When 15,000 athletes and 12 million spectators descended on London in the summer of 2012, logistics managers were faced with a challenging environment in which to operate.
The London 2012 Olympics meant longer trading hours, restricted road access, increased congestion and heightened security across the city. This put pressure on supply chains to deliver products efficiently and reliably.
The solution was to work smarter, plan meticulously and collaborate widely, and thanks to measures such as out-of-hours deliveries, consolidation centers and greater communication with drivers, customers and local authorities, the impact on supply chains in London during the Games was mitigated.
A new report from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) UK, Maintaining Momentum: Summer 2012 Logistics Legacy hails the Games as a huge success for the UK’s logistics industry and a strong template to take forward to Brazil’s Games in 2016.
Round the clock
CILT reports that 45 percent of freight operators retimed their services during the Olympic weeks, with 36 percent of logistics operators moving their operations to out-of-hours deliveries. These typically took place from 6pm to 6am, and proved to be one of the most popular initiatives during the Games for avoiding daytime restrictions whilst reducing costs and emissions. With lower traffic volumes and congestion on the roads during these hours, drivers were able to make efficient journeys, using quicker, more reliable routes.
Increased deliveries overnight meant logistics companies had to address the issue of noise nuisance. Drivers and customers were given additional training to make and receive quiet deliveries using the TFL Quiet Delivery Code of Practice which included simple instructions such as closing trailer doors quietly, turning off reversing alarms and radios and speaking quietly. Many businesses including the NHS Supply Chain, Boots and Pret A Manger adopted quieter delivery measures into their supply chain and as a result not a single noise related complaint was received during the Games.
A consolidated approach
Consolidation centers were used prior and during the Games to consolidate deliveries from multiple suppliers. The close proximity of Westfield Stratford City Shopping center to the Olympic Park meant it fell within the security cordon during the Games and therefore required stringent checks on all inbound goods. Westfield Stratford City partnered with DHL to set up a consolidation center eight miles from the shopping mall, security scanning and consolidating all deliveries. The impact of this consolidation saw the number of vehicles servicing Westfield during the Games falll by 82 percent. The success of this collaborative system, which saw a number of companies come together to share a delivery chain, was commended by CILT.
“The Olympics has taken the idea of consolidation, shown what can be achieved, and made it a talking point,” says Steve Agg, Chief Executive of CILT. “If we’ve demonstrated that consolidation means fewer road journeys, fewer vehicles and lower emissions, then it’s a great strategy to pursue.”
Via any means possible
To overcome traffic management controls, logistics operators thought laterally, investing in alternative modes of delivery including trains, barges on the river Thames and pedal bikes. Some logistics companies adopted ‘runners’ to accompany drivers and to complete the final phase of the delivery on foot.
Alternative routes were also sought to get around the Olympic Route Network and to ensure that normal services were maintained despite restricted access, closed roads and parking restrictions. CILT reports that 42 percent of freight operators used rerouting to cope with the impact of the Games.
Increased security measures across the city meant that authorities could close roads at a moment’s notice so logistics operators had to be ready to reroute journeys quickly if necessary. This meant continual open communication was needed before, during and after events. Drivers were given daily briefings before and after each shift allowing them to pass on information and report on their experiences that day. A number of Twitter feeds were set up to deliver up-to-date travel information for drivers.
Lessons learned
The success of the initiatives adopted during the London 2012 Games brought several benefits to logistics and freight companies across London. Drivers were notably happier working at night since less congestion meant fewer hours on the road. Lower congestion levels also had a positive impact on both fuel consumption and CO2 emission levels, making out-of-hours deliveries a greener solution. Collaboration and communication was greatly improved as companies came together to share delivery routes and keep each other abreast of travel developments.
Following the success of the measures taken during the Games, CILT have proposed a number of recommendations that would allow the industry to exploit the opportunities generated by the Olympics for future freight operation. These range from launching a citywide campaign to demonstrate to the London public how supply chains function to investing in inter-modal and consolidation center infrastructure to provide a range of delivery options for the final leg of the supply chain. Key to all of the recommendations is engagement and communication, persuading people of the benefits will enable more fruitful engagement with the public and the regulatory bodies governing supply chains, allowing more effective and innovative ways of delivering goods and services.
Out-of-hours deliveries, consolidation centers, route planning and alternative modes of delivery combined to offset the logistical challenge created by staging the Games and set a great precedent for Brazil’s 2016 Olympics. Graham Inglis, President of CILT believes logistics companies now have an opportunity to take these initiatives further: “The challenge we now face as an industry is to maintain the momentum generated during the Games and to build on these vital relationships.”
Case study: Pret A Manger
Britain’s leading sandwich chain, Pret A Manger has a history of successfully using out-of-hours deliveries. The company prides itself on being a good neighbor and so imposes its own delivery restrictions to avoid disturbing residential areas.
With 167 sites identified on the Olympic Route Network, the London 2012 Games provided a perfect platform to put Pret’s best practice initiatives to the test as well adopting additional methods to ensure a smooth out-of-hours operation.
The initiatives during the Games included:
The initiative was a huge success: during the Games, Pret A Manager received no complaints from residents about nighttime delivery noise.