Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/K76702/01
Title:	METRO-FREIGHT RESEARCH PROJECT
Principal Investigator:	Clarke, Mr M
Other Investigators:	Wright, Professor D
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Fry Daniel Logica Pre Nexus Migration WS Atkins
Department:	Centre for Logistics & Transportation
Organisation:	Cranfield University
Scheme:	LINK
Starts:	11 December 1995	Ends:	10 December 1997	Value (£):	106,052
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Urban & Land Management
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Retail
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
It is proposed that research is undertaken into a system for automated freight transport which would take advantage of advanced technology in order to reduce the adverse impact of freight transport on the environment and increase its efficiency and operational performance. The concept of such a system is being termed Metro-Freight.Metro-Freight has the potential to greatly improve the environmental performance of freight transport by reducing its contribution to: pollution; noise generation; visual intrusiveness; and land consumption. It also has the potential to allow for large direct savings in transport costs to be achieved through a reduction in labour and capital requirements; and for large increases in reliability, efficiency, and operational performance to be achieved through the exploitation of advanced communications and control technologies.The programme would aim to evaluate those technologies which could significantly affect the design and operation of Metro-Freight. An operational simulation model would be developed which would allow for a realistic operating environment to be dynamically simulated and for the performance of such an operation to be assessed. A strategic simulation would be developed which would allow for different operating strategies to be defined and for the cost and performance of each strategy to be assessed. The market for potential users of Metro-Freight and potential providers of Metro-Freight services would be assessed, and particular emphasis would be placed on evaluating the application o the technology to the transport of mail and other goods in central London.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.cranfield.ac.uk