The Hague has joined forces with Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht to reorganise parcel delivery in urban areas. Under a new agreement with major delivery companies and parcel point providers, the four largest Dutch cities aim to ensure that in the future more than 90 % of parcels are delivered via parcel points and lockers rather than to people’s homes. The shift is expected to significantly reduce the number of delivery trips in residential streets, improving road safety and cutting emissions.
Smarter parcel delivery
Across the four cities, more than 200,000 parcels are delivered every day. Currently, around 80% are brought directly to people’s homes. The continued growth of online shopping has led to thousands of delivery vans circulating daily, often navigating narrow streets and busy neighbourhoods. By consolidating deliveries at shared parcel points and lockers, the number of individual stops in residential areas can be substantially reduced. Fewer vehicle movements mean fewer kilometres driven, lower emissions and less pressure on public space.
The Hague is focusing on developing a dense network of parcel points and lockers within walking or cycling distance of residents. New locations will be strategically placed in public and private sites such as public transport interchanges, bicycle parking facilities, shops, community centres and sports venues, making it easy for people to collect a parcel. This approach aligns with the city’s broader urban mobility strategy, in which key functions are clustered around transport nodes to keep the city accessible and liveable.
Expanding shared parcel points
Under the agreement, delivery companies – including PostNL, DHL, DPD, Budbee, VintedGo, De Buren and ViaTim – will gradually move towards shared use of parcel points and lockers. At present, operators mainly rely on their own networks. By opening up locations to one another and jointly developing new sites, the overall number of accessible parcel points will increase, offering residents more convenient options nearby. The agreement has been facilitated in cooperation with the DMI ecosystem, a national partnership between government bodies and private sector organisations aimed at accelerating smart and sustainable mobility solutions.
In the coming period, the four cities and participating companies will work on the first new locations and develop a coordinated approach for each city. The ambition is that by 2028 every resident will have access to a parcel point or locker within a short distance.
*picture as header is created with the help of Ai
Read more
More parcel points, less traffic congestion
We order more parcels online, causing congestion and unsafe situations in neighborhoods. Amsterdam and other cities collaborate with delivery services to improve parcel delivery.
Sustainable initiatives
Events or organizations organizing sustainable projects for visitor and resident. Green and sustainable initiatives in The Hague.
The Hague opens lending desks to promote sharing and renting to reduce waste
The Hague invests €100,000 in AccessHubs to open lending desks so residents can borrow everyday items, reduce waste and support circularity.
