Movements of goods, freight and urban servicing, are essential to support communities’ demands for goods and services while also supporting attractive urban environments. The range of possible freight journeys is as varied as the goods and services we consume, from raw materials, containerised goods, construction materials and waste collection, to parcel and meal deliveries. This can generate significant freight movements with 24/7 operation.

The transport network can support the efficient movement of goods, freight and urban services in a way that is both efficient and inconspicuous through spatial separation where possible, as shown in Figure 14. Last-mile freight presence should be reduced in our main streets and civic spaces in favour of opportunities for loading and servicing to occur off-street or on laneways. Long-distance freight trips should be facilitated where needed with access to loading facilities or micro hubs from main roads, suitable turn radius and swept paths, and traffic calming treatments appropriate for the freight task and vehicle size.

Figure 14 Preferred freight and urban servicing routes should be identified from the outset and separated from priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors.

Allocate long-distance freight trips for large vehicles adjacent to main road corridors

As industrial land uses are strategically located adjacent to main roads (including motorways, see Principle 3), long-distance freight traffic using large freight vehicles should be allocated to these corridors. Where needed, temporal road user space allocations can be enforced during desired time windows to limit freight and service vehicle movements on high amenity places and corridors.

Establish appropriate freight and servicing vehicle access throughout the precinct

In high-density areas, buildings and precincts should have enough on-site, off-street capacity to accommodate the freight and servicing vehicle movements their demand generates – they should be self-sufficient where externality costs of shared unloading capacity are high. In low-density areas, a shared (usually kerbside) loading facility is generally sufficient.

Loading facilities and access points should be appropriately orientated to the relevant parts of the transport network. They should not rely on the centre’s street intersection with freight and private vehicle corridors.

Prioritise smaller, quieter and more sustainable freight and service vehicles in mixed-use and residential precincts

In mixed-use and residential precincts, last-mile and local freight and servicing activity is best served by smaller, quieter and often more sustainable modes such as electric vans, cargo bicycles and approved forms of micromobility as they pose less conflict with other road users.

These modes can be prioritised in the network by:

• providing micro hubs on the edge of local centres to enable last-mile freight, where suitable
• providing laneways to service a cluster of shops and businesses on main streets and civic spaces, where  suitable
• adopting suitable swept paths and lane widths; where large swept paths are required, use traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds (see Principle 8)
• providing cycling paths between local freight destinations such as micro hubs and other logistics centres, commercial centres and high-density residential neighbourhoods
• investing in technology that improves place making outcomes and movement efficiencies for last-mile freight.

• Freight and Servicing Last Mile Toolkit (TfNSW 2021)
• NSW Freight and Ports Plans 2018–2023 (TfNSW 2018)
• Guide to Road Design (Austroads 2021)