Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht have today, together with parcel carriers and providers of parcel points and parcel lockers, made agreements to better and more efficiently organize parcel delivery in cities. By ensuring a network of parcel points and lockers within walking and cycling distance, their use should become more attractive to consumers. If more consumers have their parcels delivered to a parcel point or locker, the number of trips in the cities can be significantly reduced. The covenant is signed by PostNL, DHL, DPD, Budbee, VintedGo, De Buren, and ViaTim and is made possible by the DMI ecosystem, a collaboration between the national government, provinces, cities, and the business community.
Due to the enormous growth of online orders, thousands of parcel vans drive through the cities daily. In the four major cities, more than 200,000 parcels are delivered daily by various delivery services, of which 80% are delivered to peoples homes. This can especially cause congestion and unsafe situations in narrow streets. With the covenant, cities and parcel companies choose a different approach: more parcels are delivered via shared parcel points, reducing the number of trips in residential streets and allowing carriers to save costs.
Where parcel carriers currently mainly use their own parcel points and lockers, the intention is that they will eventually use shared or each others locations. This will greatly increase the number of parcel locations within walking or cycling distance of residents. For new locations, both public and private locations are considered, such as public transport hubs, bicycle parking facilities, shops, community centers, or sports facilities.
“With this covenant, we are taking an important step towards safer and quieter streets,” says Eva Oosters (Alderman for Environment & Emission-Free Transport). “Residents want space, peace, and clean air. By working smartly with carriers, these ambitions come much closer.”
The coming period will focus on the first new locations and a joint approach per city. The goal is that by 2028 at the latest, every city resident can reach a parcel point or locker within a short distance. This will make parcel delivery cleaner, safer, and more efficient. The DMI ecosystem is working on further expanding the number of involved municipalities, including the G40 city network.
Help and Contact – Municipality of Utrecht
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