LIBERATING URBAN SPACE AS AN ELEMENT OF THE CITY LOGISTICS STRATEGY

Abstract

Abstract The article is devoted to considerations on liberating urban space for city inhabitants, particularly with reference to transforming non-public space into public space. To achieve this goal a city logistics policy has to be defined accordingly. Objectives of the policy in question are specified in the article. One of the prerequisites for success is attributed to shaping transportation behaviours and building a wide social consensus in the context of the policy objectives. Keywords: Public Space, private space, city logistics, city logistics policy. 1 Urban space dilemma Every city in this world is unique. There is no doubt about that. Each city has its own identity, its own unmistakable character, an individual spirit, and inhabitants with certain definite characteristics and behaviour patterns. If just one of these elements were missing or came to be replaced, the city would no longer be itself (Wulfhorst, Priester, and Miramontes, 2013, pp. 6). Space, people, noise, constructions, nature and congestion are only some elements that describe a contemporary city. For many years, a city has been defined to be “a densely populated area of permanent inhabitation where no food is produced”. This dogma is being questioned today. Since always, unique nature of a city has probably been characterised by population density and intensity of interactions. These factors are connected with space – both physical and spiritual. Space is of great importance for a city. A city by means of space makes its users to move. Space may seem to be mainly public, i.e. it belongs to everybody and nobody. However, in any city there is also private space. Private places are not freely accessible, and have controllers who limit access to or use of that space. Also: things that primarily concern individuals and not collectives, and things and places that are individually owned, including things that are cognitively ‘our own’, like our thoughts, goals, emotions, spirituality, preferences (Parkinson, 2012, pp.51-52). Nature of space is characterised by the way property rights are executed. A fundamental division into public and private space was developed by Oscar Newman, the author of the book entitled “Defensible Space” in the early seventies of the last century. Private space was supervised by people who