Assessing knowledge and awareness of the sustainable urban freight transport among Swedish local authority policy planners

Abstract

Sustainable freight distribution is of growing interest for many local authorities in urban areas. Numerous policy measures on urban freight transport have been taken throughout Europe during the last decade. This paper presents the results of a study on the state of urban freight transport policies and planning among Swedish local authorities. Results are compared with existing research in the European context in order to find possible links between the freight transport awareness and the successes or failures of measures addressing urban freight transport issues. A questionnaire sent to all Swedish municipalities was combined with a literature study, to map the state of policy and planning within the freight transport as well as the knowledge and awareness of the area. The importance of adequate knowledge and personnel resources in municipalities as well as communication, information dissemination and knowledge exchange is discussed. The empirical data confirm the lack of coordination, sufficient resources and effective knowledge transfer among stakeholders in urban freight transport.