Analysis of trends in development of freight transport logistics using the example of Silesian Province (Poland) - A case study

Forecasts pertaining to urban freight transport and international freight transport in the European Union unanimously imply that, within at least the next thirty years, the main indicator of functionality and growth will be dynamic supply chains, as they are commonly referred to, where logistics centres supported by almost infinite possibilities of new e-technologies will play the most crucial part. Owing to industrial tradition and well-developed transport infrastructure, including primarily the most densely built network of high-class roads in the country and fast road connections with central Poland as well as neighboring countries, the territory of Silesian Province has become an important warehousing market of all-Polish and Central-Eastern European relevance. Identifying the trends observed in the development of freight transport logistics within the territory in question is the first step towards improvement of the current state of matters. It also provided grounds to perform one of tasks defined under the international S-mile project implemented within the framework of the ERANET Transport III "Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain" programme. This article is mainly an attempt to review results of the analyses undertaken in this scope, including those pertaining to the specificity of the existing infrastructure and the projected development of the logistic infrastructure in Silesian Province along with orientations of its development proposed in strategic documents of both national and regional level, such as the Silesian Province development strategy, development plans, concepts, forecasts as well as projects concerning transport and freight transport logistics. Some results of accessibility analysis of the logistics centres currently operating in Silesian Province have also been presented.