SAVING CITIES FROM SUFFOCATION. PUBLIC TRANSPORT VERSUS THE PRIVATE CAR

The use of the personal automobile causes traffic congestion in cities consuming more space per person per vehicle than would a public transport vehicle and is estimated to cause a loss of some 20 minutes or more due to traffic jams in Belgium. It also adds to the pollution of the air, yet its use is increasing despite these factors. The situation in the United States is cited showing how it is among those countries which provide a great deal of financial assistance to public transit, with little of this effecting better service, while at the same time granting many privileges to automobile users. While officials agree that they can not force people to use public transport, they do admit that they must work to improve transit services, making them more attractive to potential riders than the personal automobile. Issues confronting them include vandalism, high fares and poor service reliability.

• Corporate Authors:

  International Association of Public Transport (UITP)

  Rue Sainte Marie 6
  Brussels,   Belgium  BE-1080
• Publication Date: 1989-5

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 202-208
• Serial:
  • UITP REVUE

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Costs; Public transit; Quality of service; Reliability; Safety and security; Traffic congestion; Transportation planning; Transportation safety; Urban transportation
• Subject Areas: Finance; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00486581
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Vol. 38-2/89
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1989 12:00AM