Source: adapted from UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 1999.

Sustainable Transportation

The concept of sustainable transportation is intricately linked with the development of sustainable transport modes, infrastructures and logistics. Three major dimensions are considered for such a purpose:

• Environment. A reduction of the environmental impacts of transportation is a likely strategy for sustainability. Transportation significantly contributes to harmful emissions, noise and to climate changes. However, vehicles are becoming more environmentally efficient but they are more of them around, so it often evens out. An improvement of the land use impacts of transportation, especially the pressures infrastructures create, is also a strategic goal to achieve. The transportation system is also a generator of wastes (vehicles, parts, packaging, etc.) that must be reduced.
• Economy. Transportation is a factor of economic growth and development. A sustainable strategy would aim to efficiently use transportation for the purpose of growth and for the creation of jobs. Transportation should also have a fair pricing strategy, meaning that users are bearing the full costs (direct and indirect) of their usage of the transport system. A system where competition is fair and open is likely to promote the choice and efficiency of distribution systems. In a system where transport is a public or private monopoly, price distortions and misallocations of capital are created which on the long run are likely to render the system unsustainable.
• Society. Sustainable transportation should benefit the society. It should be safe, should not impair human health and should minimize disturbance on communities. Access and equity are also two important principles as transportation should promote the access to goods and services for as many people as possible.