The Limits of Public Policy Intervention in Urban Logistics: Lessons from Vicenza (Italy)

Abstract

For over 15 years, the subject of urban logistics has preoccupied many stakeholders, including both private and public decision-makers. The purpose of this paper is to present a study of the limits of public policy regulations restricting vehicle access to limited traffic zones to promote the use of urban consolidation centres (UCCs). After examining the main technical and economic aspects of implementing an UCC, we present the case of Vicenza (Italy), which has implemented very restrictive regulations. We study the municipal regulations and their legal consequences, by analysing court rulings issued between 2006 and 2009, following a lawsuit brought by an association of freight transport carriers due to these restrictions. Although this case seems applicable to a specific context, we identify several lessons that can be extrapolated to other cities. Therefore, the lessons drawn for other urban areas in Europe are presented, and their advantages and possible transferability studied.

Notes

1 Here we refer to the definition of Ségalou et al. (2004), which includes all goods exchanges between all the establishments of an urban area, motorized shopping trips and home delivery B2C flows and all town management trips, including construction, maintenance, postal services and waste management.

2 In La Rochelle, few transport firms have their own logistics terminal. They are, therefore, relatively happy to take advantage of the UCC.

3 The ordinance creates time windows during which delivery vehicles are permitted to park on the street, but only for loading and unloading operations.

4 Decision 5102 on 28 December 1999.

5 The project was adopted in accordance with the general orientations established by the Transport Ministry in the “General Plan for Transport and Logistics”, and included in the "National Transport Plan" and the city plan.

6 This company was created by resolution 21, on 20 March 2003.

7 “Air carriers” are those who provide express services using air modes for package transport, such as DHL or FedEx.

8 Italian Association of International Air Express Carriers.

9 The arguments were presented per municipal ordinance, and their content is thus repetitive. In order to conserve space, we have decided to present them together in summary.

10 Shippers were also required to go through Veloce if they wished to ship merchandise out of the LTZ.

11 Italian Law 285 of the 30 April 1992.

12 Plurimis ex, sect. V, 4 March 2008; n. 824, sect. V, 11 December 2007; 6383, sect. V, 29 May 2006; no. 3259, pour. Plen. 6 February 1993, n. 3.

13 The state council also specified that placing restrictions on particular categories of vehicles rather than all vehicles does not constitute unjustified discrimination. Additionally, articles 16 and 41 of the Constitution (supported by AICAI) are not violated when measures are applied to a limited urban zone rather than to the entire national territory.

14 See Cons. St., Sec. V, 25 August 2008, n. 4080.

15 It declared nonetheless that it is not certain whether the use of small electric vehicles to make deliveries in Vicenza's historic centre will increase the total number of vehicles to 18.

16 CJEU Case No. C-320-03.

17 These figures were cited during a debate between experts and local officials at the Padua City Logistics Expo in 2007.

18 Statements made at the City Logistics Expo mentioned above.

19 The mayor of Padua estimates the total decrease in traffic thanks to the UCC at 1%. Statement at the City Logistics Conference cited above.

20 Statements made at the 2nd National City Logistics Association Meeting, Rome, May 2006 summarized in Gonzalez-Feliu (2008).