Westminster Council opens e-cargo bike hub in West End

Westminster City Council opened a micro-logistics hub inside the Q-Park Leicester Square car park on 29 September, creating a dedicated base for low-emission e-cargo bike deliveries across the West End and surrounding boroughs.

By keeping deliveries on e-cargo bikes, the hub is expected to ease congestion on the streets and reduce pressure on kerbside loading zones.

How the hub works

Funding for the project comes jointly from the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN) and the Westminster Climate Fund, while the Cross River Partnership provides additional support. The council’s Transport and Connectivity team oversaw delivery of the hub, which aligns with several strategic documents, including the Air Quality Action Plan, the Zero Carbon City 2040 Climate Emergency Action Plan, the Sustainable Transport Strategy and the Freight, Servicing and Deliveries Strategy and Action Plan. Council officials say the initiative contributes to Westminster’s wider vision of fairer communities, healthier streets and a fully decarbonised transport network by 2040.

Earlier trial shows impact

The West End hub follows a successful pilot launched in 2023 at Q-Park Pimlico. That nine-month trial used an electric van to bring parcels to a central point before distributing them with e-cargo bikes throughout Westminster and neighbouring areas. Over the trial period the bikes travelled 14,029 miles and avoided an estimated 4,186 kg of carbon dioxide, 15,141 g of nitrogen oxides and 303 g of fine particulate matter compared with conventional diesel van deliveries.

Councillor Tim Mitchell, Cabinet Member for City Management, said the West End’s status as one of London’s busiest districts makes it essential to find cleaner, more efficient ways to move goods. He added that the new hub will reduce unnecessary van journeys while still supporting local businesses that rely on timely deliveries. Isidora Rivera Vollmer, Project Manager for the Cross River Partnership, highlighted the partnership’s role in advancing sustainable freight solutions in densely populated areas such as Soho.