London is changing, its population growing and employment opportunities increasing. London is the powerhouse of the UK economy, with a GDP of over £130 bn. It is also the only growing capital city in Europe. The Mayor's London Plan foresees a significant increase in population and employment within the Greater London Authority area by 2016. Over this period, demand for goods and services is also expected to rise by 10%. Freight and servicing is also a major employer in London. More than 6,400 freight companies are based in London, operating nearly 28,000 vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. In addition, London has more than 600 courier firms. Freight volumes and trip numbers will increase as a result and vehicle use and trip patterns will change arising from supply chain evolution. The reliable and efficient movement of freight is essential to sustaining London's growth - without it the city would grind to a halt. But while undeniably playing a major role ineconomic development, freight transport has environmental and societal impacts which the London Freight Plan sets out to address. Congestion, emissions, collisions involving personal injuries, noise, visual intrusion being some of the more significant detrimental freight impacts. Transport for London has set up a dedicated Freight Unit to develop and deliver the London Freight Plan. The Plan focuses on facilitating London's growth with reliable and sustainable freight operations enabled by correctly prioritised schemes to improve regulations and planning and promote the uptake of bestpractice. These initiatives will be developed by working closely with boroughs, businesses and operators to capture and analyse key data, enabling the right balance to be struck between economic and social/environmental impact. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135582.
Samenvatting