New report shows benefits of improved urban transport efficiency

Policies that improve the energy efficiency of urban transport systems could help save as much as US$ 70 trillion in spending on vehicles, fuel and transportation infrastructure between now and 2050, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. The report, A Tale of Renewed Cities, draws on examples from more than thirty cities across the globe to show how to improve transport efficiency through better urban planning and travel demand management. Extra benefits include lower greenhouse-ga
July 12, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Policies that improve the energy efficiency of urban transport systems could help save as much as US$ 70 trillion in spending on vehicles, fuel and transportation infrastructure between now and 2050, according to a new report from the 4724 International Energy Agency.

The report, A Tale of Renewed Cities, draws on examples from more than thirty cities across the globe to show how to improve transport efficiency through better urban planning and travel demand management. Extra benefits include lower greenhouse-gas emissions and higher quality of life.

This report was supported by the 2001 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Shareholder Special Fund and includes input from EBRD experts and case studies based on the Bank’s work in the urban transport sector.

Among the three broad categories of policies recommended in the report are those that allow travel to be avoided, those that shift travel to more efficient modes, and those that improve the efficiency of vehicle and fuel technologies.

The report offers three case studies, Belgrade, Seoul and New York City, to show how those cities have already improved their transport systems.

A Tale of Renewed Cities sets out a path outlining the essential steps and milestones for policy development and implementation to transform cities by improving urban transport systems, with the necessary planning and actions for supporting development, financing, implementation and evaluation of policies to improve the energy efficiency of urban transport systems.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Parking provision dictates commuters’ modal choice
    March 16, 2016
    Researchers from two American Universities have found the provision of parking spaces can encourage automobile use and increase traffic congestion. It is well understood that increased automobile use is linked to congestion, environmental degradation and negative health and safety impacts. Trials of smart parking technology has shown a reduction in circulating traffic (looking for parking) can ease congestion and that the cost of parking can influence commuters’ modal choice. Now, researchers at the univers
    Read More
  • Columbia goes intermodal to support sustainability
    April 10, 2014
    David Crawford on the ups and downs of a Latin metropolis. Medellín, Colombia’s second city and a recognised leader in sustainable transport thinking, is rapidly extending its substantial existing investment in modern mobility. It is deploying both an enhanced integrated traffic management array and the country’s first intermodal public transportation management system. The supplier of both, under separate €9 million (US$12.3 million) contracts, is Spanish engineering company Indra, a major exporter
    Read More
  • Rapid progress with pure electric buses
    July 29, 2015
    China is where most of the hybrid and pure electric buses will be made and sold over the coming decade, as discussed in the report by IDTechEx Research, Electric Buses 2015-2025. Given the concentration of government support on long pure electric range from hybrids and the far simpler pure electric buses, the latter are proving very popular. Indeed articulated and double decker buses are available in pure electric form in China. According to the latest statistics from the Chinese bus industry, the total
    Read More
  • Vehicle manufacturers and local authorities seek satnav solutions
    December 5, 2013
    The increasing capability of satellite navigation is helping vehicle manufacturers and local authorities as well as individual drivers and fleets. In comparison to the physical ITS infrastructure in towns and cities and on motorways and highways, satellite navigation (satnav) systems have come a long way in a short time. Many (if not the majority) individual drivers and fleets use or have access to a satnav and now the vehicle manufacturers and even local authorities are beginning to utilise satnav derived
    Read More

Highlighted Content