DfT Freight Logistics
Department for Transport - Freight Logistics
- Other specified
This research programme aims to support the implementation of the UK government's 'Strategy for Sustainable Distribution' by:
- stimulating academic research and industry uptake of logistics best practice to optimise UK supply chain performance;
- identifying ways to increase supply chain resilience, and;
- exploring future logistics scenarios to inform policy development.
Within the framework given above, outcomes from the research programme include:
(i) evidence based logistics policy development,
(ii) increased capacity in logistics research to drive industry innovation,
(iii) key performance indicators (KPIs) embedded in key industrial sectors, and
(iv) a value for money freight logistics research programme.
More detailed objectives and programme scope are given in the following section.
The organisation and policy context of the programme are indicated by its four sub-themes:
TransportEnergy Best Practice Programme: This programme is concerned with promoting energy efficient best practice within the freight industry as part of the UK government's commitment to improving the energy efficiency within the UK.
Sustainable Distribution: This programme is concerned with encouraging the implementation of logistics best practice by identifying ways to increase the resilience of supply networks and exploring future logistics scenarios to inform policy development.
Home Delivery Operations: The home delivery sector is experiencing unprecedented growth at the same time as more households are becoming single occupied and leisure activities outside the home are taking more of people's time. The Foresight report produced by the Retail Logistics Task Force in 2001 highlighted several important gaps in the current knowledge of the home delivery sector. The aim of this sub-programme is to commission new research in this field, dealing with issues such as operational efficiency and overall transport and environmental impacts of increasing home shopping. A pilot project for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the Home Delivery sector is described in the TransportEnergy BestPractice sub-programme.
TransportEnergy BestPractice – Freight Future Newsletter: A six monthly newsletter describing the current projects within the TransportEnergy BestPractice programme
- Public (national/regional/local)
Funding for DfT Freight Distribution and Logistics research is on-going and financed by the UK government. The research may be carried out directly by government agencies or commissioned to be carried out by contractors, both academic and non-academic. Some research is collaborative in nature.
Programme budget 2003-4: £3.54 million (= €3.97 million)
Examples of recent projects include:
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Home Delivery Operations
- The Container World Modelling Project - to simulate movement of ISO shipping containers onto the road and rail network
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the temperature controlled food distribution supply chain
- Truck Aerodynamic Styling
- Fuel Management Guide
- Alternative Delivery Solutions - Nottingham Trial
- Data Collection to Improve Understanding, Operational Efficiency and Policy Considerations of Home Delivery
- Data Collection to Improve Understanding, Operational Efficiency and Policy Considerations of Home Delivery
- Driver Development Training (FL0214)
- Efficiency of Reverse Logistics
- Freight Quality Partnerships
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the road leg of air cargo
- Key Performance Indicators for Non-Food Retail Distribution (BG 77)
- Road to Rail: Open Access Intermodal Gateway to the UK - TDG European Chemicals (GPCS 399)
- Supply Chain Resilience (FL0123)
- The Container World Modelling Project - to simulate movement of ISO shipping containers onto the road and rail network
- The Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving Standard (GPG 2100)
- Truck Aerodynamic Styling (GPG308)
- Wisemoves Modelling
- United Kingdom