Abstracts: Vol. 6, No. 1, 2000
Abstracts Paul Tranter &
Peter Lonergan This paper examines sustainable transport in Liverpool,
in the context of broader changes in societal awareness and in Government
policy. After a brief discussion of the concept of sustainable transport and
the role of traffic reduction, the paper looks at chanes in national transport policy. It then focuses on
Liverpool, examining policies directed at sustainable transport and the
barriers to achieving this goal. It concludes with a discussion of the importance
of Government support and leadership on sustainable transport. Keywords: Liverpool, public
policy, sustainable transport, traffic reduction Peter Newman &
Jeff Kenworthy The myths about automobile dependence are analysed and
dismissed as no longer having the inevitability they once had. The myths relate
to wealth, climate, space, age, health and social problems, rural life styles,
the road lobby, land developers, traffic engineering and town planning praxis.
Only the tenth one seems to continue to have an inevitability due to entrenched
practices which should now be updated and replaced. Keywords: Automobile dependence,
cities, planning, development, engineering, myths, urbanism, traffic. Jörg Beckmann This article draws attention to how automobilisation as a
mobility paradigm is shaped by social agencies such as national automobile
owners associations. The author argues that by means of their reflexivity and
their distinct responses to the risks of automobilisation, these clubs
contribute to the reproduction of automobilisation. They do so, in that they
mediate between the omnipresent expert systems that are embedded in the car and
the individual lay user. Hence, these 'car custodians' enable what can be seen
as the 'auto-man' - a hybrid consisting of the car and its user. Keywords: Automobilisation,
breakdown & recovery services, cars, car clubs, members' magazines Edward Akinyemi &
Mark Zuidgeest The term 'sustainable transportation development' is a
combination of sustainable development and transportation. As a concept, it
involves the application of the sustainable development idea to transportation
systems. This paper deals with how the concept of sustainability is currently
used and how it should be used in the future engineering of transportation
systems. First, the current definitions of sustainable development are reviewed
and it is shown that there is a need for definition and criteria that can be
used by engineers for planning, design and operation of transportation systems.
Second, the current approaches of sustainability in transportation planning are
reviewed and discussed. Subsequently, it is proposed that the focus should be
on a sustainably developed transportation system, i.e. a system that meets the
people's needs, with the available or affordable environmental, financial and
social resources. Finally, it is shown that a sustainably developed
transportation problem is basically a mathematical problem. Keywords: Sustainable
development, transportation engineering, optimisation problem Pnina O. Plaut &
Deborah F. Shmueli In recent years 'sustainability' has become an important
issue in policy discussion and decision making, with regard to transportation.
Here the role of 'sustainability' and the forms of its incorporation into
transport policy is surveyed and compared for Israel, the Netherlands and the
U.K. In particular, comparisons are made and discussed across these countries
based on several factors, including existence of plans (strategic and
integrative), specific objectives and targets, institutional arrangements,
environmental impact assessment processes, implementation tools, and political
and public commitment and involvement. The comparisons highlight two major
tenets of the Israeli system that present obstacles to the establishment of
transportation and environmental linkages. The first involves the lack of
transparency in the planning process and the corresponding dearth of political
and public participation, consensus and commitment to plans. The second is the
existing institutional structure. Keywords: consensus,
environment, integrated, transport, land use, Israel, Netherlands, sustainable
transport, United Kingdom.
Making this journal available free of charge is a contribution to putting right one of these major flaws. We have been impressed (and occasionally depressed) by the many and sometimes urgent requests for copies of the journal from contacts in Eastern Europe, India or Africa who have no resources for purchasing information or journals and yet are at the sharp end of detecting and resolving the most intransigent of global transport problems. They also need high quality information that has been through a selection and editing process against a known set of criteria. We are now delighted that we can support our colleagues in Calcutta, Delhi, Harare, Bucharest and Bratislava without the imposition of a financial barrier to communication.
In recent weeks one of our editorial board (Eric Britton in Paris) has demonstrated very eloquently indeed the value of quality information. This value lies in the capacity to identify what is important and discard what is not, to make that information available speedily and to facilitate a process of development where the information itself becomes an agent of social change. Eric has performed all of these overlapping roles in the case of Bogota's car free day in February 2000. This one event will very soon be seen as a spark that ignited a movement. The information flows galvanised Bogota's leading thinkers on this subject by giving them confidence that success was certain for their endeavour. The social support networks that came with the information provided reassurance when it was needed and the success will now be self-propagating.
A car free day requires everyone to rethink basic assumptions and basic assumptions cannot be challenged or re-cast in an information vacuum. Eric's web site has information on car free issues (including Bogota) and also hosts this journal (www.ecoplan.org).
In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Swedish Geographer, Torsten Hagerstrand, (based at a delightful car free university campus in Lund) wrote about the way that the world was polarised into the mobility rich and mobility poor groups. This most basic of insights which still fails to inform the policies of social democratic governments everywhere has now reappeared in the world of information. Many of us have far too much information and can't even come anywhere near to coping with it whilst others have very little and are locked into unequal struggles with those who are building flyovers in Calcutta or getting rid of non-motorised vehicles in Indonesia. Information makes a powerful contribution to redressing a democratic deficit. We can learn from Hagerstrand's work and avoid information deficits in those parts of the world that need the information content and the social support networks that go with quality information.
Information also requires feedback. Is it the right kind, expressed in the right way for the right target audience? We need to know. Please let us know by contacting the editor directly on:
Ecologic@gn.apc.org
We have produced a large number of specific papers in the past. We have also produced "themed" volumes on sustainable freight, telematics and teleworking and car share. Geographical "theming" is also possible and we have special issues on Calcutta and Israel. We will add to this list and we need to identify the researchers and practitioners out there who also have high standards, a vision of what is possible and a strong commitment to work with citizens to make it happen. Feedback helps us to do this. Please help us to get the information content right.
John Whitelegg
Issue Contents
Traffic Reduction
versus Development Pressures: Sustainable Transport in Liverpool, United
KingdomThe Ten Myths of
Automobile Dependence'Moving Together' - On
Shaping AutomobilisationSustainable
Development & Transportation: Past Experiences and Future ChallengesSustainable Transport
- A Comparative Analysis of Israel, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
Editor
World Transport Policy and Practice
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Updated 29 August 2000