Work is starting at Friarsgate Car Park in early October 2025 to set up a new parcel delivery hub designed to cut congestion and improve air quality in Winchester’s city centre.
The project, led by the Solent Future Transport Zone in partnership with Winchester City Council and Decarbon Logistics Solutions (a Volofleet Portfolio Company), is part of a 12-month trial to test whether swapping delivery vans for electric cargo bikes can support a greener, healthier city.
During the trial, parcels will be delivered by van to the hub, then transferred to electric cargo bikes for the final leg of their journey to homes and small businesses.
The hub will take up just 14 spaces in the car park, with 58 public spaces remaining open for residents and visitors to use. Facilities at the hub will include secure storage and charging points for up to 10 e-cargo bikes, unloading bays for delivery vans, and welfare facilities for staff.
The Winchester hub will act as a testbed for low-carbon delivery methods that could be expanded across the region. The University of Portsmouth will monitor the hub’s environmental and operational impact throughout the trial.
The facility is expected to launch in November. Residents will be kept informed about progress and any temporary disruptions during construction.
At the end of the trial, the hub will be removed and the car park returned to its original condition. Findings will be reported to the Department for Transport to help shape the future of sustainable deliveries in Winchester.
Councillor Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for the Climate and Nature Emergency, said,
“The parcel delivery hub project is an exciting step towards making our air less polluted and our roads less congested, while still ensuring residents and businesses can efficiently receive deliveries. Trialling better ways of moving goods in the City Centre is one of the ways in which we can go greener faster and help shape a healthier and more sustainable Winchester.”