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European experiences regulating the urban distribution of merchandise

Any de realizació: 2023

Equip:

• Núria Pérez (direcció)
• Xavier Bach (coord.)
• Marc Vila
• Ana Maria Posa Sardon
• Aïda Alemany

Institution: AMB

Freight transport is an essential asset in the functioning of cities, without which neither businesses nor citizens could provide themselves. However, the large number of externalities that these services generate is becoming increasingly evident: noise, air pollution, emissions of particles harmful to air quality, occupation of public space, etc.
Already in the time of Julius Caesar, the Roman law Lex lulia Municipalis restricted the transport of goods within the city during the day. Today, cities continue to propose new regulations and policies to contain these externalities and promote a more appropriate and limited urban distribution of goods.

In general, cities or metropolises have first of all general regulations on restrictions on heavy vehicles (which regulate by tonnage and often by length of vehicles), where they specify the allowed entry routes or the schedules of restriction of passage. These regulations are usually a few years old (decade from the 80s or 90s or earlier) and are often regulated at the supramunicipal, regional, or state level. Sometimes, they also incorporate regulations on dangerous goods.

Next, there are more specific regulations at the local level that affect the urban distribution of goods, which indicate the places, schedules, and conditions of loading and unloading in cities.

In recent years and in parallel to the previous one, there are the Low Emission Zones in many European cities, which also include restrictions on all types of vehicles and specifications that also affect goods.

Finally, cyclology seems to be not yet regulated in general with specific regulations. However, it is present in many strategic planning and mobility (general or specific to goods), and there are numerous initiatives that begin to promote its use.

In this context, this study includes various regulatory and policy practices in other European cities to serve as a reference to the AMB.

Download:

• Report of European experiences regulating the urban distribution of merchandise