Port and industrial cities are strongly affected by the freight and logistics sector. Also areas with intense construction works are seriously congested with heavy cargo traffic. Therefore, managing freight traffic should be part of an overall transport Master Plan and ought to be included in the overall policy of each city.
Within CIVITAS II 6 project, cities have analysed the effects of freight transport in urban areas and have implemented measures aimed to reduce the negative effects of the goods transport in a city. As part of the project, six cities have implemented measures on logistics and sustainable goods distribution. Thus, the city of Burgos (Spain) has implemented a new goods distribution, La Rochelle (France) has applied the city logistics strategic extension, customers’ services associated to goods distribution and development of partnership with logistics operators. The city of Malmo (Sweden) has granted freight driver support and Norwich (United Kingdom) has implemented customised traffic & travel information service for freight operators and urban transshipment centre. Another British city, Preston, has implemented city logistics partnerships and strategic planning and freight routing, signing, etc. Venice (Italy) has implemented a clean urban logistics.
The 2011 White Paper on Transport talks about a strategy for near- ‘zero-emission urban logistics’ by 2030. To achieve this, it is necessary to produce best practice guidelines to better monitor and manage urban freight flows (for example, consolidation centres, size of vehicles in old centres, regulatory limitations, delivery windows, unused potential of transport by river). Also, it is necessary to define a strategy for moving towards ‘zero-emission urban logistics’, bringing together aspects of land planning, rail and river access, business practices and information, charging and vehicle technology standards. It is also important to promote joint public procurement for low emission vehicles in commercial fleets.
However, there are measures which can definitely contribute to reducing phonic and air pollution.
A pilot project in the Netherland on night deliveries, with silent certified equipment led to considerable time and cost savings – respectively one hour over a 35 km distance and EUR 35,000 per truck/year – with very high social acceptability.
In Paris a RER regional line is used for freight transport by the supermarket chain
Monoprix, also freight cycles are used for deliveries of loads of up to 158 kg in seven French and two other European cities.
Nevertheless, maybe the most obvious measure is the CarGoTram project developed in Dresden. Therefore, German company Volkswagen carries its equipments from and to the factory with the help of CarGoTram, the freight tram.
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