An analysis of local authority views and treatment of urban freight in the UK

Freight transport is critical in sustaining and growing the urban economy. For the efficient and effective distribution of goods a balanced set of policies that meets the needs of all stakeholders and all users of the urban road network, including residents, businesses and suppliers is crucial. The European Commission (2009) predicts that the proportion of the European population residing in urban areas will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, and hence the demand for goods and services in those areas continues to rise. Despite these predictions, there remains a strong impression that the requirements of freight distribution and logistics operations are often neglected in urban transport policies and strategies drawn up by local authorities. This paper presents an analysis of some of the findings from eleven in-depth qualitative interviews with representatives from local transport authorities across the UK. The research finds that whilst local authorities acknowledge the importance of urban freight to the local economy they know surprisingly little about it. Only half of the authorities interviewed held detailed information on freight and, on further analysis this tends to be about major freight generators and heavily used routes rather than being an understanding of freight movements across the area. Coupled with a relatively limited level of engagement with freight operators through formal partnerships and consultation processes, the mechanisms for including freight issues in the planning process remain unclear. Further work will consider the problem from the perspective of the freight operators.