A guide to planning city logistics with cargobikes

A new guide equips readers with inspiration for moving cities towards cycle logistics cargo bike hubs. Though there’s nothing particularly new about cargo bikes, the world has seen a growing trend in using them for a plethora of different purposes, one of these being for deliveries around cities.

Their relative ease, affordability, and accessibility make them an increasingly popular choice for parcel services in big and small cities. With the help of research from the University of Magdeburg, this guide details the steps that can be taken to develop cycle logistics hubs, and what each stage of planning looks like. 

In the initial planning phase, stakeholders typically approach actors having identified a certain problem situation and a rough idea for solutions. Initiating actors generally include local authorities and municipal administrations, CEP services, cycle logistics companies, research institutions, and businesses. The involvement of municipal bodies is highly recommended throughout the development of the project, as local cooperation and political will help in streamlining the planning. Logistics providers, cycle logistics companies, research institutions, and businesses vary by city and must be evaluated and involved from the initial stages of planning. 

A concrete relationship between all actors involved must be established as soon as possible so as to ensure that positions are assumed and a comprehensive network is formed. In this initial stage of planning, it is also important for the network to decide the extent to which the public should be involved, and how this should be facilitated. To tie the operation together, contact persons should be appointed, most importantly on the municipal level. 

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