The European Commission promotes 2018 as the year of transport “multimodality”, as a solution to reduce carbon emissions, pollution, traffic congestion and industry development. Over the next period, EC plans to elaborate political and legislative initiatives for promoting an integrated transport system. The establishment of a fully-functional system requires the use of economic incentives to promote multimodality, the development of multimodal infrastructure, the implementation of digitalisation programmes, as well as the integration of urban transport in cities.
Usually, when talking about the urban transport system, passenger transport requires special attention. However, a city also needs freight logistics, with consumers as end customers. Thus, the citizens’ life quality is also influenced by freight logistics which can be analysed from the point of view of volumes and types of freight, vehicles, deliveries, economic contribution, environmental impact and safety. Freight delivery accounts for a large share of traffic in the urban areas of European cities and is one of the biggest factors that influence the increase of carbon emissions and congestion levels. Therefore, although urban freight transport has an essential economic contribution, it still has negative effects. Road congestion is one of the biggest problems of a city. Although congestion is mostly caused by automotive passenger vehicles, freight vehicles represent around 15% of total freight flows and when they park outside special areas to collect or deliver goods, they can significantly reduce capacity and increase congestion in the city.
Another negative effect is air pollution, where urban freight transport is responsible for around 25% of CO2 emissions, as all freight vehicles use fuels with negative effects on health. Because of the direct impact on human health, many authorities are considering an improvement of air quality. Measures include reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Urban freight transport is responsible for over 6% of these emissions.
Regarding phonic pollution, just like personal cars, freight vehicles are also disturbing, especially at night, and citizens believe urban freight transport quite challenging.
The White Paper on Transport pays attention to urban transport setting that by 2030 most urban centres should no longer be affected by the CO2 emissions coming from the logistics activity. Several measures and policies have been adopted since the launch of the paper (2011) at European, regional and local level, to determine or eliminate the impact of urban freight traffic.
Currently, only few European cities have a well-developed strategy of the urban logistics segment, as local authorities focus more on the passenger transport system, while urban freight transport is less appreciated. For the business sector, operators, infrastructure or services suppliers, it is important to be able to plan necessities and activities that could be part of the logistics strategy of a city, which, in turn, could be integrated to the other urban policies, where each of the involved parties should have a visible contribution.
The Vital Nodes on TEN-T
Currently, 70% of the European population lives in urban areas which accounts for 85% of the Union’s GDP. Also, cities play an important role in the European TEN-T policy. Thus, the Vital Nodes initiative was launched to help creating efficient and sustainable transport networks in the hubs along the TEN-T by linking local and international transport networks.The initiative will also optimise European transport connections, while also developing the transport system of cities.
In the implementation of TEN-T, 88 urban centres on transport corridors are facing a high level of traffic which, although has positive effects too, it can cause the congestion of urban and peri-urban areas, air pollution, lower safety levels and higher noise levels. The Vital Nodes initiative will deliver recommendations for the integration and efficiency of (urban) hubs in the TEN-T network while considering multimodal and intermodal connections between long-distance traffic and “last-mile” logistics. Moreover, Vital Nodes will support the implementation of innovations in urban centres and will combine TEN-T objectives (such as European inter-connection) with the objectives of sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs).
In the segment of urban hubs, Vital Nodes will consider four steps, the pilot case in Vienna, the second step will redefine the methodology which Vital Nodes uses in eight hubs (urban centres). The approach will be applied in nine further urban hubs in the third phase, to consolidate the approach and facilitate a knowledge transfer. The fourth phase of Vital Nodes, and the final one, will conclude with the application of the approach mode validated in the 70 remaining urban hubs grouped into categories with similar interests. They will enable the exchange of know-how, instruments, concerns and ideas (to be organised in workshops).
Vital Nodes will deliver results in three segments focused on the independent support of networks consisting of experts, final users and case-owners, the proven approach of Vital Nodes for future cases consisting of a set of enriched and adjusted instruments, an evaluation methodology, a format for workshops and an implementation strategy. The third result relies on validated recommendations regarding the integration of urban hubs into the TEN-T core corridors.
The project, financed through Horizon2020, was initiated in November 2017 and will be carried out on a period of two years, being implemented by a consortium led by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, next to 10 partners among which transport administrations, city networks, corridor organisations and project consultancies.
We have asked Michel Arnd, Project Officer at POLIS – European Cities and Regions networking for innovative transport solutions, for further details about VitalNodes. POLIS is a member organisation of the consortium that will implement the initiative.
In what way will Vital Nodes contribute to a better connection between TEN-T urban nodes?
Michel Arnd: Along the TEN-T, 88 urban nodes have been defined. These urban nodes are important centres for the network, as they work as multimodal hubs and organise the distribution in the region. These are the locations where people start or end their journey or change modes. Enhancing the efficiency of the nodes will optimise the efficiency of the TEN-T. Vital Nodes is set to contribute to better interconnection within the urban nodes.
In stakeholder workshops, Vital Nodes analyses the anticipated developments based on a comprehensive toolbox to address these. It will specifically look into the alignment of local planning and the TEN-T corridor developments.
As we know, freight transport in cities’ metropolitan areas faces many challenges. What are the main goals of Vital Nodes?
Michel Arnd: Vital Nodes addresses vitality of the urban nodes. By that, we mean that we would like to support the urban nodes to keep their functioning transport system and mitigate the negative externalities of the increased transport volume. These include congestion, but also noise and air pollution. Strategic planning can help finding alternatives for inner city transport, such as electric last mile delivery.
What is the role of railway transport within the initiative?
Michel Arnd: Vital Nodes aims to improve the accessibly of TEN-T for the urban nodes, such as the hinterland connection of multimodal railway terminals. It fosters local cooperation between stakeholders at an international scale. As rail is a main mode for the TEN-T network, it plays a vital role within the project, particularly envisioning low-emission and space efficient freight transport at the urban nodes level.
What are the expected results for freight and passenger flows at European level?
Michel Arnd: At city-regional level, Vital Nodes aims to improve the utilisation rate through smart planning and mitigate the negative consequence of increased traffic volumes, such as noise and air pollution. Vital Nodes draws on the experience of the proven NUVit approach with its six dimensions network, time, value, institution, spatial analysis and organisation. It adds tools such as research by design, mapping and more to form the Vital Nodes Toolbox.
In the first workshops in the pilot case Vienna, it developed a specific fingerprint of the case that will serve as blueprint for future cases.
What is the Vital Nodes network and how will the initia-tive be implemented?
Michel Arnd: Vital Nodes aims to be the glue between the stakeholders at the urban nodes, including networks and associations. It is less a network in the traditional sense and more an opportunity for different stakeholders to build up direct ties that ease cooperation in the future. Vital Nodes aims to deliver it’s Vital Nodes approach, which includes and analysis of the urban nodes and the stakeholder network. Thus, it encourages direct cooperation and knowledge exchange across the urban nodes.
Can you provide more information about the initiative’s financing and stakeholders’ involvement?
Michel Arnd: The project is funded by the EU under the Horizon 2020 Programme and will run for 24 months. The consortium is led by the Rijkswaterstaat and has ten partners including transport administrations, city networks, corridor organisations and project consultancies.
At the urban nodes, we invite every stakeholder that is concerned with the TEN to participate in the project. You will find more information on our website Vital Nodes
by Pamela Luica
This article was published in the March issue of the Railway PRO Magazine that analyses the latest and most important railway projects around the world.
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