The Intertemporal Issue of Low Hourly Occupancy of Loading/Unloading Parking Spaces in the City of Thessaloniki

As it becomes more and more difficult to find available space in urban areas, its usability must be optimum. Last mile delivery has been examined worldwide over the last few decades as one of the most (if not the most) crucial links in the supply chain. Commercial vehicles’ necessity for parking spaces to perform loading/unloading activities is constant and increasing. In the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, for the last 14 years, the existing parking spaces present low hourly occupancy as analyzed in the present chapter, revealing the significant margin toward the optimization of the local Urban Road Freight Transport (URFT) system, despite the policies adopted and implemented from time to time at the municipal level. The chapter presents in situ collected data revealing the low level of usage (low hourly occupancy) of these parking spaces as well as significant illegal parking by commercial vehicles during loading/unloading activities in the examined area. Illegally parked commercial vehicles perform as obstacles for other vehicles, creating bottlenecks and ultimately congestion phenomena. The issue of determining the locations of loading/unloading parking spaces for commercial vehicles should be thoroughly investigated through a holistic approach taking into consideration scientific data as well as the real needs of the URFT’s stakeholders. The goal of this holistic approach should be a strategic plan on how to maximize the usage of these parking spaces with the minimum requirement of public space. In this framework, the current chapter presents the key findings on the city of Thessaloniki as well as proposals on how to achieve the abovementioned goals, by regenerating urban environment through active mobility and specifically by applying permanent urban changes.