A strategic variable fee for business-to-consumer carriers: A case study in Barcelona

Directive 2022/362 of the European Parliament and the Council offers fundamental guidelines that enable public administrations to implement road user charges, thereby internalizing the environmental costs associated with road transport. This directive also grants Member States a degree of flexibility to pursue their distinct strategies, making the analysis of various measures and their impact interesting for both cities and other stakeholders. Thus, this paper proposes a variable charge per hour for each stop made in the loading and unloading (L/U) zones by vehicles involved in direct delivery of products from businesses to consumers (B2C). The aim is to mitigate congestion and pollution during peak hours while reducing the movement of freight vehicles within the inner city. This charge functions as an economic policy tool to redirect inefficient B2C distribution towards sustainable distribution models, precisely in line with cities’ objectives. The proposed variable charge is evaluated for the cities of London, Milan, Stockholm, and New York, and compared with their current (or planned) pricing schemes. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of the variable charge’s application in the case of Barcelona is conducted. This analysis encompasses considerations not only related to urban congestion, transport, and environmental costs (CO₂, NO_x, and PM_2.5 emissions), but also the financial implications for the stakeholders involved in this activity. The results of the charge implementation indicate that the measure presented in this paper can reduce transportation costs, alleviate congestion, and lower CO₂ emissions.