Les conditions d'intégration efficace des solutions logistiques durables du dernier kilomètre à Bruxelles

Abstract

Last-mile logistics is a complex part of urban logistics, particularly due to the growth of e-commerce, the fragmentation of flows, congestion and environmental challenges. The objective of this thesis is to identify the factors and characteristics that influence the integration of sustainable last-mile logistics solutions and to examine their application in the Brussels context.

First, a literature review was conducted to build an analytical framework structured around six factors: territory, goods and flows, infrastructure, external elements, economic factors, and public policies. This framework was then applied to Brussels using public data, institutional documents and interviews with field actors, notably Urbike and Bpost. Four solutions are studied: cargo bikes, electric vehicles, micro-hubs and parcel lockers.

The results show that Brussels generally provides a favourable context for more sustainable urban logistics, but that its influence varies depending on the solution and the characteristics studied. Density, congestion and certain restrictions notably strengthen the relevance of cargo bikes, while land availability, topography or certain implementation constraints may complicate the integration of other solutions. The analysis also shows that the importance of a characteristic does not necessarily depend on the influence exerted by the Brussels context.

Finally, the integration of a solution depends on the combination of several characteristics from different factors and on their compatibility with the operator’s organisation. The framework developed in this thesis can therefore serve as an analytical tool in other urban contexts.