Time, Cost and Co2 Effects of Rescheduling Freight Deliveries

Introduction Traffic congestion can significantly impair the efficiency and performance of logistics systems. As transport infrastructure reaches its capacity, ensuring a smooth, reliable and cost-effective road freight operation is one of the main challenges faced by logistics managers. Between 2004-5 and 2007-8 the total delay to all journeys in England increased by 8.1%, followed by a decline of 10.5% in 2008-9. Even though this gives an overall decline of 3.3% from the 2004-5 baseline year, it is likely to be a temporary result of a recent decrease in vehicle traffic caused by difficult economic situation. According to Department for Transport (2009), “2008 saw the first year on year fall in overall motor vehicle traffic (0.8 per cent) since the 1970s. This fall was probably due to a combination of higher fuel prices, which peaked in July, and the economic slowdown which turned into a recession during the second half of the year” (p.10). Once the economic situation improves again, the traffic volumes and associated congestion levels are likely to reverse back to their long-term upward trends. This view is consistent with an official forecast compiled by the UK Department for Transport. In the central scenario, congestion (measured as seconds lost per vehicle km relative to free flow speeds) across the English network is expected to increase by about 37% between 2003 and 2025. This represents an average increase in time spent travelling of 6% (4 seconds for each kilometre travelled) (Department for Transport, 2008a).