The UK mail and parcel delivery service, Royal Mail, is increasing its fleet with 3,000 additional low-emission commercial vehicles across its fleet.

The company says it already has the lowest exhaust pollutant level of all parcel delivery firms in the UK, and the latest additions to its fleet will assist the company in staying ahead.

The red Royal Mail liveried vehicles will boost the total amount of electric vehicles operating within its fleet to 3,300 and will be deployed for use within ultra-low emission zones - such as the London Capital - Clean Air Zones, and green cities.

Additionally, the delivery company will introduce charging points to all its delivery office depots that are due to receive the vehicles.

Simon Thompson, CEO of Royal Mail, said:

“Due to our feet on the street delivery model, we are the clear leader in low emissions per parcel in the UK. Electrification of our vehicle fleet will strengthen our advantage. That’s good for our customers, our people and the planet. We look forward to working with vehicle manufacturers and the Government to increase supply so we can accelerate our transition to electric vehicles in the UK. It matters to our customers, and it matters to us.”

Royal Mail has focused recently on lowering the environmental impact of its vehicles. In May it introduced its first delivery depot to feature an all-electric fleet of collection and delivery vehicles. Based in Bristol, West England, Royal Mail replaced 23 diesel delivery and collection vans with fully electric equivalents, along with 18 charging points.

The same month, the company started using 29 low emission gas powered trucks, fuelled by bio-compressed natural gas (Bio-CNG). The 40 tonne heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are similar in size and appearance to the conventional Royal Mail trucks, but the company says they are significantly quieter, while emitting roughly 84 per cent less CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent, a measure for describing different greenhouse gases in a common unit) than a typical diesel-fuelled vehicle of similar size.