FREIGHT TRANSPORT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM

This article examines the concepts of 'sustainable development' and 'sustainable mobility', and considers what types of direct policy measures for road freight could effectively reduce the environmental damage that it causes. Cost benefit analysis could be modified to take account of sustainability by: (1) less emphasis on time savings; (2) more explicit valuation of environmental factors like noise and air pollution; and (3) use of construction cost estimates that include optimal environmental protection. Positive measures are needed to change modal split by heavy rail investment and improved rail services, but are unlikely to be sufficient. The following measures for road freight transport can reduce environmental damage: (1) optimal technical standards; (2) good maintenance programmes for vehicles in use; (3) more efficient market organisation; and (4) optimising vehicle sizes. In addition, more fundamental longer-term strategies should be examined, including the possibility of reducing the demand for goods transport by increasing its prices.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13527614
• Corporate Authors:

  MCB University Press Limited

  62 Toller Lane
  Bradford BD8 9BY, West Yorkshire,   England 
• Authors:
  • SHORT, J
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 7-17
• Serial:
  • World Transport Policy & Practice
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Eco-Logica Limited
  • ISSN: 1352-7614
  • Serial URL: http://worldtransportjournal.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Benefit cost analysis; Costs; Development; Environment; Freight transportation; Health; Investments; Loss and damage; Maintenance; Modal split; Noise; Optimization; Policy; Railroad transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Optimum
• ITRD Terms: 2452: Air pollution; 224: Cost; 226: Cost benefit analysis; 1614: Damage; 9013: Development; 2455: Environment; 741: Goods traffic; 2144: Health; 227: Investment; 3847: Maintenance; 675: Modal split; 2492: Noise; 173: Policy; 1173: Rail bound transport
• Subject Areas: Environment; Finance; Freight Transportation; Maintenance and Preservation; Policy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00716034
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 31 1996 12:00AM