Budapest pilot
General Information
Budapest, the capital of Hungary has approximately 1.7 million inhabitants and faces significant challenges related to the allocation and management of public space, particularly in the dense inner-city areas where freight deliveries, passenger transport and urban services compete for limited curbside space. Inefficient curbside use, irregular parking and the substantial growth of e-commerce deliveries have increased congestion and conflicts between different road users.
Within the GRETA project, Budapest pilot focused on improving curbside management to support more efficient urban logistics and better use of public space. The pilot was implemented in two locations:
- one in the inner city (District VIII) and
- another in a suburban district centre (District IV).
Both areas include mixed functions such as residential buildings, shops, restaurants, and services, and experience high demand for loading, parking, and short-term stopping. The interventions aimed to test innovative curbside functions and develop a systematic planning methodology for managing curbside space.
Problem Addressed and Implemented Solution
Budapest faces several challenges in urban logistics and curbside management. Public space along streets has traditionally been designed mainly for vehicle parking and traffic flow, without sufficient consideration for loading activities, deliveries, micromobility services, or new logistics demands generated by e-commerce. At the same time, the city lacked comprehensive data on freight operations and curbside usage, making it difficult to plan effective interventions.
To address these issues, the Budapest developed a Curbside Management Framework and a Function Assessment Methodology. This methodology provides a structured process for analysing current curbside functions, identifying conflicts and demand patterns, and redesigning the use of curb space according to local mobility and logistics needs.
The framework was tested through real-life pilot interventions in the two selected districts. Based on data collection, stakeholder consultations, and spatial analysis, several new curbside functions were introduced, including dedicated loading zones for freight deliveries, short-term parking bays for quick errands, waiting areas for food delivery cyclists, Kiss&Ride areas for passenger drop-off, organised locations for residential waste containers, and pedestrian and cycling priority zones. These measures aimed to optimise the use of limited curb space and support more sustainable and efficient urban logistics.
Results
The Budapest pilot successfully demonstrated the practical applicability of the curbside management methodology and provided valuable data on curbside usage and urban logistics behaviour. One of the main outcomes was the development of a unified planning tool that enables the systematic assessment, redesign, and management of curbside space in different urban contexts.
The pilot interventions also improved the organisation of public space by reallocating curbside areas from long-term parking to multifunctional uses supporting deliveries, micromobility, and short-term stops. Observations indicated that the introduction of short-term parking and dedicated delivery spaces helped reduce illegal parking and conflicts with pedestrians. Retail businesses benefited from improved accessibility and easier short-term parking opportunities near shops.
In addition pilot generated detailed data on loading activities, parking patterns, and micromobility movements, which will support future city logistics planning and the development of Budapest’s SUMP and Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan (SULP). The methodology is already contributing to the planning of the major Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút) renewal project, demonstrating its scalability and long-term strategic value.
Challenges and Key Lessons Learnt
One of the main challenges encountered during the pilot was the limited availability of reliable data on urban freight operations and curbside use. Extensive on-site observations, surveys, and stakeholder engagement were therefore necessary to build a reliable evidence base for planning interventions.
Another challenge concerned the need to balance competing interests for curbside space, including freight deliveries, passenger drop-off, parking, micromobility, and pedestrian needs. Addressing these conflicts required intensive collaboration between the municipality, district authorities, logistics operators, and local businesses.
Key lessons from the pilot highlight the importance of data-driven planning, stakeholder involvement, and flexible implementation approaches. Starting with small-scale pilot interventions they proved effective for testing new concepts and gaining public acceptance. The experience also confirmed that curbside management should be treated as a strategic urban planning issue rather than a purely operational matter.
Overall, the Budapest pilot demonstrated that well-designed curbside management can significantly improve the efficiency of urban logistics while simultaneously enhancing the liveability and functionality of public space.