Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities
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A significant amount of urban freight research and initiatives have been undertaken in French cities.
In Paris, a series of regulations affecting access, loading and unloading are in place, many of them
based on different criteria such as weight or size and often different times. Additional schemes have
been implemented such as local logistic points known as “Espaces Logistiques de Proximité” (ELP).
These small spaces serve as a type of micro-consolidation point serving certain areas of the city. As
most ELPs are initiated by the private sector, the city assists the initiatives by renting logistics spaces
at lower prices (Browne et al, 2012).
Other initiatives in Paris involve night deliveries using clean vehicles and the creation of a Charter of
Good Practice for Transport and Goods Delivery in Paris which promotes regulations that respect the
priorities of both the private and public sector. Finally, an interesting example of shared space comes
from Paris. A site designed to operate as a site providing construction materials during certain times
and then as a public space for the rest of the day, offers high levels of accessibility to workers,
minimises the distances travelled for the deliveries and does not affect public space (Browne et al,
2012).