Allan Woodburn

The Role of Urban Consolidation Centres in Sustainable Freight Transport

The paper reviews the study and use of urban consolidation centres (UCCs) which are a freight transport initiative intended to reduce goods vehicle traffic, vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. An international literature review has identified 114 UCC schemes in 17 countries (12 in the European Union (EU) and 5 outside the EU) that have been the subject of either a feasibility study, trial or a fully operational scheme in the last 40 years. The period from 2006 to 2010 has been the most active 5-year period in terms of UCC study, trial and scheme generation since the first UCC study was carried out in the early 1970s. Five countries account for the majority of all the 114 UCC schemes identified: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. The vast majority of UCCs serve either all or part of an urban area. Examples of UCCs serving a single property (such as an airport or shopping centre) and construction sites have also been identified. Key organizational, operational, and financial issues that are critical to the success of UCCs are discussed. The traffic and environmental impacts of UCC trials and fully operational schemes are also reviewed.

The role for rail in port-based container freight flows in Britain

As supply chains become increasingly global and companies seek greater efficiencies, the importance of good, reliable land-based transport linkages to/from ports increases. This poses particular problems for the UK, with its high dependency on imported goods and congested ports and inland routes. It is conservatively estimated that container volumes through British ports will double over the next 20 years, adding to the existing problems. This paper investigates the potential for rail to become better integrated into port-based container flows, so as to increase its share of this market and contribute to a more sustainable mode split. It identifies the trends in container traffic through UK ports, establishes the role of rail within this market, and assesses the opportunities and threats facing rail in the future. The analysis combines published statistics and other information relating to container traffic and original research on the nature of the rail freight market, examining recent trends and future prospects. The paper concludes that this is an important market for rail, with considerable growth potential but to realize this it is important that a number of constraints are overcome, otherwise the long-term prospects for this rail market will be compromised.

Intermodal rail freight in Britain: a terminal problem?

Abstract Rail has increased its share of the British freight market in the past decade. One particular growth market has been intermodal traffic, where consignments are carried in unit loads (i.e. containers and swap bodies): these accounted for one-fifth of rail freight volumes in 2006/07. In this paper, the key trends are identified, considering both port and domestic services. A critical component of the rail system in allowing further development is the availability and capability of rail terminals. An analysis of terminal provision has been conducted, examining the relationship between the development of intermodal terminals and service provision, and identifying the key challenges for the future.

A Review of Urban Consolidation Centres in the Supply Chain Based on a Case Study Approach

The paper considers how urban consolidation centres (UCCs) can be used in the supply chain to reduce goods vehicle traffic and its associated environmental impacts, while also helping to make supply chains more responsive and efficient and thereby generate commercial benefits. The role of UCCs is presented and the various types discussed. The potential supply chain impacts of UCCs are considered. Case studies of six UCC schemes and trials are included, with their objectives, operational characteristics and impacts compared. The critical success factors associated with UCCs are identified.

THE CHANGING NATURE OF RAIL FREIGHT IN GREAT BRITAIN: THE START OF A RENAISSANCE?.

This paper reports on ongoing research into the potential for rail freight service developments to achieve a significant modal shift away from road towards more sustainable modes of transport for freight movements. It is based on the analysis of comprehensive databases of rail freight flows in Great Britain in 1991 and 1997, a period in which there has been dramatic upheaval of rail freight services. This reveals that traffic volumes in early 1997 were still below those in early 1991, but that many new flows were beginning to manifest themselves as a result of traffic gains by the newly privatized operators who have been actively seeking new custom. Some of these flows are ones that were lost from rail during the period of decline, but it is clear that a significant volume of traffic gained is entirely new to rail. Finally, the need for more research on the interactions between these supply-side developments and logistical restructuring is highlighted.

Data Collection for Understanding Urban Goods Movement

This chapter addresses the topic of urban freight data collection. Survey work was carried out with experts in eleven European countries to describe and compare urban freight transport data collection efforts to better understand what currently takes place and to identify examples of good practice. The extent of urban freight data collection varies significantly between the European countries surveyed. Much of the existing urban freight data comes from the disaggregation of national survey results. The chapter identifies the most commonly identified gaps in data collection, as well as the need for greater standardisation in data collection methods and in analysis and reporting of this data.

Evaluation of Rail Freight Facilities Grant Funding in Britain

Abstract Rail freight has been generally in decline in many European Union countries in recent years, contrary to European transport policy. State support for railway operations is commonplace in most countries, and this paper establishes the background to targeted rail freight grant funding in Britain. Through desk‐based analysis of Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) awards, together with a survey of recipient companies, the paper assesses the extent to which the planned flows expected from these awards have materialized and it evaluates the role of the grants in influencing rail freight volumes. The evidence suggests that FFG funding has been largely successful, attracting considerable private sector investment. Overall, FFGs have played an important role in developing or retaining rail freight flows, although the processes could be made more transparent and consistent. As other European countries liberalize their rail freight markets as a result of European Union legislation, such targeted funding may be an appropriate alternative to more general government subsidy of freight operations.

An empirical study of the variability in the composition of British freight trains

As part of the broader sustainability and economic efficiency agenda, European transport policy places considerable emphasis on improving rails competitiveness to increase its share of the freight market. Much attention is devoted to infrastructure characteristics which determine the number of freight trains which can operate and influence the operating characteristics of these trains. However, little attention has been devoted to the composition of the freight trains themselves, with scant published data relating to the practicalities of this important component of system utilisation and its impacts on rail freight viability and sustainability. This paper develops a better understanding of the extent to which freight train composition varies, through a large-scale empirical study of the composition of British freight trains. The investigation is based on a survey of almost 3000 individual freight trains, with analysis at four levels of disaggregation, from the commodity groupings used in official statistics down to individual services. This provides considerable insight into rail freight operations with particular relevance to the efficiency of utilisation of trains using the available network paths. The results demonstrate the limitations of generalising about freight train formations since, within certain commodity groupings, considerable variability was identified even at fairly high levels of disaggregation.

Impact de la mondialisation sur le niveau d'activité du transport international de marchandises par route et par chemin de fer

Le present chapitre decrit les tendances recentes du commerce mondial, identifie les differentes facons dont la croissance des echanges affecte le transport routier et ferroviaire international de marchandises et s’interroge, enfin, sur l’evolution future du transport terrestre international. Dans le secteur du fret international, les volumes transportes par route et par rail sont encore tres faibles par rapport aux volumes achemines par mer. Toutefois, l’augmentation tres probable du volume total du commerce mondial (produits de plus en plus souvent manufactures loin des consommateurs, parce que les livraisons sont facilitees par des services de transport plus fiables et plus rapides, beneficiant des progres technologiques) devrait accroitre les quantites de marchandises echangees entre pays. Le chapitre retrace l’evolution recente du commerce mondial puisqu’il s’agit de l’un des moteurs du developpement du transport international. Il analyse le commerce et le transport internationaux dans une perspective politique et economique, avant d’evoquer l’importance des procedures de dedouanement et de passage des frontieres ainsi que les preoccupations croissantes en matiere de securite du transport international. Il s’etend longuement sur le transport par route et par chemin de fer en mettant plus particulierement l’accent sur les problemes d’infrastructures, les politiques et reglementations, le deroulement des operations de transport et les technologies utilisees. Il jette pour terminer un regard sur les perspectives d’avenir. Avec la suppression des goulets d’etranglement et des ameliorations operationnelles, l’efficience du transport routier et ferroviaire international de marchandises devrait augmenter considerablement dans de nombreuses regions.