City Distribution

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract

In 1996, the City of Amsterdam together with organisations of operators and shopowners signed a declaration of intent in which heavy trucks are excluded from the city centre, except on the network of main roads (a so called 'filtersystem'). At the same time, transport firms will attempt to combine trans-port as much as possible, during a period of two years. Only operators who necessarely have to make use of heavy trucks on the non-main roads (fresh food etc.) can get special permits to do so for a two year period.

The filter-system is the first step towards a complete system of City Distribution. Further steps, in which all goods delivered by heavy trucks are unloaded into smaller vehicles at the edge of the city are expected in the next few years

Background information

In 1994, the City of Amsterdam decided to create a car-restricted centre. One of the measurements is the implementation of a system of City Distribution. In this way, the number of vehicles in the city centre can be kept to a minimum and the nuisance of heavy truck traffic can be reduced. At the same time, the centre remains accessible, so it can retain its function as an economic and social hub.

Objectives

The objectives of the project are:

  • a more efficient supply of the city centre;
  • decrease of nuisance and environmental impact caused by loading/unloading traffic in the city centre;
  • make the city centre a more pleasant place;
  • more efficiently supply of clients.

Implementation

Following the result of a referendum held in 1993 the City of Amsterdam decided to create a car-restricted city centre. One of the measurements to achieve this was to develop a system of City Distribution in cooperation with the operators, organizations of operators and the Chambre of Commerce. This strategy for implementation has resulted in a step-by step approach to achieve a system of City Distribution.

The first step taken is the ban of heavy commercial traffic (more than 7.5 tonnes) from the centre (except main roads). This measure encourages distributors to logistically combine goods flows and limits the number of vehicle journeys. Agreements with the business community and provision of facilities are the methods to ensure the creation in the long run of a comprehensive system of city distribution. For the time being, commercial transshipment currently taking place in transport centres on the outskirts of the city is to be expanded. If this policy is successful, the system can be expanded in the long run beyond the city centre and special environmental-friendly city distribution vehicles can be deployed for the transport from the city distribution centres.

For the exclusion of heavy commercial trafic road signs were placed all over the city centre. The City Centre Department is responsible for implementation. On top of this special enforcement was applied.

The total costs of the project so far for labour were approximately 75,000 ECU and for investment in road signs appr. 18,000 ECU, financed by the City of Amsterdam.

Evaluation

The general results of the project so far are positive. Some 600 firms have asked for a special permit for exclusion of the ban on the non-main roads in the city centre. Some 400 of them were given to trucks with 'difficult' deliveries, such as fresh food, heavy transport for construction etc. The enforcement is satisfactory.

In the summer of 1997 interviews were held with inhabitants, shopowners, operators and members of the projectgroup for City Distribution. The results were:

  • 50% of the inhabitants have noticed a reduction of nuisance of trucks in the centre; 100% feel that further steps towards banning large trucks are necessary
  • the shopowners have not noticed negative effects on the supply or accessibility; further steps are wishful but they feel it is the responsability of the operators
  • the operators are working on a higher degree of efficiency; some operators have decreased the number of trips to the centre; further steps are wishful, but with the accent on environmental-friendly transport instead of strict limitations of weight and length of the trucks
  • the members of the projectgroup are satisfied. The step-by-step approach with concensus on every step is an example for other cities. The existing transport centres on the edge of the city have noticed an increase of transshipments for the city centre.
  • all respondents think that the enforcement should be intensivated.

In january 1998 the effect of the project on the number of trucks entering the city centre will be presented.

In 1998 the regulation is further restricted

• trucks < 9 meters

• loading degree minimum 80%

• Euro-2 norm for all trucks

•

This resulted in:

•More bundling (70% => 80%)

•Number of adresses for delivery increased while vehicle spends less time in the city.

•Satisfaction with residents/vistors: safety feeling increased

•Less damage in public space

•Reduction heavy vehicles (-12%)

This kind of policy is probably being extended to other parts of the city which have similar problems as the historical innercity.

Also further environmental restrictions are being prepared: Euro 3 norm for all trucks in the near future.

Conclusions

The main difficulty with the filtersystem is the amount of transportations that can not or very hardly be transshipped to smaller trucks or transshipped at all, such as fresh food and transportations for construction etc. For these reasons, some 600 permits were given for exclusion of the filtersystem. Also, some operators reach a more efficient supply with large trucks making only one trip per week instead of using smaller trucks making several trips per week. For these reasons the effects are limited so far. By sharpening the criteria for special permits as a further step towards a system of City Distribution the effects are expected to increase.

Due to the step-by-step approach with concensus on every step with the operators, shopowners and Chambre of Commerce there have not been any conflicts.

This project could be implemented in any (European) city. Especially cities with a historic centre have a big chance on political support for a limitation of commercial traffic. It is very important to get a general debate on the issue before starting a project. Other (dutch) examples, in which the municipality started to construct City Distribution Centres and forced the operators to make use of them have all failed. In the Amsterdam approach, both parties took their responsibility. The city took responsability for the organization of the project and the 'push'-factors, the operators etc. took responsability for stimulation of the use of distribution centres ('pull').

Cooperation with the representatives of operators, shopowners and firms and a step-by-step approach are the keys for satisfactory results. The City of Amsterdam could provide other cities with advise and figures. The city of Amsterdam participates in the Commercial Traffic working group of the Car Free Cities Club. This is a very usefull network for the interchange of information.

The most critical factor for succes is as mentioned before the cooperation with the relevant partners and the step-by-step approach. This could be an example for other cities.

Contact Details

Please contact for further information:
drs H.R. Koster miss E. van Kesteren
City of Amsterdam
Department for Infrastructure, Traffic and Transport
Wibautstraat 3 Nieuwevaart 5-9
PO box 95089
1090 HB Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel. +31.20.596.4558 5565236
fax +31.20.596.1667 5565704
e-mail:

or:
G.A.J. Esselaar
City of Amsterdam
City Centre Department
Amstel 1
1011 PN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel. +31.20.552.4179
fax +31.20.552.4242