Data Collection for Understanding Urban Goods Movement - Sustainable Urban Logistics: Concepts, Methods and Information Systems - page 69

Data Collection for Understanding Urban
Goods Movement

Comparison of Collection Methods and
Approaches in European Countries

Julian Allen, Christian Ambrosini, Michael Browne, Danièle Patier,
Jean-Louis Routhier and Allan Woodburn

Abstract This chapter addresses the topic of urban freight data collection. Survey
work was carried out with experts in eleven European countries to describe and
compare urban freight transport data collection efforts to better understand what
currently takes place and to identify examples of good practice. The extent of
urban freight data collection varies significantly between the European countries
surveyed. Much of the existing urban freight data comes from the disaggregation
of national survey results. The chapter identifies the most commonly identified
gaps in data collection, as well as the need for greater standardisation in data
collection methods and in analysis and reporting of this data.

collection European synthesis Surveys Urban

Keywords Data goods

movement

1 Introduction

Urban freight data is nowadays collected for a wide range of reasons (Browne
et al. 2007 ), often related to different objectives and stakeholders. For example,
local, regional and national governments finance projects and actions in the field of
urban logistics. In order to measure the performance and pertinence of those
projects, data needs to be collected, processed and analyzed. Moreover, to
investigate specific projects and initiatives and the interest of developing and
financing them, governments and other public authorities need also to collect data