Addressing the challenges of heavy vehicles in Gouda
Large and heavy vehicles cause inconvenience in Gouda's city centre. In response, the municipality is investigating whether these vehicles can be prohibited from entering the area. Furthermore, to achieve sustainable urban logistics, Gouda committed to a zero-emission zone for urban logistics in 2021, providing sufficient reason to update the 2009 policy for large and heavy vehicles.
Mobility and Traffic Circulation Plan Gouda
The foundation for this updated policy is the Mobility and Traffic Circulation Plan, which Gouda developed in 2021 with the expertise of our mobility specialists. This plan focuses on creating a liveable, accessible, and traffic-safe city. Building on these ambitions, we established new frameworks for large and heavy vehicles (defined as vehicles longer than 6 meters and weighing over 3,500 kg, typically associated with economic activities).
The role of public participation
To draft the updated policy, we initiated a participatory process with the municipality. This included a location-based survey targeting residents, employees, employers, and other stakeholders, as well as interactive workshops with entrepreneurs, interest groups, shippers, transport operators, city centre managers, and policy officials. This approach allowed us to identify key issues and validate potential measures.
From challenges to solutions
The policy identifies challenges related to the impact of large and heavy vehicles, such as vibration disturbances caused by Gouda’s soft soil and poorly founded buildings. Other challenges include traffic safety and the accessibility of business parks and the city centre.
Bottlenecks caused by the nuisance of large and heavy vehicles in the city center of Gouda
Measures for Improvement
To address these challenges, we proposed measures across three categories:
- Smart Solutions: Implementing technology, such as integrating with Connected Transport Corridors (a collaboration for improving logistics accessibility, safety, and sustainability) and providing clear communication about freight routes.
- Physical Measures: Redesigning roads to enhance safety and optimise routes, strengthening key freight routes, and establishing logistics hubs.
- Regulations and Agreements: Coordinated weight restrictions, issuing permits, defining alternative routes, and conducting vibration studies.
Main routes for logistical traffic in Gouda
Impact of Zero-Emission Urban Logistics on waste collection
The introduction of a weight and length restriction, combined with a zero-emission logistics zone, affects specific logistics flows, such as those for markets, emergency services, and waste collection. For example, new measures require a reorganisation of waste collection processes in the city centre, impacting both the collection company and the way residents dispose of their waste. While these changes present challenges, they also offer opportunities to better utilise urban space.
Together with the municipality and the waste collector, we developed various waste collection scenarios, ranging from weight and length restrictions to waste transport via waterways. We assessed the scenarios' effects—including required investments, technical feasibility, quality of life, and public space needs—for three key stakeholders:
- The waste collector;
- City centre residents;
- The municipality of Gouda.
Our findings showed that stricter collection policies improved residents' quality of life but posed greater technical and financial challenges for the municipality and waste collector. Collaboration among all stakeholders is essential to overcome these hurdles.
Improved quality of life in Gouda
The Sustainable Urban Development Plan has since been adopted. Its implementation will enhance the quality of life in Gouda’s city centre, prioritise zero-emission deliveries, and establish clear routes for large and heavy vehicles in its functional urban area. Simultaneously, the mobility plan of the inner city of Gouda, which we developed in collaboration with the municipality, has also been approved.
Client: Municipality of Gouda
Year: 2022–2023
