Considering the results obtained in the project, we can conclude that the U-TURN project contributes to better understanding the impact of food logistics in urban areas and provides qualitative and quantitative assessment of innovative, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly strategies in this context. Measurable outcomes and specific KPIs in each pilot by using real and simulated data from various markets across Europe and field studies reflect the impact of collaborative transport practices from the UK, the Italian and the Greek markets. Over the course of the project, results suggested significant improvements in distance travelled, vehicle emissions, and nuisance to society from logistics activities with collaboration in food transport.
Moreover, the U-TURN consortium has assimilated the novel knowledge from the three U-TURN pilots regarding users’ requirements for collaborative food distribution and have translated them into requirements for the U-TURN tools. Hence, a methodology for the comparative assessment of the collaborative logistics pooling schemes has been deployed and incorporated in the respective tool. In terms of simulation tools, the simulation model has been designed and developed according to the requirements of urban FMCG-related supply and has supported the evaluation of a to-be Urban Consolidation Centre in cases. Moreover, a generic smart matching framework for urban transportation markets where collaboration is of the essence has been designed and its properties have led to the development of a novel two-stage matching mechanism for collaborative urban transportation. Furthermore, the U-TURN platform has incorporated the stable matching logic and have been designed to support the implementation of vehicle sharing logistics models.
In terms of key achievements around U-TURN’s impact, the industry was engaged throughout the project with partners’ organising relevant engagement events in the UK, Italy, and Greece. U-TURN was widely participated by non-contractual partners throughout such stakeholder engagement activities underpinning the wide scope of its importance and impact. Such impact is also attributable to a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data collected in each pilot.
It is unusual to observe an immediate impact out of a research project while the project is still running; however, the U-TURN team was able to demonstrate its impact externally by two outcomes that are based on its findings:
1. E-cargo bikes case, which was designed and built around the conclusions obtained from Pilot 3 execution, which is a collaboration between Sainsbury’s and the newly-established company e-cargo bikes; delivering groceries purchased online to consumers’ homes using electric powered cargo bikes that can travel on lanes narrow enough to fit a bike and shorten the time to deliver the orders.
2. The UCC Presidential Decree in Greece was informed by the findings of the Pilot 1; showcasing U-TURN’s impact on policy making. The analyses made on the Urban Consolidation Centre scenario provided input to this presidential decree; immediately translating U-TURN outputs into policy support.
