ABSTRACT
Many integration issues arise in freight transport and policy makers have an important role to play in overcoming problems concerned with integration. These include improving the integration of physical transport networks (and confl icts that occur on these networks between freight transport and other users); legal and social issues; standardization of handling units; issues concerning transport modes and vehicles (including using each mode to capitalize on its strengths and interoperability between modes); integration of the supply chain through physical distribution and logistics management; and joint working between the public and private sector. Section 2 of this chapter addresses each of these integration issues in turn. Section 3 considers the various types of policy interventions that can be made to improve the integration of freight transport. It also presents examples of major policy initiatives addressing freight transport integration at various geographical scales, including international level actions to improve the integration of physical transport
networks, national level actions to enhance the integration of physical distribution networks, and regional/local level action to enhance integration between the public and private sector in relation to freight. Section 4 provides some closing thoughts and conclusions.
