Cost-effectiveness of measures for reducing the environmental impact from buses and official cars in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo¨

Abstract

Throughout the 1990s, Swedish towns and cities made considerable efforts to promote a shift to environmentally benign bus traffic and municipal vehicle fleets. This paper examines measures taken by the cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmoe, and, where public buses are concerned, the greater regions of these three cities. (This paper is based on some of the results of Kaageson 1999). The aim was to anayse to what extent the measures have been cost-effective and to identify how the local and regional authorities implicitly value reductions of carbon emissions from cars and buses. The analysis points to good profitability for particle filters and biogas buses and to a slight economic deficit for natural gas buses. Stockholm's investment in ethanol buses is seen to be socio-economically unprofitable. The training of bus drivers in gentle and economical driving has the highest profitability of all the measures studied. The commitment to alternative cars appears to be less successful. The cities in question have neglected the negative side-effects of the transition to new fuels, such as increased use of primary energy and excessive costs. Vehicle size and specific fuel consumption appear more important parameters for reducing carbon emissions than a shift to biofuels. (A)