High Speed Rail and Sustainability

While transport systems bring enormous benefits to society providing access and mobility that are essential for modern societies and economic growth, transport activities have many undesirable external impacts as well, such as CO2 emissions, congestion, accidents, land use and many more. Simultaneously, the transport sector will face many challenges in the future such as urbanization, demographic development, and the scarcity of natural resources, as well as increases in energy and oil prices. Meanwhile, the increase in travel demand could lead to overcrowded airports, delayed flights and congested roads. Therefore, the urge to fight these challenges is pushing economies toward more efficient, and sustainable, solutions. Rail, and particularly High Speed Rail (HSR), is a vital means to meeting these challenges and contributing to sustainable mobility development. It is clearly shown in a background paper to this report that HSR is still more environmentally friendly, even when considering the construction of the tracks and rolling stock in a full life cycle perspective. Thus, compared to other transport infrastructure or transport modes, estimating the impacts during the full life cycle doesn’t change the low environmental impact of the HSR This publication is launched by UIC, the International Union of Railways, which is particularly interested in promoting sustainable mobility and transport and has issued a declaration to that effect.

• Record URL:
  https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/High-Speed-Rail-Sustainability-UIC-2011.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: www.uic.org
• Corporate Authors:

  Systra

  Paris,   France 

  Transport Research Laboratory

  Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride
  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom  RG40 3GA

  International Union of Railways

  14 rue Jean Rey
  75015 Paris,   France 
• Authors:
  • Jehanno, Aurélie
  • Palmer, Derek
  • James, Ceri
• Publication Date: 2011-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Bibliography; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 67p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Environmental impacts; High speed rail; Pollutants; Renewable energy sources; Sustainable development
• Geographic Terms: European Union countries
• Subject Areas: Environment; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01362863
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 16 2012 10:14AM