Small trucks and trikes may replace heavy goods lorries in Brussels
A test project based on a successful system in Hasselt could see freight driven around Brussels by more sustainable transport
Difficult last mile
The project aims to tackle the problem known as “the difficult last mile” in retail supply. International companies use every means at their disposal to ship products quickly and efficiently, with ships carrying cargo between distribution centres in ports, and railways and container lorries transporting to inland centres.
The last step, however, is often the most difficult, as lorries negotiate narrow city centre roads and hordes of traffic to deliver to the retailer at the end of the chain.
The new system helps alleviate the problems associated with the last mile. Road haulers deliver to a distribution centre on the edge of town – in the case of Brussels, to the International Road Transport centre of the Port of Brussels, located at Tour & Taxis, which is accessible by water and road.
The goods are then sent to their destinations using a variety of more sustainable modes of transport, including small lorries and even specially equipped tricycles (pictured), depending on the weight and size of the shipment. City and town centres thus avoid the presence of heavy lorries, which add to exhaust levels and traffic, plus block streets or sidewalks when parked.
Sustainable distribution
“Goods transport is a challenge for many towns and inner cities,” said Marc Schepers, CEO of CityDepot. “Lorries and goods vehicles are a burden on accessibility and on quality of life, but at the same time the goods have to find their way to the retailers. The biggest challenge is to make urban distribution sustainable and efficient.”
Less traffic means a more pleasant and more agreeable city to live in
According to a study by Brussel Mobiliteit, 45% of all delivery points in the city, representing a large number of retail outlets, are considered difficult to supply. At the same time, 80% of all routes suitable for goods transport are being used, meaning Brussels is virtually saturated by goods traffic.
The new project would replace the current haphazard delivery conditions with the Urban Distribution Centre, to be operated by CityDepot/TRI-VIZOR after a round of competitive bidding. “The system is as simple as it is efficient,” De Lille said. “By grouping the various sorts of goods at a central location outside the centre for later transportation by ecological vehicles and bikes, we can provide a benefit for retailers and the transport industry, as well as for the people of Brussels.”
By removing the burden of goods traffic, he continues, “we create more space, more breathing room for people. Less traffic means a more pleasant and more agreeable city to live in, to work in and to shop in.”
The Brussels test project, which will run from September until next March, is part of the LaMiLo project (Last Mile Logistics) supported by the EU, and includes partners from other EU cities such as London, Paris and Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Photo courtesy CityDepot
Traffic in Flanders
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time Antwerp drivers spend in gridlock per year in hours
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