The Significance of the Urban Context for the Sustainability Performance of Intermodal Road-rail Transport

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the implications of the urban context for the sustainability performance of intermodal road-rail transport (IRRT). By calculating the external costs of a road transport and an intermodal alternative of consolidated cargo between a freight forwarder's consolidation terminals, the paper shows that the environmental benefits of a modal shift depend on the relative location of the intermodal terminal and shipper and receiver in the spatial structure. A careful integration of the intermodal terminal in the urban spatial structure is therefore a necessity if IRRT is to contribute to the sustainable development of the freight sector.