2: Urban Freight Movements and Public-Private Partnerships

This paper reviews the increase in public-private partnerships (PPPs) in urban distribution in recent years. A discussion of various approaches to PPP is included, together with consideration of the forms that participation can take. The ways in which PPPs have been applied to urban distribution is considered, with detailed examination of several strategies and policies.

Public-private partnership (PPP) has become a popular concept in the public sector in many countries during the last decade. This has manifest itself in two forms: (i) particular projects in which the public and private sector have shared interests and objectives and where there is often an element of shared risk and reward, and (ii) initiatives between the public and private sector that involves information dissemination, communication, co-operation or joint working. The former (narrower) type of PPP helps to increase the amount of long-term private sector involvement in public sector businesses and projects that the public sector has responsibility for. The latter (broader) type of PPP is becoming more widespread and is favoured by government as it ensures stakeholder participation in policy decision-making, and thereby, it is hoped, results in greater success in the implementation of new initiatives.