THE WAY TO SUSTAINABLE MOBIITY - CUTTING THE EXTERNAL COSTS OF TRANSPORT - APRIL 2000

The social and economic aspects of the environmental impact of all transport modes are known as external environmental costs. These costs include costs of accidents and congestion and direct environmental costs including air pollution, climate change, and noise. Environmental protection is a top priority laid down in the Treaty establishing the EU. This booklet discusses how to reduce the external costs of transport in the EU, taking into account the findings of the recently completed study of these costs by the independent consultancies INFRAS and IWW. The study covered the 15 EU member states, Switzerland, and Norway, examined all modes, and distinguished between various transport functions. Its reference data were from 1995, and it contained an initial estimate for external transport costs in 2010, assuming no change in current policies. Its key finding is that the EU's external transport costs, other than those of congestion, were 530 billion Euro in 1995, 7.8% of the total GDP of the countries covered. Road modes account for 92% of this total and accidents for 29%. External transport costs will rise considerably if no new policies are applied. The booklet presents the key elements of an integrated transport policy designed to reduce environmental damage and costs. Reference is also made to the tools needed, and how to make European railway services more attractive.

• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  14 rue Jean Rey
  75015 Paris,   France 
• Publication Date: 2000

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 28 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Costs; Crashes; Economics; Greenhouse effect; Impact studies; Mobility; Noise; Policy; Research projects; Sociology; Sustainable development; Traffic congestion; Transportation modes; Transportation planning
• Identifier Terms: European Union
• Uncontrolled Terms: Integrated transportation systems; Outside
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 2452: Air pollution; 632: Congestion (traffic); 224: Cost; 255: Economics; 8303: EU; 2451: Greenhouse effect; 9112: Impact study; 1176: Integration (transport); 9105: Mobility (pers); 2492: Noise; 9058: Outside; 173: Policy; 8557: Research project; 2253: Sociology; 2427: Sustainability; 1145: Transport mode
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Finance; Policy; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00798083
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 8 2000 12:00AM