Burden or opportunity for modal shift? - Embracing the urban dimension of intermodal road-rail transport

- Urban context of rail freight affects its environmental and economic performance.
- Framework to conceptualise links between urban planning and rail freight.
- Local policy measures can improve rail freight performance.
- Local authorities have a significant role in the promotion of rail freight.

Intermodal road-rail transport (IRRT) has a significant urban dimension, which affects the modal shift potential and the environmental benefits of rail freight. This paper explores the relevance of local policies for sustainable modal shift strategies by conceptualising the links between urban planning and rail freight. The presented framework identifies measures that local authorities can apply in order to increase the market and environmental improvement potential of IRRT. The results indicate that local urban transport planning has a significant role to play in the promotion of rail freight. Integrating rail freight into long-term urban development plans offers new possibilities for rail freight that are necessary in order to achieve a sustainable freight transport system in the face of ever-increasing road transport volumes.