Sustainable Goods Supply and Transport in Conurbations: Freight Strategies and Guidelines

Martin Rüesch, Philipp Hegi, Ueli Haefeli, Daniel Matti, Barbara Schultz, Philipp Rütsche

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · 2012 · 22 citations · 0 references

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TL;DR

Urban freight transport is increasingly important in Switzerland and elsewhere, yet it causes environmental and societal harm and becomes more costly and unreliable due to traffic congestion. The paper aims to present additional findings on how freight transport is integrated into public planning, the urban freight measures and strategies employed, and the implementation success factors. The study investigated Swiss conurbations, derived key sustainability indicators, developed an evaluation framework, implemented and assessed measures, and produced guidelines for freight planning presented at a 2007 conference. Results show freight indicators and development trends in conurbations, identify key factors for urban freight growth, highlight the importance of freight transport, specify location requirements for logistics facilities, and assess acceptance of urban freight measures.

Abstract

Urban freight transport is becoming more and more important in Switzerland and also other countries. On the one hand we face negative impacts on the environment and society and on the other hand urban freight distribution is getting more and more costly and less reliable due to traffic jams. Within a Swiss project the goods supply and transport in conurbations has been investigated, key factors and sustainability indicators derived, an evaluation frame for measures developed, measures and strategies for more sustainable goods supply and transport carried out and assessed and an implementation plan developed. Within a follow up project guidelines for freight planning in urban areas have been carried out. During the City Logistics Conference in Crete in 2007 the first results of the national research project Sustainable Goods Supply and Transport in Conurbations (Agglomerations) (2006-2009) have been presented. Especially the results on Freight indicators and development in conurbations, key factors for urban freight development and relevance of freight transport, locations requirements for logistics and freight transport facilities and acceptance of urban freight measures. This paper provides further results on the institutional integration of freight transport in public planning, on urban freight measures and strategies and on the implementation of measures and success factors.