An Post Plan will mean zero emission deliveries in Kilkenny

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton T.D. has announced that all An Post deliveries in Kilkenny, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford will be zero emission by next year, as part of the company’s ‘Post Eco’ plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.

Under the ground-breaking Post Eco Plan, An Post will deliver:

 Zero emission postal deliveries in Dublin City Centre by year-end 2019
 Zero emission postal deliveries in Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick & Waterford by year end 2020
 750 Electric Vehicles (delivery vans & cycles) to replace urban fleet by 2022, 200 of which will be on the streets this year.
 A number of trials – including 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 to 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.

Announcing the Plan, Minister Bruton said: “We must step up Ireland’s response to climate disruption. It is vital that every aspect of our society seek ways to reduce their carbon impact and the public service and our semi-state bodies must be the first to show that it takes policies for sustainability seriously, if we are to persuade the rest of society to make the step changes which we need to make.”

“Today’s announcement shows that An Post is taking the lead and recognising the urgency of taking action in adapting to the changes that are needed. By placing sustainability at the core of their business strategy, they are leading by example.”

An Post CEO, David McRedmond said: “As An Post moves from the old world of mail to the new world of e-commerce, sustainability has to be the guiding principle for the business. An Post is transforming for generations to come: as a major employer with a huge fleet footprint, this demands responsible climate action with this commitment to carbon-free delivery.”

Minster Bruton and Mr. David Redmond launched the Plan in the Houses of the Oireachtas today. For their part, the Houses of the Oireachtas are fully committed to its own sustainability initiatives, and with this in mind two charging points have already been installed to date with further points to be rolled out in the very near future. These measures mean that An Post electric delivery vans can charge up at Leinster House.