Governance challenges for sustainable urban logistics: lessons from three Norwegian cities

Achieving more sustainable urban freight transport is a key challenge for cities, especially with the rise of diverse home delivery services. However, the governance of urban freight or urban logistics has typically been seen as the domain of the private sector, and this has left urban authorities unable to address the sustainability of urban freight in their work towards sustainable transport. In this paper we examine sustainable logistics as an urban governance challenge. In other words, what do sustainable urban logistics problems look like from the perspective of cities and urban-level governance actors? The empirical basis for the paper is a study of three Norwegian cities – Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger – currently working to integrate sustainable logistics into their governance processes and plans. These cities are currently piloting different solutions, sharing experiences, and attempting to establish regulation. Stavanger and Trondheim have spent several years working both within their administrations and with local actors to propose new solutions, whereas Bergen has only started such a process more recently. It appears that institutional barriers in urban logistics governance are preventing the implementation of long-term, inclusive strategies. We emphasise the need for clarified responsibilities in the public sector and for reconciliation between different road- users, including urban logistics actors.