At the World Conference on Transport Research (WCTR 2026), held in Toulouse from 6-10 July 2026, the session “B4-TS06A – SIG B4: Urban Goods Movement – Microhub/UCC”, chaired by Joris Beckers, brought together researchers exploring how data, spatial analysis and modelling can support the planning and deployment of urban micro-hubs.
As cities seek to reduce congestion and emissions while accommodating growing e-commerce demand, micro-hubs are emerging as a key component of sustainable urban logistics. Yet one fundamental question remains: where should these facilities be located to maximize operational efficiency while fitting within the urban environment?
The session presented four complementary perspectives addressing this challenge.
From spatial planning to operational performance
Tiffany Nicoli presented a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) framework for identifying suitable nano-hub locations in the Brussels-Capital Region. The framework combines literature, policy objectives, stakeholder perspectives and spatial criteria using the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) and TOPSIS methodology, while validating candidate locations through a 15-minute cycling isochrone analysis. (....)