Sustainable last kilometre food and beverage delivery in Perth

Current planning frameworks and guidelines for Perth/Peel focus on freight movement between ports, primary industries and industrial areas, inadequately addressing last kilometre freight. The nature of last kilometre freight and the character of Perth/Peel is changing planning design guidance for last kilometre freight.

This project undertakes a robust and systematic approach to define the last kilometre freight challenges and opportunities in Perth/Peel, specifically focusing on the food and beverage (F&B) sector.

Last kilometre freight opportunities can offer more sustainable forms of freight than what is currently available. The challenges need to be well-defined to identify the most appropriate opportunity. It is also crucial to consider practical issues (e.g. parking issues), potential demand (e.g. locations and safety) and other wider street and land use issues (e.g. implications to land use, street environment and other street users).

Participants

• Main Roads Western Australia (in partnership with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage)
• University of Western Australia

Project background

In 2021, more than 80% of Australian households purchased something online, driving national year-on-year growth to 12.3%. Online accounted for 19.3% of total retail spend. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the speed of the transition to online shopping and the conveniences it brings, increasing the complexity of the supply chain.

In response to recent growth in online shopping, activity centres of Perth are likely to change their offering to include more experiential food and home delivery services. The policy setting for urban development is also evolving to promote precinct design, transit-oriented development and higher density living. This is likely to change the way last kilometre freight and home deliveries move around the city and create an opportunity to improve sustainability through land use planning and design of the built environment.

Project objectives

• Determine the last kilometre freight challenges in Greater Perth with a specific focus on the F&B sector;
• Identify opportunities to address the last kilometre freight challenges in Greater Perth with a specific focus on the F&B sector; and
• Explore policy implications and alignments of the identified challenges and strategies to the existing relevant planning policies and make recommendations on future actions.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!