NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), has launched a new ‘Sustainable Transport and Infrastructure’ framework agreement designed to support the NHS in lowering its carbon output and achieve its 2040 carbon net zero emissions ambition.
According to NHS England, emissions from travel and transport account for 14% of the total carbon footprint of the NHS. This includes 4% for business travel and fleet transport, 5% for patient travel, 4% for staff commutes and 1% for visitor travel.
Transitioning fleets to zero-emission vehicles, encouraging employees towards active forms of travel like cycling, walking and car sharing and looking to low carbon logistics and transportation of goods using pedal power, are some of the interventions the NHS is putting in place to meet its sustainable transport objectives.
Infrastructure critical
In its ‘Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy’ the NHS has said that by 2033 staff travel emissions will be reduced by 50% through shifts to more sustainable forms of travel and electrification of personal vehicles. From 2030, all new ambulances will be zero emission vehicles. From 2040, all owned, leased and commissioned vehicles will be zero emission.
However, to get there, NHS Trusts will need to have the necessary infrastructure in place. Bicycles, for instance, will need cycle parking facilities, built with materials that are climate-friendly. Electric vehicles (and e-bikes) will require power charging infrastructure, and the means to tap into renewable energy like solar, to store and generate the power to fuel them.
Services the NHS can access via NHS SBS’s new framework agreement include the design and build of car parks incorporating solar panels to generate and store electricity; sustainable transport consultancy services; bike hire & repair; low carbon logistics and electric vehicle charging solutions, to name a few.
Anjub Ali, Senior Construction Specialist at NHS SBS comments: “We have worked with NHS Sustainability, Estates and Procurement colleagues in designing this framework, and aligned it to fulfil the common themes which have emerged from NHS Trusts’ Green Travel plans, so it includes a range of suppliers providing transport and infrastructure-related services to support the NHS on its journey."
The framework offers core services in nine lots:
• Sustainable transport consultancy
• Cycle parking and infrastructure
• Micro-mobility
• Low carbon deliveries
• Electric vehicle charging solutions
• Design, build and finance of sustainable car parks
• Design, build, finance and operation of sustainable car parks
• Car park management
• Car park equipment and maintenance.
The framework agreement offers a compliant route to market to all NHS and Public Sector organisations across the UK. It runs from November 20, 2023 – November 19, 2027.
