Agenda item

Motion by Councillor Macinnes - Edinburgh Freight Conference

“Committee recognises:

1.1 Each city has freight issues of some kind, including Edinburgh. These include large and increased numbers of delivery vehicles contributing to congestion and difficulties on bus routes, pavement parking and associated expensive damage to physical infrastructure, road safety risks, particularly for vulnerable road users, and noise and air pollution.

1.2 The prime importance of reliable freight deliveries and loading to businesses of all sizes in Edinburgh and that there is evidence that the logistics industry is responding to changing expectations in cities. Many logistics operations have set their own climate impact reduction policies, and this is starting to be seen through the increased incidence of smaller electric vehicles or cargo bike deliveries in Edinburgh.

1.3 The previously published City Mobility Plan contains a clear reference to the strong support through public consultation for a reduction in freight vehicle trips and commits (through Policy Measure Movement 26 Managing Delivery and Servicing) to ‘Reduce the impact of delivery and servicing vehicles such as through access and timing restrictions, edge of town consolidation centres and local click and collect facilities while supporting deliveries by foot and bicycle.’

Committee therefore:

2.1 Calls on officers to commit to specific engagement with, and learning from, the logistics industry through the creation of a special conference covering key city delivery issues. This should include key representatives from main delivery companies, logistic experts both industry and academic, Council officers and other Edinburgh-related organisations. Its purpose should be to understand how best to reduce delivery vehicle kms and heavy vehicle usage inside the City, explore the proposition of consolidation centres with the logistics industry themselves and find appropriate ways forward that both support business operations and deliver key benefits for the city identifying specific Council actions to facilitate this progress.

2.2 The findings from this conference should be brought back to the Transport Committee with specific actions arising from those renewed and effective relationships with those who can help us shape this aspect of transport policy development.”