network. Last-mile delivery will then be carried out using eco-friendly cargo bikes thanks to XeroE’s operational hub in Glasgow.
“Our biggest issue with making last-mile sustainable deliveries has always been the middle mile,” Steve said.
“Getting products into central urban areas is expensive and uses unsustainable vehicles. This solution is not only more sustainable but substantially cheaper.”
Next, the B-corp-certified firm is looking for partners to utilise the rail freight service in the opposite direction from Glasgow to Birmingham.
