Urban freight transportation poses problems for the local environment as for shippers and transport companies. Due to the high traffic densities in urban centres loss of time occurs very often, restrictions limit the weight and dimensions of vehicles and the often high number of people in city centres are annoyed by noise and smell. By using (partially) underground distribution systems, in theory these problems can be diminished. Some five realistic underground concepts can be defined of which some are used in practice and some are studied at present. Through problems in Dutch cities can be big, complete underground distribution systems are likely to be regarded as too expensive. It is possible that only underground links is possible that only underground links or underground end-distribution (delivery) will be brought underground in some specific cities. In cities like Tokyo and maybe London more complex underground systems are more probable. (A)
Abstract