The transportation of merchandise via highway in countries of the European Conference of Transportation Ministers has grown significantly over the last few years, meaning that currently the domestic transportation of merchandise is mostly done with trucks. However, this situation of prevalence should not mask the serious problems experienced by the sector that affect the sector per se and the community as a whole with their external effects as highlighted under the first heading of this presentation. As a partial solution to these problems, various infrastructures that support the highway transportation of merchandise have surfaced in several European countries. One such infrastructure support that deserves to be mentioned because of its complexity and multifunctionality is the C.I.M. or Centros Integrados de Mercanc1 as (Integrated merchandise centres), whose definition, objective and functions are examined under the second heading. Heading number three summarizes all the effects of the C.I.M., which, besides their influence on the transportation system by way of its users, also affects the socio-economic, urban-territorial, and environmental systems. The relationship between the C.I.M. and their potential users, given the possible advantages that the C.I.M. may offer each group of users, and given the conditions that must be met to maximize these advantages, are under study under heading four. Finally, heading five concludes and underscores the merit of such support infrastructures for the transportation of merchandise, and the C.I.M. in particular, both for direct and indirect users as well as the community in general. This interest justifies and implies that help provided by public authorities to conceive, design, build and develop these centres should keep growing. (A)
Abstract