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This article addresses certain issues related to the application of various cargo delivery systems that facilitate energy transition in cities and agglomerations. The main purpose of this article was to estimate the effects resulting from the application of a cargo delivery system that is an alternative to road transport within the area of the Szczecin agglomeration. The study applied the following research methods: literature review, mathematical computations, case study, and observation. The article estimated the volume of transport external costs' reduction resulting from shifting cargo deliveries from road to rail transport in said agglomeration, applying the EU methodology to specify the amounts of external costs generated by individual modes and means of transport. The completed studies have demonstrated that the application of a rail-based cargo delivery system in the Szczecin agglomeration would enable a considerable reduction in the external costs generated by transport, thus supporting energy transition in said area. The findings also make it possible to conclude that the proposed solution may bring some other effects, such as a reduction in the number of diesel-powered heavy goods vehicles, reduced road congestion, and the increased safety of residents, as well as supporting electromobility and low-emission mobility policies in cities and agglomerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main idea of this article is to identify the benefits of the full vehicle substitution process for a fully sustainable Urban Freight Transport (UFT) in economic, social, and environmental terms, based on the application of the experimental method. The scientific assumption was made that Electric Delivery Vehicles (EFV) can be complementary in the first stage, and only in the next stage, substitutable to the traditional diesel-powered fleet servicing transport (courier) tasks within the delivery limits in the Szczecin Agglomeration. To assess the level of substitutability, observational instruments were used, while ensuring an active modification of the studied phenomenon (introduction to the operation of selected routes of electric vehicles). The focus was on three key elements, the environment, rules, and regularities. The article presents the architecture of such experiments regarding 22 selected routes, which allowed for the calculation of selected performance indicators for ex-ante evaluation in planning delivery scenarios. The results were verified using a simulation-based approach in the Szczecin Metropolitan Area. As a result, it made it possible to find answers to the research questions posed, in particular: is it possible to fully replace combustion-engine vans with electric ones, and what integrated benefits can be identified, and their systematics has been illustrated in the proposed proprietary model "Electromobility Octagon Profit". Future research could extend the theoretical knowledge by further exploring the development processes for the use of electric vehicles in the urban freight transport system and by adding insights from other contexts, stakeholders, and theoretical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart and sustainable urban public transport is a considerable challenge for contemporary cities. Society's ever-increasing transport needs require the search for solutions to increase the attractiveness of public transport. In view of the above, the main objective of this article was to determine what effects can ensue from applying bi-directional trams in the context of the smart and sustainable city concept. To attain the said objective, the research process involved desk research as well as primary research using the Delphi method, a case study, and the participant observation method. The research area covered by the study was the city of Szczecin, Poland. The completed research made it possible to identify the limitations of tram systems and the effects of applying bi-directional trams in cities, as well as to develop some practical applications for the city in question. The research study showed that application of bi-directional trams may contribute to improved functionality of a tram system, which is particularly important from the perspective of the smart and sustainable city concept. The results of this research study have both theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues discussed in this article concern the basic assumptions for the sustainable development of public transport in cities. We discussed the need and direction of changes that occur in public transport that were referred to both users and transport organizers in cities. To this end, we characterized the activities which encourage urban residents to use forms of urban transport and the limitations of commuting via individual transport. The purpose of this article was to determine the main directions and areas of development of public transport in Szczecin. In addition, we also presented the solutions applied in the city transport system aimed at making it sustainable. In addition, an attempt was made to determine the impact of selected solutions on residents' transport behaviors. The survey research method was used to examine societal opinions and expectations regarding public transport. We also approximated the basic investments that have been implemented to make transport more sustainable and the activities for the development of electromobility. Future research directions on the sustainability of transport in the city, and especially on limiting vehicular traffic, were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of incorporating rail transport into an urban delivery system. Its main purpose was to identify the possibilities of utilising rail transport in a Zero-emission Urban Delivery System (ZUDS) by applying Light Freight Railway (LFR) electric trains. The study applied the following research methods: literature review, observation, case study, and mathematical computations. In order to estimate the volume of transport external costs reduction resulting from shifting urban deliveries from road to rail transport in the city of Szczecin, the EU methodology was applied to specify the amounts of external costs generated by individual modes and means of transport. The research study showed that application of LFR electric trains makes it possible to significantly reduce external costs generated by transport. Moreover, this solution may have an impact on developing Clean Transport Zones (CTZs) and may also contribute to expansion of the ZUDS. The research study results also provide grounds to conclude that application of the LFR system makes it possible to reduce negative effects generated by Urban Freight Transport (UFT) and to achieve a coherent zero-emission system for handling cargo and passenger flows in cities, which consequently contributes to achieving electromobility goals in transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on effects of implementing zero-emission buses in public transport fleets in urban areas in the context of electromobility assumptions. It fills the literature gap in the area of research on the impact of the energy mix of a given country on the issues raised in this article. The main purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse economic effects of implementing zero-emission buses in public transport in cities. The research area was the city of Szczecin, Poland. The research study was completed using the following research methods: literature review, document analysis (legal acts and internal documents), case study, ratio analysis, and comparative analysis of selected variants (investment variant and base variant). The conducted research study has shown that economic benefits resulting from implementing zero-emission buses in an urban transport fleet are limited by the current energy mix structure of the given country. An unfavourable energy mix may lead to increased emissions of SO2 and CO2 resulting from operation of this kind of vehicle. Therefore, achieving full effects in the field of electromobility in the given country depends on taking concurrent actions in order to diversify the power generation sources, and in particular on increasing the share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]