Supporting urban consolidation centres with urban freight transport policies: a comparative study of Scotland and Sweden

This study investigates how supportive urban freight transport (UFT) policies work in conjunction with stakeholder collaboration to support public-led urban consolidation centre (UCC) developments. The methodology was a multiple case study approach, comparing cases in Sweden and Scotland, two countries that are more/less advanced in their approach to UFT policy. The key finding reveals that while UFT policies such as time window restrictions can support successful UCCs, they cannot be considered in isolation from the collaborative UFT policy setting established by the local authority. A successful development also requires a commitment to financially support the UCC over at least the medium term, allowing time for the system to mature and collaborative service offerings to be developed. The findings of this study can be used by local authorities to establish a supportive UFT policy setting, as well as specifically designing policy packages in conjunction with UCC business models.