This regional report is the result of research done in seven countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), looking at the current situation of transport in this rapidly changing region. The report aims to assess the transport in context of the environment, as this region includes areas which have suffered some of the highest degradation in Europe and also contains some of the most ecologically valuable areas in the continent. In the last few years in the CEE region there has been a massive switch towards road transport. This is having wide ranging implications for the human and natural environment. It is evident from the data collected here that road transport is the most environmentally damaging means of transport yet its development is being pursued at the expense of the dense public transport network across the region. This Regional Report aims to highlight the consequences of such a shift in priorities which sees no change in direction in the foreseeable future. It is clear that to alleviate the damage for increased road transport something more needs to be done than just adding catalytic converters to cars or installing noise barriers along roadsides. If no change is carried out, the CEE region will continue to see rising levels of air pollution, noise and accidents, loss of biodiversity and severing of communities by new high speed infrastructure. This report is intended to work as a Blueprint towards Sustainable Transportation explaining why current changes in transportation in the CEE are unsustainable, unhealthy and undesirable, and providing information on the viable alternatives. (A)
Abstract