GOODS MOVEMENT IN URBAN AREAS

Transportation studies carried out in the major towns and cities of New Zealand was intended to identify causes and locations of congestion, and also to propose remedial actions. Within peak hours goods vehicles comprise a relatively small proportion of all traffic while at other times they contribute substantially to traffic flow on urban streets. Although the services provided by goods vehicles are vital there has been little study of their specific requirements. Research described was undertaken for the purpose of evaluating the nature of goods vehicle movements, their origins, destinations, trip length, and relationship to land use types. Starting from a literature survey, the research included a review of the usefulness of data collected in urban transport studies, and which resulted in the concept of `functional chains'. This concept concentrates attention on goods which require to be moved from site to site in a similar manner to studies of public transport demand.