Urban logistics experts and enthusiasts from across Europe gathered in Barcelona for the ULaaDS Final event on the 15th-16th of November 2023. Over two days, attendees gained insights from the ULaaDS city trials and exchanged knowledge on other urban logistics realities from fellow EU-funded projects and pioneering cities.

The event spanned two days, with the first day dedicated exclusively to ULaaDS partners and the second day open to the public. Day 1 kicked off with a site visit to observe urban logistics in action, specifically in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood of Barcelona. Led by Ariadna Sancho (Barcelona City Council) and Jordi Jové Palau (Metropolitan Area Barcelona), the visit allowed attendees to explore the integration of superblocks and urban logistics operations, along with Barcelona’s loading and unloading areas (DUM) and the SPRO parking app for logistics vehicles.

The first presentations were delivered by representatives from ULaaDS Lighthouse cities: Bremen (Germany), Groningen (The Netherlands), and Mechelen (Belgium). Each presentation summarised the conducted research trials in their respective cities, such as containerised last-mile delivery by Rytle cargo bikes in Bremen, urban logistics as a service for commuters at park & ride facilities in Groningen, and cargohitching in Mechelen, amongst others.

The trials had positive impacts on land and space use, the environment, and social acceptance. Logistics efficiency and economic impacts were more mixed, but the beneficial effects are difficult to measure. Many positive impacts were more intangible and related to the cooperation and learnings from conducting the trials. The trials have contributed to ongoing work and innovation in urban logistics in all cities, both in organising logistics differently and in regulatory considerations related to topics such as autonomous vehicles and white-label solutions.

Following the Lighthouse cities’ presentations were those from the satellite cities – Alba Iulia (Romania), Bergen (Norway), Edinburgh (United Kingdom) and Rome (Italy). For a full overview of the replicable solutions being pursued by each city, as well as their key learnings, you can download the full day 1 presentation.

The afternoon session included interactive discussions on implementation roadmaps for satellite cities, the role of data in ULaaDS, and the SUMP Toolbox.

This was followed by an overview of Via’s cargo-hitching simulation and an interactive workshop dedicated to the new framework for parcel lockers, developed by the City of Groningen with ULaaDS partners Bax & Company and the University of Groningen.

Day 2 opened with an urban walk on Consell de Cent street to observe urban logistics on pedestrian green axes, followed by a visit to the Cargobici microhub, a Barcelona-based last-mile logistics operation.

Then participants got to hear insights from Ariadna Sancho and Joan Tomàs of Barcelona City Council, who shared Barcelona’s approach to urban logistics and lessons from the Spanish model of loading zones in urban areas.

The afternoon featured a panel discussion on the status of urban logistics in Europe, touching on key lessons from ULaaDS and SENATOR, and exploring how new CIVITAS projects could utilise these insights. Thank you to our panellists Michael Glotz-Richter (City of Bremen), Breogan Sánchez (Zaragoza City of Knowledge Foundation), Paola Cossu (FIT Consulting), and Manon Levrey (Interface Transport) for your engagement!

Another interactive session was held by Bax & Company and Rupprecht Consult, gathering insights on frameworks, policies and planning for sustainable logistics. The session posed questions to the audience such as:

• What are the main aspects that should be included in a SULP?
• Which stakeholders are typically engaged in urban logistics planning?
• Which innovation(s) do you think will have the most significant impact on urban logistics in the next decade?
• What is the primary driving force for change in urban logistics in your area?

You can download the results of this live survey and the full day 2 presentation.

All in all, it was a jam-packed final event, encapsulating a wealth of knowledge and years of collaborative efforts towards shaping the future of urban logistics in Europe. The event not only highlighted innovative practices and solutions but also helped to strengthen the community of professionals dedicated to advancing sustainable urban logistics.

Stay tuned for our final project deliverables in which we will present:

• Takeaways for adaptive policy making in the context of urban freight.

• Lessons learned and best practices for implementation by industries and public authorities.

• Policy recommendations for the future of on-demand urban logistics.