The City as a Terminal: The Urban Context of Logistics and Freight Transport

by Hesse,Markus

• ISBN13: 9780754609131
• ISBN10: 0754609138
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-11-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The on-time delivery of goods is regarded as a primary factor of the urban economy and is being monitored by businesses and government alike. However, much analysis of freight transportation and the flow of goods into, out of and within urban areas focuses on functional, business-related approaches.This book examines the interrelationship between logistics development on one hand and urban development and geographical issues, such as land use and location, on the other. Avoiding certain one-dimensional views on 'logistics impacts on the city', it discloses the complex interaction of the logistics system with the entire urban environment. It also bridges the gap between recent geographical research into new production systems and (post)modern consumption patterns.Illustrated with case studies from the United States, Germany, France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, it examines issues such as: the historical nexus between urban areas and logistics; current urban developments with regards to goods distribution; city-region related characteristics of freight flows; locational dynamics; and specific freight related urban problems and conflicts.In doing so, it argues that modern logistics are fundamentally shaping the function and the character of urban places, particularly since logistics networks are increasingly being established distant and independent from cities. These changes affect both the traditional role of the city as a centre of goods merchandising, which is becoming redesigned under the flag of globalized distribution regimes, as well as the urban structure, being shaped by rising preferences made by distributions firms for suburban and ex-urban locations. It concludes that, in future, electronic commerce and supply chains may lead to further changes that are likely to happen but hard to predict, at least in their physical impact.

Table of Contents

List of Figures
List of Maps
List of Tables
The City as a Terminal. Logistics and Freight Distribution in an Urban Context	p. 1
The City - From Market Place to Terminal	p. 13
Technocapitalism and Logistics Transformation	p. 31
Geographies of Distribution	p. 47
The Berlin-Brandenburg Case Study	p. 65
The Northern California Case Study	p. 109
Logistics and Freight Distribution from a Policy and Planning Perspective	p. 145
Stability and Change: Locational Dynamics of Logistics in an Urban Context	p. 167
References	p. 183
Index	p. 205
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

The on-time delivery of goods is regarded as a primary factor of the urban economy and is being monitored by businesses and government alike.