Background

Freight transport in cities is a key element in local supply, but it also causes significant problems. It harms the environment, health and the quality of life of the population. Urban leaders are therefore striving (infrastructurally, organisationally and technologically) to mitigate the negative impacts of transport. However, it is becoming apparent that there is a lack of basic principles for integrating urban freight transport into planning processes and instruments, especially at the level of city districts (neighbourhoods) and building sites. As a result, necessary individual measures (such as parcel boxes, loading zones, loading yards, micro-hubs, etc.) are either not implemented at all or too late or turn out to be costly and ineffective (e.g. unsuitable measure for the local target groups, mistakes in the choice of locations and dimensioning, etc.). In addition, lock-in effects - high switching costs prevent the switch to alternatives - can occur, which prevent an optimal integration of freight transport into the built environment (in terms of land use, efficiency, emissions, etc.) for long periods of time.

Project content

Existing planning tools and toolkits usually focus on city-wide aspects and allow only very general and insufficiently quantifiable statements. Influencing factors that play a role in the small-scale environment are often disregarded. With the LOGI-TOOLKIT we are taking a different approach. It is intended to make it possible to assess the suitability and impact of logistical measures at the small-scale level and to prepare their embedding in processes in the best possible way. The fields of logistics and urban planning are considered in an interdisciplinary way and relevant measures are examined for their suitability with the involvement of various interest groups. The LOGI-TOOLKIT enables decision-makers in planning, administration and real estate development to assess the consequences and effects of measures on the basis of evidence and to take appropriate precautions.

Goals

The web-based LOGI-TOOLKIT is intended to support planning, administration and real estate development by taking logistical measures into account in the early stages of planning processes. Long-term and cost-intensive planning errors can thus be avoided and important steps taken to increase efficiency in urban logistics. The main project goals are:  

• Deriving concrete success and implementation parameters for logistical measures (dimensioning, capacity, accruing deliveries, cost & operator structure, space requirements, catchment areas, implementation periods, scaling, interest groups, commitment times, etc.).
• Identification of concrete challenges of municipalities with regard to logistics planning in the neighbourhood/district.
• Development of a web-based, openly accessible and expandable toolkit for needs assessment and logistics planning in the neighbourhood, which evaluates logistics measures at different levels of the planning process and thus provides valuable planning bases.

The LOGI-TOOLKIT and the improved link between urban planning and logistics planning that it provides make it possible to design freight transport processes according to ecological and health aspects. The environmental friendliness of the transports can be increased, the urban infrastructure can be better adapted to the different needs of citizens, a reduction of emissions as well as positive effects on health can be achieved.

Further information: website, opens an external URL in a new window