Urban Transport and the Environment

Abstract

There are many difficulties in assessing the importance of the environment in transport operations. Safety, visual intrusion and water pollution are often factors ignored in methods of evaluation of transport developments because they are too difficult to assess. The technology demand and financial aspects are normally assessed thoroughly, those less rigorously assessed are the environmental factors such as amenity, noise and air pollution. The author discusses the sort of changes that might need enforcement and what that might involve. Topics covered include air and noise pollution, safety and various methods of traffic restriction and restraint. The dorfler principle of traffic restriction is given as an example of the use of road closure. The use of bus lanes and legal restrictions are also discussed. Methods of traffic restraint examined include area licensing and road pricing. /TRRL/