Bristol City Council is gearing up to transform the city centre with its new transport proposals, and these changes could mean smoother, more efficient deliveries for Priority Express customers in Bristol, Bath, and Cardiff. As the city evolves, we're committed to keeping you informed about how these updates will impact our services.

The Bristol City Centre Transport Changes consultation, running until 30 September 2024, outlines ambitious plans to pedestrianise The Horsefair and Penn Street in Broadmead. This will create a more vibrant, community-friendly environment with new landscaping and seating. For our delivery operations, this means changes to access and timings, but we’re ready to adapt.

Access for emergency vehicles and deliveries will still be available during quieter periods, ensuring that our Priority Express drivers can continue to provide timely service. The re-routing of buses and the introduction of new transport links, including a proposed rapid transit route, will help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow, which is good news for efficient deliveries.

Additionally, the proposals to enhance walking, wheeling, and cycling routes in areas such as Bedminster Bridges and Temple Way align with our commitment to sustainability. The creation of segregated cycle routes and better pedestrian infrastructure will contribute to a greener, more accessible city.

At Priority Express, we’re closely monitoring these developments and adjusting our operations to ensure minimal disruption. We look forward to supporting Bristol’s exciting transformation while continuing to deliver exceptional service.

For more details on the consultation and plans, please refer to the Bristol City Council's official announcement here.

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Bristol has made notable strides in improving air quality, with recent reports indicating a 10% reduction in pollution levels across the city. This achievement, highlighted in the latest Bristol City Council press release, underscores the positive impact of the city’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) measures. For Priority Express, this development is particularly significant.

As a logistics company operating in and around Bristol, Priority Express is directly affected by these improvements. The Clean Air Zone, which targets reductions in harmful emissions from vehicles, has been instrumental in decreasing pollutants and enhancing air quality. For our fleet, this means a more favourable environment for operations and a potential reduction in compliance costs associated with low-emission zones.

The cleaner air also aligns with Priority Express’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Our ongoing efforts to modernise our fleet with low-emission vehicles and implement eco-friendly practices are complemented by the city’s improved air quality. This synergy not only helps in meeting regulatory standards but also supports our corporate social responsibility goals.

Moreover, the reduction in air pollution can lead to fewer health issues and related costs for businesses and individuals alike. This is beneficial for our team and the broader community we serve. As Bristol continues to advance its environmental initiatives, Priority Express is poised to adapt and thrive, contributing to and benefiting from the city’s cleaner, healthier atmosphere.

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As the summer holidays wind down and students prepare to head back to school, it’s not just families that need to get organised—businesses do too. Just like preparing for the school year, getting your business ready for the busy season ahead is crucial. Here’s a checklist to ensure you’re all set for a smooth and successful period:

1. Review Your Inventory: Just as students check their supplies, ensure your inventory levels are up to scratch. Whether you’re managing products or resources, having enough stock is key to meeting demand without delays.
2. Streamline Your Logistics: With increased activity, efficiency in logistics is vital. Make sure your delivery processes are streamlined. At Priority Express, we offer same day, overnight, international, and special deliveries to help you stay on top of your game.
3. Update Your Systems: Outdated systems can slow you down. Ensure your IT infrastructure is updated to handle increased traffic and transactions. A smooth system will keep operations running seamlessly.
4. Train Your Team: Just like teachers prepare for a new class, your team should be ready for the busy season. Conduct training sessions to ensure everyone is well-versed in the latest procedures and customer service standards.
5. Check Your Packaging: Proper packaging is essential for safeguarding your goods during transit. Evaluate your packaging materials and methods to ensure they’re adequate for the types of deliveries you handle.
6. Improve Customer Communication: Keep your customers informed about their orders. Effective communication can help manage expectations and reduce any potential stress during peak periods.

By addressing these key areas, you’ll ensure your business is prepared to handle the increased activity and provide excellent service throughout the busy season. With Priority Express by your side, you can focus on growing your business while we handle your shipping needs.

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Delivering perishable items requires special care to ensure they arrive fresh and in excellent condition. Whether you’re sending food, flowers, or other time-sensitive goods, Priority Express is here to help with reliable same-day, overnight, and international delivery services. Here are our top tips for successfully delivering perishables:

1. Choose the Right Delivery Service

For items that need to stay fresh, opt for our same-day delivery or overnight courier service. These services reduce transit time and help maintain the quality of your perishable goods.

2. Use Proper Packaging

Secure your perishable items in insulated and well-padded packaging. This helps maintain the right temperature and protects against damage during transit. For items that need refrigeration, consider using gel packs or dry ice.

3. Label Clearly

Ensure your package is clearly marked as containing perishable goods. Include any specific handling instructions to alert couriers to handle with care and expedite delivery.

4. Track Your Parcel

Take advantage of our real-time parcel tracking to monitor your delivery’s journey. This allows you to stay updated on its progress and address any issues that may arise.

5. Plan Ahead for International Shipments

If sending perishables abroad, use our international delivery service. Allow extra time for customs and international transit, and choose express options for faster delivery.

6. Schedule Deliveries Wisely

Aim to schedule deliveries during weekdays and avoid weekends or public holidays when possible. This reduces the time perishables spend in transit and ensures timely delivery.

7. Communicate with Recipients

Inform the recipient about the expected delivery time and any special handling instructions. This ensures they’re prepared to receive and promptly refrigerate or use the items.

At Priority Express, we’re dedicated to delivering your perishables safely and efficiently across Bristol, Bath, and Cardiff, and beyond. By following these tips, you can ensure your time-sensitive packages arrive in perfect condition.

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The Clean Air Zone, implemented on the 29th of November 2022, was put in place to reduce air pollution in Bristol. The Bristol City Council, following in the footsteps of Bath, Bradford, and Portsmouth, are working towards reaching legal Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels by the end of 2023.

What is the clean air zone?

A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is a specific location that aims to reduce public exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide. This is done by having restrictions on the highest polluting vehicles, encouraging the use of cleaner vehicles and to motivate people to walk, cycle or use public transport. Air Pollution effects everyone; especially children, the elderly and people with heart, breathing and underlying health conditions.

Vehicles that use diesel engines are a major source of air pollution, the aim is to cut down on these vehicles. The Clean Air Zone includes loans and grants to help people switch to a cleaner vehicle or less polluting forms of transport. There will also be changes to traffic signal timing to improve traffic flows and an increased priority for buses, such as bus lanes and priority for them at traffic lights.

Who will it effect?

Bristol City Council estimated that about 70% of vehicles will not be charged, with no vehicles being banned from entering the Clean Air Zone, but older and more polluting vehicles must pay a daily charge for travelling within the zone.

Bristol has a small Clean Air Zone which covers a central area of the city and part of the Portway. Charges start at £9 for private cars, taxis, and light good vehicles and £100 for heavy goods vehicles, buses, and coaches. Business owners can sign up to the Business Accounts Feature, to set up a Bristol-specific account to help manage payment for multiple vehicles entering and exiting the Zone.

The scheme has received a mixed response, with groups such as the Bristol Clean Air Alliance saying it should have been put in place a lot sooner, whilst some residents and businesses insist that The Clean Air Zone will have a “detrimental impact on their lives”.

Where do Priority Express stand with the Clean Air Zone?

Lucky for us working within Bristol’s clean air zone, our eSprinters will allow us to pass savings onto our customers and reduce pollution in the key areas of the city, providing budget friendly courier service. We also have a team of enthusiastic Ecargo Trike riders who are passionate about a sustainable future and enjoy the health benefits of being a priority express rider.

With plans for the near feature, we are looking to expand our convoy of electric vans and in 5 years we hope for a third of our deliveries to be fulfilled by zero emission vehicles. By choosing Priority Zero, we will all be moving towards a sustainable future. If you’re interested in our services, please get in touch for more information.

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For any-sized business, making sure that your deliveries are on-time and delivered intact is essential for ensuring you don’t lose your reputation or customers. Although some businesses prefer to handle their own delivery services in-house, many are opting to outsource their delivery with separate courier companies. From saving time and fuel costs, to peace of mind when it comes to the insurance of parcels, there are many benefits of choosing a courier service for your business.

However, if you’re a SME, it can understandably be difficult knowing where to start when it comes to choosing the right courier company for your business. After all, you are trusting this company to deliver your consignments safely and efficiently, so picking the right courier shouldn’t be a decision that’s taken lightly.

Here are 7 main points to consider when choosing a courier company:

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1: Reliability

This should be the first thing that you consider when choosing a courier service. Of course, shipping costs need to be considered but if your delivery partner lets you down, all the hard work leading up to the despatch of your shipment can be wasted.

Here at Priority Express, we have a proven track record in speed & reliability since we were established in 1989. We can provide prospective customers with case studies – or even put you in touch with local companies already using our services – helping to provide an insight into our service standards and how well we work with companies across all types of businesses.

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2: Range of Services

It’s worth considering the range of services available at the outset because, even if your needs are limited right now, you’re probably aiming to succeed and grow. Having a courier partner that can provide a full range of same day, overnight and international courier services (and scale up quickly to meet demand) makes sense. Here are just a few of the many services we currently provide:

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·      Same-day UK & European Deliveries

·       UK Overnight Documents, Parcels & Freight

·       Remote Collections & Returns Services

·       International Courier & Freight Services

·       Order Fulfilment & Storage Facilities

·       PEX Zero Emission eCargo Bike Services

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If you would like to find out more about the courier services we can offer, then visit our services page.

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3: Experience

As a well-established regional business that’s been serving for over 30 years, Priority Express understands the challenges facing local SMEs. We started small and have continued to grow due to our easy-to-use services, reliability and close connections with businesses throughout the region.

Your Account Manager and our local customer services teams work with businesses across all sectors of commerce, industry and the media. We’ll take the time to understand your needs and tailor our services to meet your specific requirements. We know that your business is very personal and important to you, and we recognise the need to work with you in a way that meets the needs of your business.

4: Technology

You need your courier partner to provide great IT solutions.

We have worked with many businesses from start-ups and sole traders to larger businesses operating across multiple sites. We specialise in working with customers to understand their needs and share our expertise in the express delivery sector.

Reliable and easy-to-use online booking and tracking solutions are of course available, along with an impressive range of on-site and hosted IT solutions – all designed to help improve processes and reduce shipping costs.

5: Sustainability

We all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint.

Priority Express recognise that more businesses are considering their environmental impact and taking measures to reduce their carbon footprint. You’ll be pleased to know that our Priority Zero project has been underway since 2013 and now includes the following service features designed to reduce emissions and ensure that our services are sustainable in the longer term:

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·      Cycle Couriers – for local delivery of documents and small packages

·      Cargo Bikes – bicycles that can carry up to 80kg and reduce delivery time by up to 50%

·      100% Electric vans – for local & regional deliveries up to 700 Kgs

·      eCargo Trikes – electric-assist Trikes (from Sep 2021) for local deliveries up to 250 Kgs

·      Low-carbon urban delivery hubs in Bristol & Cardiff

6. Customer Service

Of course, if there are any urgent issues or queries regarding one of your parcels, then knowing that your courier is easy to contact will give you that peace of mind. Ideally, having a courier that offers 24-7 customer service is what you should be looking for as a business.

At Priority Express, our local customer services team are on hand 24-7 to advise you of the most suitable service to suit your deadlines and budget – as well as any questions or concerns you have about a delivery. We pride ourselves on delivering high levels of service, striving to exceed expectations every day.

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7. Flexibility

Having a courier who is flexible to your specific delivery requirements is very important, which is why Priority Express offers a Special Delivery service. We understand that each business has different requirements that need to be met.

Our special service delivery service covers a whole multitude of requirements, from pallets and mass mailing to order fulfilment. It’s everything else that falls outside of what we would consider our standard services.

To find out more about our special service delivery, contact us now.

We hope this article helps in your decision making. For further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to telephone your local branch or email.