'RELATIVE SPEED' NOT 'TIME SAVINGS': A NEW INDICATOR FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

"Time savings" is found to be an unreliable indicator for urban transport as it is illusory and leads to costly transport systems due to car-dependence. Data from an extensive international comparison of cities show that the more cities invest in roads and the more they improve the average travel speed on their road system, the higher the car use they generate without any savings in travel time compared to transit-oriented cities. An alternative - 'relative speed of transit to traffic' - is shown to be more related to sustainability goals and to be more reflective of community values as it assists cities to control growth in car use. The data show that urban rail systems that are able to compete in speed terms with existing road traffic conditions are the key element in improving the ratio of transit to traffic speed and are also critical in developing a more cost-effective transport system overall. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD E200461.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0730724905
• Corporate Authors:

  WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

  441 MURRAY STREET
  PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA  Australia  6000
• Authors:
  • NEWMAN, P
  • Kenworthy, J
• Conference:
  • AUSTRALASIAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH FORUM (ATRF), 23RD, 1999, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, VOL 23, PART 1
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 425-40

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Average travel speed; Behavior; Conferences; Costs; Operating costs; Planning; Private transportation; Public transit; Railroad transportation; Transportation modes; Travel; Travel time; Trip length; Urban areas
• ITRD Terms: 5409: Average speed; 9001: Behaviour; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 698: Journey; 697: Journey time; 221: Operating costs; 143: Planning; 746: Private transport; 744: Public transport; 1173: Rail bound transport; 1145: Transport mode; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Finance; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00796363
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-7307-2490-5
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 2 2000 12:00AM