The two dimensions
The network dimension relates to two scales:
Urban logistics
This includes urban vehicle access regulation schemes; low emission zones; congestion charging; off hour deliveries; logistics schemes for e-commerce; green and efficient urban logistics vehicles; use of IT (e.g. time windows, load factor, low emission zones, cargo bikes, urban consolidation centres); and
Long distance freight
This includes the main function of a node (freight, passengers transport), type of logistics (service/industry, freight function (throughput/transfer, first-/last-mile), complexity of logistics activities (e.g. level of Value Added Logistics (VAL)/Value Added Services (VAS) activities, size of freight flows), type of freight (long distance, share of container/bulk). More in general, the network dimension relates to transport modes’ seamless interconnections between infrastructures (at different levels; not only at the beginning and end of freight logistic chains but also in the intermediate connections, corridors for creating robust connectivity), optimising the use of existing infrastructures (traffic and mobility management, ITS; IT and data management), network analysis (multi-modal modelling) and improvement of network linkages ((re)development of infra links).