The understanding of urban logistics in European cities remains fragmented, with data inconsistencies arising from a lack of systematic methodologies and the reluctance of operators to share information in a highly competitive market. To address this issue, the European Commission commissioned a survey on urban logistics as part of the “Study on New Mobility Patterns in European Cities.” This initiative aimed to collect data and establish key economic, environmental, and operational indicators of goods distribution and logistics movements across EU cities. Conducted between April 2021 and February 2022, the survey covered 21 metropolitan areas in 12 EU Member States, plus the UK, and gathered input from 1,590 logistics operators.
Additionally, a comprehensive review of previous studies on urban logistics in the surveyed cities was conducted to provide methodological insights and quantitative references. This review helped validate the survey results by identifying discrepancies between newly collected data and statistics from past research. However, it also highlighted significant methodological variations, inconsistencies in indicator definitions, and challenges in data comparability.
The survey marks a significant step in establishing a reliable foundation for understanding urban logistics and benchmarking key indicators. Its findings can serve as a valuable reference for future data collection and analysis, supporting the development of sustainable urban logistics policies.