Making local transport sustainable Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive Campaign for Better Transport Making transport sustainable
Campaign for Better Transport • Charitable trust promoting sustainable transport • Support from wide range of interests • Co-ordinates environmental and other NGOs concerned with transport • Commissions and publishes research • Conducts public campaigns • Promotes pilot projects and good practice Making transport sustainable
Sustainable development Brundtland definition: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Three pillars: - Social - Environmental - Economic Making transport sustainable
In theory, sustainability is now central to transport policy… • Climate Change Act 2008 • Carbon reduction has equal billing with economic growth as a Department for Transport goal • Sustainable development is the purpose of the planning system • Low emission vehicle strategy • Funding for measures to reduce carbon, including electric vehicles and green bus fund • EU mandatory standards for cars and vans • Sustainable aviation group • Social and distributional assessment now part of transport appraisal Making transport sustainable
But challenges remain • Carbon reduction and sustainability generally is about technology, not related to travel behaviour or transport infrastructure decisions • Key transport decisions – for example on fares, pricing, infrastructure and funding – don’t take account of carbon reduction or other sustainability issues • Transport not joined up - to land use planning and other government decisions And at present in parts of Government short term economic growth trumps everything else Making transport sustainable
There are real constraints: carbon dependency can’t continue We will be living in a carbon constrained world not just because of policies to tackle climate change but because of: � Oil insecurity and policies to tackle this by reducing reliance on imported oil from politically unstable areas � Rising long term real oil prices with rising demand from emerging economies and peaking in oil supply Making transport sustainable
Peak oil Making transport sustainable
..transport is at risk.. Oil based transport will become: � Dearer generally � Subject to supply shocks from weather or politics � Fluctuating prices So the case for reducing fuel and carbon emissions is not just an environmental case but one for security and the economy too. Making transport sustainable
And there are other impacts • Noise • Air quality: still poor • Landscape and biodiversity • Road casualties • Health impacts from less physical activity • Community severance • Social exclusion Many of these result from car dependence – where car use is a necessity not a choice Making transport sustainable
Car dependence is a problem for… •Those with cars (who have to drive more) •Those without cars, who are excluded from society And it leaves us all vulnerable to peak oil Car dependency scorecard shows that towns and cities vary enormously Making transport sustainable
..so past transport trends can’t continue � Trip lengthening (and all that goes with it) � Car-based development � Mode switch to car/lorry/air Transport planning based on past trends continuing does not respect these limits And the evidence is that travel patterns are changing Making transport sustainable
Risks from incorrect traffic forecasts R2N Conf 2012
Will technology overcome all problems? Technology will help but isn’t the whole answer: • Biofuels can create more problems than they solve • Being really optimistic you might get 10% of new cars sold to be electric by 2020, and recession makes this harder to deliver • EVs raise issues of sourcing of electricity demand – low carbon electricity? How much extra demand? Peaks and troughs? Realistically, you might get 25% extra fuel economy by 2020 Making transport sustainable
What does this mean in practice? Measures to help people and businesses change travel behaviour, including working with the main travel generators Better public transport, promotion of walking and cycling Parking policies Link transport and planning: locate development next to public transport, accessibility planning Smart transport infrastructure Making transport sustainable
Business has to play its part CO2 emissions from passenger surface transport modes Other 8% ������������������ Holiday ������� Work 7% 28% Recreation Employer's 24% business 10% Education 3% Personal business 20% 'Surface transport modes' include household cars, buses, coaches, surface rail, underground, light rail, taxis Making transport sustainable
Car use can be reduced: Sustainable Travel Towns 2004-8 (trips) Car use (trips) -11% Darlington Public transport (trips) -13% Cycling +89-113 % Walking +11-13% Car use -11% Worcester Public transport + 27% Cycling + 11-23% Walking +9-14% Car use -12% Peterborough Public transport + 40% Cycling +10-17% Walking +9-14% Making transport sustainable
Walking and cycling 60% of car journeys are under 5 miles, so encouraging walking and cycling could make a difference. This means •Safe routes •Signing •Cycle parking •Street design (e.g. advanced stop lines at lights) •Speed management where people live Making transport sustainable
Door to door public transport • Information : needs to be high quality, accurate, real time and easily available •Network-wide ticketing / smartcards •Guaranteed connections •Marketing: “metro” maps, branding etc •Personal security: CCTV, policing priority •Good interchanges and access to stops/stations •End to end bus priority Above all treat public transport as a priority network that decision-makers and car users might want to use (and by the way, competition law can’t stop this) Making transport sustainable
Network St Albans • An area wide voluntary partnership, with 5 bus operators, 2 train operators, district and county council • Network map • More frequent services • New buses • Multi-operator (BUSnet) ticket • Real time information • Better bus stops Early results: increased revenue of 20% year on year Making transport sustainable
Working groups Making transport sustainable
BUSnet ticket Making transport sustainable
Making transport sustainable
Opportunities – or threats • More powers for local authorities and LEPs on rail and spending – but funding cuts for buses etc may work against this • New funding streams – workplace parking levy, supplementary business rates, developer funding And we are promoting tax benefits for commuting by public transport Making transport sustainable
Public transport oriented development Link public transport and new development Joint rail/development projects Use developments to fund rail investment Develop rail stations as gateways/hubs Create town-wide transport partnerships “New stations” competition announced in July Making transport sustainable
Conclusion � Transport needs to promote “smart growth”, not “no growth” or “dumb growth” � Sustainability is not just about carbon reduction: other issues are important too � Sustainable transport will need a focus on behaviour change as well as technology – and travel behaviour can change � There are examples of business and council initiatives that can offer good alternatives � Challenge is to make transport decisions and funding support rather than undermine sustainable travel Making transport sustainable
Different routes to prosperity Vienna: car use has fallen from 40% - 36%, 30% of journeys are now on foot or bike, 34% public transport Los Angeles: 90% car, 10% rest Making transport sustainable
For more information Campaign for Better Transport www.bettertransport.org.uk stephen.joseph@bettertransport.org.uk 020 7566 6480 Making transport sustainable
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