Outside the Box
It's good to stretch the mind a little, and this morning there seems to be a plague of white vans. We should have sympathy for these fine fellows, many of whom have a formidable list of deliveries to make each day. But, and there has to be a But, isn't there a better way?
We are ideally placed in Felixstowe to conduct an experiment. If we built a warehouse/handling centre just off the A14 as it entered Felixstowe we could then make every delivery van entering the town drop off their loads there. With the growth of Internet shopping, mail order deliveries will increase, leading to ever more white vans.
The Royal Mail has such a system, where all goods (parcels and letters in their case) intended for a town are delivered to a distribution centre, then one van or postie on foot or a bike makes regular deliveries to each road, and house, in the town every day. The result is an immediate reduction in traffic flow, and a consequent improvement in the air we all breathe - for diesel engines are the real polluters. Our local street van would drive down our road just once a day, just like the milkman used to do, just as the postman does today.
The van drivers would be saved the hassle of searching for unknown addresses, their employers would have greatly reduced transport costs, we'd not be plagued by vans, and there would be less pollution.
Have I got it wrong, or does this seem an ideal solution?
Very soon the Royal Mail will lose its monopoly. A totally stupid decision that will inevitably lead to the demise of the postal service upon which we all rely. Perhaps Royal Mail should pick up this suggestion, and our local traffic planners should endorse and support the policy by banning all commercial vehicles from Felixstowe, unless licensed. Oh yes dear Council, there's a revenue opportunity there for you as well.
That local delivery van could be an electrically-powered vehicle, making it quiet and pollution free.
I'd certainly give its driver a big Christmas Box.