Innovation Steps towards Efficient Goods Distribution Systems for Urban Areas

Abstract

The distribution of goods for urban areas is vital to the prosperity of these areas. Nevertheless, there are various environmental and accessibility problems related to the urban goods distribution process. Only a comprehensive set of policy actions, that addresses the problems at different geographical scales and at various functional levels in concert, can solve these problems. These functional levels refer to the organisational aspects of the system (logistics), the goods transport and goods traffic means, the infrastructures, and the spatial system in which the urban goods distribution process must function. Progressive innovation is required on all these levels to achieve an efficient urban goods distribution system, efficient both in terms of commercial interests and societal interests. In the thesis, an integrated long-term problem-solving vision of a future urban goods distribution system is developed. The proposed integrated logistics concept for urban goods distribution, is based on the optimal bundling of the movements of goods (consolidation) in time as well as space. This should be done by providing logistic services, such as city logistics, backbone logistics and network logistics, in close harmony with appropriate technological means, such as advanced vehicle technologies, advanced infrastructures, and other supporting systems. The integrated concepts are based on the application of different transport systems in different areas: that is, the concept is based on intermodality. Introducing such a complex, integrated goods distribution system will require a long string of co-ordinated actions from a wide variety of public and private actors. This necessitates the development and application of an implementation strategy that includes all the necessary actions.