Transport and Covid-19: responses and resources

Lightening the load: Effective Light Urban Freight Distribution

This project explores the conditions necessary for effective urban freight distribution centred on lighter vehicles and addresses the regulatory and other changes required to accelerate their uptake.

These vehicles contribute to better outcomes in cities due to their smaller footprint, economic efficiency and potential environmental benefits. However, their use imposes new patterns of hubbing and last kilometre fulfilment that are particularly challenging without revisiting private actors' practices (e.g., selection of facility locations) and existing zoning and curb use regulations. This project will identify the freight vehicle types most adapted for different use cases - and their operational requirements. It will consider the roles of the various stakeholders and identify the challenges of public-private interactions. Finally, this project will examine how regulations could evolve to encourage the uptake of lighter freight vehicles while maximising societal benefits.