Sustainable Freight Logistics Plan

Summary

A Freight Logistics Plan for Rethymno is under development, which aims to optimise goods delivery routes and reduce environmental and social impacts in the city. Logistics stakeholders are actively involved in the conception of plan.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Rethymno is developing a Freight Logistics Plan with an emphasis on logistics management for key tourist areas and the historic city centre. The active involvement of stakeholders is being achieved through an urban logistics advisory group. A Pilot Logistics System will be tested to coordinate the freight operators' and hotel suppliers’ routes based on the demand.

The following objectives are to be achieved:

• Improved operation of freight distribution to optimise the supply of goods to the historic city centre.
• Testing new approaches for efficient management of freight delivery, addressing needs related to both supply and demand.
• Reducing the amount of logistics fleet circulating in the city centre, and in the process traffic congestion.
• Decreasing noise and air pollution created as the result of freight distribution.
• Improved skills of freight drivers (both safe and eco-driving).

Actions foreseen include:

• Data collection, analysis of logistics activity, including freight movements in the city, seasonality and product transportation to other areas.
• Operation of an urban logistics advisory group, involving logistics companies and key stakeholders.
• Launch of a pilot system to manage freight distribution in the city’s historic centre.
• An online platform to coordinate freight activity based on demand.
• A feasibility study for a cooperative enterprise business case to undertake the operation of the system and platform after the testing period ends.
• Safe and eco-driving training for freight drivers.

Progress

The activities implemented so far are:  

• Public procurement and contract award for the SULP development.
• Data collection for the SULP baseline, including interviews with freight operators/ logistics companies; analysis of logistics activity, including freight movements in the city, seasonality and product transportation to other areas.
• Stakeholders’ engagement, assessment of supply and demand sides’ needs, and identification of priorities. Bilateral consultation meetings and workshops.
• SULP delivered, under approval by the Municipal Council.
• Action plan for the development of the pilot demonstration of freight solution to be implemented in the historic centre of Rethymno following a number of working meetings to define and find consensus, involving local businesses, freight logistics companies, Rethymno Municipality and SULP subcontractor.
• Specifications of an online platform to coordinate freight activity based on the demand.

Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the measure are:

• An approved Urban Freight Logistics Plan for Rethymno.
• An urban logistics advisory group, including freight logistic companies and key stakeholders.
• An action plan for a unified freight system in the historic centre.
• A six-month pilot project to coordinate freight operators, hotel suppliers and retailers.
• Safe and eco-driving training material and sessions held with freight drivers.