Cities across Europe face mounting challenges caused by urban logistics including congestion, elevated emissions and inefficient use of loading and unloading zones. As part of EIT Urban Mobility’s Rapid Applications for Transport (RAPTOR) programme, Scottish startup Digiflec is optimising last mile deliveries by piloting a solution that will enable the Municipality of Trondheim in Norway, to have real-time loading zone monitoring capabilities.
Since its launch in 2021, RAPTOR has engaged 49 cities and startups, addressing challenges ranging from micro-mobility parking and active travel promotion to air quality monitoring and freight logistics. One of RAPTOR 2025’s selected projects involves Digiflec, a Dunfermline-based company specialising in LiDAR-powered urban monitoring systems. This collaboration between Trondheim and Digiflec for optimising last-mile deliveries is timely – coinciding with the 80th twinning anniversary of the cities.
Rising urban freight emissions
Urban logistics in cities continues to grow due to the rise in e-commerce and urbanisation. Urban freight makes up between 10-15% of vehicle equivalent miles of all traffic in cities and is responsible for 25% of urban transport related CO2 emissions and 30-50% of other transport related pollutants[1]. Delivery vehicles also often double-park or linger too long creating congestion at loading and unloading bays, causing knock-on effects for traffic, pedestrians and air quality. Additionally, inefficiencies in load factors, lead to an excess of delivery trips, elevated emissions, and increased congestion. Transport for London reporting shows the average load factor for vans in the city at approximately 38%[2]. Observations made in Trondheim, show fewer than 25% of delivery vehicles serve multiple recipients per trip. (....)