The European Commission published a report addressing how freight operators access European cities under evolving urban mobility policies and how access regulations interact with the transition to low- and zero-emission fleets.
This report presents the work of the European Commission Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) Phase II subgroup on City Access for Businesses, with a focus on road freight transport.
Freight transport is a critical enabler of urban life. It underpins retail, e-commerce, hospitality, construction and maintenance services, yet it also generates externalities in terms of congestion, air and noise pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and safety risks. Cities are increasingly introducing Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs), including low- and zero-emission zones, congestion charging, urban tolls, limited traffic zones, time windows and weight-based vehicle limits, alongside parking and curbside management schemes and logistics-specific measures. These developments are framed by the New EU Urban Mobility Framework and the revised TEN-T Regulation, which place renewed emphasis on urban nodes and first- and last-mile connectivity.
Against this backdrop, the subgroup has collected input from a wide range of stakeholders, including cities, national authorities, industry associations, NGOs and logistics platforms, to identify:
• Key challenges for freight operators in accessing cities
• The effects of access restrictions on fleet transition and on sectors such as tourism and construction
• Approaches and good practices that help reconcile efficient freight access with wider societal and environmental objectives
The freight report shows that fragmented access rules, delivery time windows and permitting systems across cities can create significant complexity for logistics operators. It underlines the importance of predictable policies, structured dialogue between cities and operators, and adequate infrastructure to ensure that Europe’s transition to low-emission urban mobility remains practical and inclusive.
For the report, please see here.