Freight Transport in the Car-Free City : Towards a more sustainable urban freight sector

Abstract: Freight transport of goods is an indispensable part of everyday life. Without it there would be no delivery of products such as food, water, construction material, technology, furniture, clothes and society, as we know it today, would collapse.  However, there are more and less sustainable ways of transporting goods. Today, the number of freight transport vehicles in cities is increasing steadily which contributes to traffic congestion, unsafety, insecurity, air pollution, noise pollution and climate change. Moreover, as the e-commerce flows are increasing, the importance of sustainable last-mile deliveries increases as well.   The research methods used were literature study and interviews. Firstly, the literature study was realized before two pre-knowledge interviews were conducted. Finally, ten semi structured interviews were conducted with experts, strategists, logisticians,  project managers and consultants.   The data suggests that sustainable urban freight transport can be accomplished with UCCs in combination with cargo bikes to reduce cars in the city. This can be done with the help of four ideas - collaboration, incentives, research and developed bicycle infrastructure.  UCCs are not a new concept but there are few centers that endure due to several factors; flawed business models, lack of expertise or research, subvention dependency and stakeholders’ various engagement and involvement levels. Also, a certain percent of freight that is transported by trucks can be substituted by cargo bicycles but in order to enhance the development of utilizing cargo bicycles as a last-mile delivery option, research and knowledge gap need to be addressed. The conclusion indicates that collaboration between stakeholders, specifically between the private and public sector, is integral. The results also highlight that off-peak deliveries and sustainable last-mile deliveries are feasible solutions. There are knowledge gaps in how UCCs and cargo bikes operate which are potential opportunities for areas of improvement and development. Lastly, policies and regulations set by the local authorities play an integral role to guide the freight industry development towards a more sustainable freight transport.