GERMANY: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, city transport operator VGF and retailer Amazon are testing the use of trams to deliver parcels from the outskirts to the city centre. This aims to reduce road traffic, noise and carbon emissions in the urban area.
The parcels are taken by electric vehicle from an Amazon distribution centre in Raunheim to the Stadion tram stop on the outskirts of Frankfurt. They are then transported by tram to the Zoo stop or Gutleut tram depot, for last-mile delivery by electric cargo bikes. Passengers are not carried on the tram at the same time as parcels.
The one-month, live operating trial began on September 6 as part of the LastMileTram project. Launched in 2018, this has included studies, simulations and analysis of the legal issues.
‘We hope to be able to establish the concept permanently in Frankfurt in the future and also implement it at other locations in order to significantly reduce road traffic in large cities’, said Prof Dr Kai-Oliver Schocke of Frankfurt UAS.
Separately, the LogIKTram research project in Karlsruhe has found that small volumes of goods could be handled using freight trams. However, another pilot project in Schwerin concluded that it was not viable to transport parcels in roll containers on trams.
