first mile advises the city of Lahr on concept for city logistics

The city of Lahr/Black Forest has commissioned the Hamburg-based last-mile consulting firm first mile to develop a city logistics concept. The classic challenges of delivery traffic in city centers, such as the obstruction of other road users and pedestrians, are also present in Lahr. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport.

(Hamburg/Lahr) At the end of 2021, the Federal Ministry of Transport announced the funding of eight projects nationwide for urban logistics. Among them is a city logistics concept for Lahr, which aims to identify measures that enable positive changes in urban logistics regarding delivery processes and the vehicles used by delivery services. The city, with nearly 50,000 inhabitants, is located on the western edge of the Black Forest, about 38 km north of Freiburg, and currently hosts logistics centers at Lahr Airport from companies such as Amazon, DHL, Fiege, and Zalando.

Typical challenge for the city center

The Lahr project addresses delivery traffic in the city center as well as in the residential area of the southern core city. The city center of Lahr, especially in the pedestrian zones, highlights the typical traffic challenges of today’s supply chains on the last mile: non-compliant stopping and parking practices, obstructions to other road users and pedestrians, increasing emissions, and entries outside the delivery time window – in this case from 6 to 11 a.m. All of this leads to impairments and a decrease in the quality of stay. The concept from the experts, which will be available by the end of the year, aims to provide solutions here.

Support for urban logistics concepts

The total funding volume nationwide amounts to 1.1 million euros. Through the funding guideline “Urban Logistics,” the ministry has been supporting urban logistics concepts and feasibility studies as well as the establishment of logistical micro-depots since July 2019, from which fine distribution on the last mile can be carried out by cargo bike or similar means.

Photo: © first mile / Caption: On site in Lahr: Wolfgang Beecken (left) and Jan Gimbel from first mile