The state of the art of the urban distribution in Europe

The study Urban Freight Transport for the Commission

In association with the company MDS Transmodal (United Kingdom), the CTL has conducted the study on urban transport of goods in Europe, on behalf of DG MOVE of the European Commission.

The study's objective has been to conduct a review of the measures and practices, existing and planned, related to urban transport of goods among EU member states, aimed at understanding whether, to what extent and in what form, an action at European level could be considered to promote efficient solutions and improve freight transport performance, making it also sustainable.

Among the cities visited: Barcelona, Bremen, Goteborg, Ljubljana, London, Krakow, Paris, Parma, Rome, Tallinn and Utrecht. Among the measures and practices analyzed: the network of standard lay-bys, the use of the railway (the case Monoprix in Paris), deliveries by bicycle, the weight limits for the distribution vehicles, mobility credits in Krakow, consolidation services, the use of electric vehicles, the use of boats on the waterways (the beer-boat of Utrecht), the London Congestion Charge and urban distribution plans to optimize the application.

The study has drawn up a series of recommendations and actions to be taken at European level, in terms of policies for the Commission and the Member States, including: investing in research into new technologies and extend the internalization of external costs to urban areas, to foster innovative practices and the use of electrical means.

Contacts: Dr. Andrea Campagna – andrea.campagna@uniroma1.it