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Ekologis – a City Logistics Project
Published on 26 November 2018

Czech Republic
Praha
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Prague has a long-term issue with high concentrations of airborne pollutants. A significant proportion of city centre traffic comes from the vehicle fleets of logistics companies. The long-term goal of the Ekologis project is to reduce harmful emissions and to improve living conditions for everyone in Prague.
The project began with an awareness-raising campaign, talking to Prague transport and logistics businesses. A condition for their participation in the project was to sign a declaration, whereby each company would publicly commit to the principles of ecological and considerate driving.
The project is now entering its second phase, which aims to set up an Urban Consolidation Centre focused on small and medium sized operators downtown. The aim is to reduce van traffic in the overburdened city centre and to achieve a significant reduction in emissions by deploying more environmentally friendly vehicles.
The UCC will consolidate goods deliveries, using one or two electrically powered vans for onward distribution. The UCC is aiming to offer not only the consolidation of goods shipments and their deliveries, but also to provide a variety of other services, such as delivering or collecting items at agreed times, the storage and safekeeping of packages, price tagging, unpacking large consignments and repackaging them into smaller batches, taking care of waste disposal or of surplus materials, etc.
Ekologis stakeholders are Prague citizens, retailers, transport companies.
The project began with an awareness-raising campaign, talking to Prague transport and logistics businesses. A condition for their participation in the project was to sign a declaration, whereby each company would publicly commit to the principles of ecological and considerate driving.
The project is now entering its second phase, which aims to set up an Urban Consolidation Centre focused on small and medium sized operators downtown. The aim is to reduce van traffic in the overburdened city centre and to achieve a significant reduction in emissions by deploying more environmentally friendly vehicles.
The UCC will consolidate goods deliveries, using one or two electrically powered vans for onward distribution. The UCC is aiming to offer not only the consolidation of goods shipments and their deliveries, but also to provide a variety of other services, such as delivering or collecting items at agreed times, the storage and safekeeping of packages, price tagging, unpacking large consignments and repackaging them into smaller batches, taking care of waste disposal or of surplus materials, etc.
Ekologis stakeholders are Prague citizens, retailers, transport companies.
Expert opinion
The program Ekologis is an integrated strategy to communicate and to promote urban consolidation centres (UCCs) for logistics companies in Prague, Czech Republic. In the city of Prague, logistics vehicles contribute to a large part to traffic congestion and traffic emissions. In the first phase of the program Ekologis, a communication campaign was launched to raise awareness for logistics companies of their impact on the city. In the second phase of the program Ekologis, an urban consolidation centre was created. The urban consolidation centre provides a logistical hub in the city to further distribute goods with electric vehicles. The program’s objectives are to reduce traffic congestion, lower traffic emissions, and improve logistics. The good practice demonstrates the importance for integrated strategies that combine communication campaigns to change citizens' attitudes and concrete solutions for urban challenges as complex as urban logistics.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
In the first stage, communication campaign - 2 million CZK, in the next stage the feasibility study “Innovatively optimizing supplies to businesses in downtown Prague by using electric vehicles” - 2.3 million CZK, the pilot project of the Urban Consolidation Centre will cost 2 million CZK per year.
Evidence of success
Urban consolidation centres already operate in many European cities, while London or Paris have small delivery firm logistical centres. The Prague consolidation centre will reduce congestion in downtown Prague, streamline the number of deliveries to establishments in Prague 1, lower emissions by using electric vehicles, provide new business services and save up to 10% of store operators’ costs.
Potential for learning or transfer
City logistics is a challenge in many European cities. Ekologis project is a practice that can be easily transferred to any bigger city.
This practice contributes to more attractive inner city; it helps to reduce emissions, it helps to increase efficiency and productivity of logistics processes; last but not least, it ultimately leads to cost reduction for retailers, transport companies and shippers and so increases company profitability.
This practice contributes to more attractive inner city; it helps to reduce emissions, it helps to increase efficiency and productivity of logistics processes; last but not least, it ultimately leads to cost reduction for retailers, transport companies and shippers and so increases company profitability.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Prague City Hall, Transportation Development Department

Czech Republic
Praha
Contact
Transport Specialist