The potential for fuel savings from urban transport management (UTM) in the U.K.

Abstract

This paper provides the quantitative background to an assessment of the fuel consumption impacts of UTM measures given in Part 2 (published elsewhere in the next issue). The proportion of total U.K. road transport fuel consumption which is likely to be affected by such measures is estimated and the amount of travel by motorised modes is disaggregated by urban area size and by time of day—peak and off‐peak periods. Estimates of the additional consumption directly attributable to peak period congestion are obtained and the fuel savings achieveable through congestion easing measures are assessed. In the U.K. approximately 50 percent of total annual travel on all roads is undertaken in built‐up‐areas, with 43 percent of this urban travel taking place in towns and cities with more than 100.000 population. Around ten percent of the annual fuel consumed by road vehicles is used by passenger cars during the two 2‐hour peak periods of the day.