Centre for Transport and Logistics (CENTRAL)

Where world-leading researchers collaborate to provide cutting-edge solutions in the area of transport and logistics.

Airport

Welcome to the Centre for Transport and Logistics (CENTRAL), a research centre at Lancaster University Management School. We work with colleagues across the University and an international network of researchers and students on CENTRAL’s world-leading research portfolio.

Our work focuses on finding new, sustainable solutions to supply chain and transport and logistics problems for companies, organisations, NGOs and policymakers around the world. Our research centre is making significant contributions to improving the movement of people and goods globally.

Real-world problems are increasingly complex and challenging, so we are committed to an inter-disciplinary approach. The result is cutting-edge solutions that help organisations and societies to thrive. They include improving capacity and reducing delays at airports, increasing urban mobility through car-sharing, advancing urban goods distribution, and bettering community resilience and response to natural disasters.

We use predictive, descriptive and prescriptive analytics to improve the performance of transportation and logistical systems. Our approach provides huge opportunities for understanding and managing such systems.

Some of our research attracts funding from a range of public and private sources. Recently, this has included funding from the EU, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and private funding (from Rolls-Royce as part of the pioneering STOR-i doctoral training programme).

Our mission

We address problems in four areas: aviation and air transport; freight transport logistics; public and shared transport systems; and emergency response logistics.

We work closely with industry stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, policymakers, businesses and other academics, to provide insights and solutions that support critical decision-making.

LUMS building

Research themes

Current research projects

Current projects from the centre. You may also be interested in our completed projects.

  • RESPOND-OR

    Emergency response for large-scale disaster

  • SMARTS

    Improving maximum efficiency, to better serve air traffic demand.

  • UNCHAIN

    Boosting cooperation between public authorities and logistics stakeholders.

An aeroplane being loaded with freight

STIRAD

Coordination of Strategic and Tactical Interventions for Reducing Air Traffic Delays: A Case Study Based on Heathrow Airport (STIRAD)

The objectives of this project are:

  1. Develop a new model for airport slot allocation which combines a MILP model for minimising total schedule displacement with a stochastic, dynamic model for tactical aircraft sequencing, with modelling assumptions based on the situation at LHR.
  2. Implement an iterative solution algorithm and investigate the conditions required for the algorithm to converge to an optimal solution.
  3. Conduct an extensive computational study in order to evaluate and quantify the potential benefits of using this model, with a particular focus on expected reductions in air traffic delays and the resulting savings in CO2 emissions.

OPTRAK

This is a KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) funded project with the University of Nottingham, Optrak Distribution Software Limited and Lancaster University, entitled: "Developing and Implementing Novel and Advanced, Hyper-heuristics based Routing Technologies for Standard and Non-standard Haulage Markets". Optrak provides end-to-end vehicle routing and route optimisation software for transport managers and operational teams. The software saves Optrak's customers money, reduces their planning times, and improves customer service.

A key aspect of this project will be to transfer the latest science-based research in (meta/hyper-heuristic) optimisation to identify, implement and embed new technologies, practices and processes into the company for commercial delivery. This is a new and important role for Optrak, who are looking to enhance their Vehicle Routing Software for the logistics industry.

Team Members

Cambodia by night

CREST-OR

A programme run by Lancaster University, in partnership with universities in Kent and Southampton to support developing capacity in Operational Research for universities in Southeast Asia as they work towards the achievement of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Visit the project's dedicated website for more information

CREST-OR website

News

Discover the latest updates from the Centre

Events in the Centre

For our activities to date, please visit our events archive.

People in the Centre

Centre Director

Guglielmo Lulli

Professor Guglielmo Lulli

Professor in Network Analytics

Centre for Health Futures, Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK , DSI - Foundations, Optimisation

Research Centre Administrator

Teresa Aldren

Teresa Aldren

Research Enhancement and Centres Administrator

Centre for Consumption Insights, Centre for Family Business, Centre for Financial Econometrics, Asset Markets and Macroeconomic Policy, Centre for Health Futures, Centre for Marketing Analytics & Forecasting, Centre for Productivity and Innovation, Centre for Scholarship and Innovation in Management Education, Centre for Technological Futures , Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL)

+44 (0)7540 302028 WP D039, D - Floor, Management School

Members

Alp Arslan

Dr Alp Arslan

International Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

D29, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Burak Boyaci

Dr Burak Boyaci

Senior Lecturer in Management Science

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK , DSI - Foundations, Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Fundamentals, LIRA - Smart Cities and Mobility, Optimisation, Pentland Centre, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

+44 (0)1524 521900 D33, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Monika Buscher

Professor Monika Buscher

Professor Emertia

CeMoRe - Centre for Mobilities Research, Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities, Centre for Science Studies, Energy and Society, Evaluation, Imagination Lancaster, Institute for Social Futures Fellow, Mobilities.Lab, Security Lancaster, Security Lancaster (Policy, Law and Ethics), Security Lancaster (Sociology)

Thu Dang

Dr Thu Dang

Lecturer in Management Science

Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Fundamentals, Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

Nhu Quynh Do

Dr Nhu Quynh Do

International Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Centre for Productivity and Innovation, Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Pentland Centre, Supply Chain Management

Richard Eglese

Professor Richard Eglese

Emeritus Professor

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Health Systems, Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

A - Floor, Management School
Matthias Ehrgott

Professor Matthias Ehrgott

Emeritus Professor

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), DSI - Foundations, Health Systems, Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

+44 (0)1524 593888 A046, A - Floor, Management School
Jamie Fairbrother

Dr Jamie Fairbrother

Lecturer in Operational Research (Optimisation)

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

Kevin Glazebrook

Professor Kevin Glazebrook

Professor Emeritus

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), DSI - Foundations, Gulf One Lancaster Centre for Economic Research, Optimisation, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

+44 (0)1524 592697 A047, A - Floor, Management School
Yu Jiang

Dr Yu Jiang

International Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Management Science

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Fundamentals, LIRA - Smart Cities and Mobility, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

Stephen King

Stephen King

Partnership Development Manager

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Pentland Centre

Adam Letchford

Professor Adam Letchford

Head of Department, Professor of Analytics and Optimisation

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), DSI - Foundations, Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

+44 (0)7943 614510 D32, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Dong Li

Professor Dong Li

Professor of Operational Research, External Examiner

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Health Systems, Optimisation, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

D35, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Allahyar Montazeri

Dr Allahyar Montazeri

Senior Lecturer

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Science, Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics and Control

A039, A - Floor, Science and Technology
Lucy Morgan

Dr Lucy Morgan

Visiting Researcher

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), DSI - Foundations, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

Stefanos Mouzas

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Networks, Knowledge and Strategy

Keivan Navaie

Professor Keivan Navaie

Professor in Intelligent Networks

Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Security and Defence, LIRA - Smart Cities and Mobility, SCC (Communication Systems)

B24, B - Floor, Infolab
Luke Rhodes-Leader

Dr Luke Rhodes-Leader

Lecturer in Management Science

Centre for Health Futures, Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

D28, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Kostas Selviaridis

Centre for Health Futures, Centre for Productivity and Innovation, Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK , Health Systems, Pentland Centre, Security Lancaster, Supply Chain Management

D39, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Robert Shone

Dr Robert Shone

Lecturer in Operational Research

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation, Security Lancaster, Security Lancaster (Systems Security), Simulation and Stochastic Modelling, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

D36, D - Floor, Charles Carter Building
Sandra Zajac

Dr Sandra Zajac

Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in Business Analytics

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), LU Leipzig (LUMS)

Konstantinos Zografos

Professor Konstantinos Zografos

Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK , DSI - Foundations, Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Smart Cities and Mobility, Optimisation, STOR-i Centre for Doctoral Training

PhD Students

Ke Fang

Ke Fang

PhD student

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, LIRA - Fundamentals, Optimisation, Simulation and Stochastic Modelling

Yuhan Jiang

Yuhan Jiang

PhD student

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation

Theodoti Kerama

Theodoti Kerama

Research Associate, PhD student

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation

Jing Lyu

Jing Lyu

PhD student

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL), Optimisation

Davood Mohammadi

Davood Mohammadi

PhD student

Centre for Transport & Logistics (CENTRAL)

Visiting Research Fellows

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