The author calls the attention of the importance to consider the behaviour of the drivers answering different impacts influencing the transport conditions – especially tolling and taxing measures, and infrastructure improvements. In the European Union the proportion of the road transport is huge and increasing, which makes the transport conditions moving towards an unsustainable situation. This is why there is a considerable need to decrease this proportion, and increase the rate of the use of public transport – as in Hungary other modes of transport (walking, bicycle, carpooling) are not likely to give a real alternative in the short run. This aim appears clearly in the mid term review of the White Paper regarding the Common Transport Policy. A strong endeavour is to be shown by the national transport policies and in practice, specific actions should be made to make public transport more attractive and enhance its use. However the decision makers should consider that these steps can be effective only if they are established by an extensive survey on the behaviour of car users depending on the change of the transport conditions. In Hungary, there have been some surveys about the above mentioned subject, which give the background of the presentation. First of all, it is important to show the results of the survey on the Hungarian national trends – comparing to some European data, if applicable. Next, the coherence between the frequency of individual and public transportation and different factors – especially economic ones – will be shown. In addition it is essential to speak about the factors that could make the public transport more attractive giving the potential travelers a real alternative way of transportation to facilitate sustainable mobility. In the summary the author emphasizes that though according to the surveys there is coherence between the frequency of car use and the economic factors, however this impact is not automatic. The proportion of public transport cannot be increased only by financial tools. They are only one part of the factors that may affect the rate of individual and public transport. Other, important quality factors should be taken into consideration, too. In case these measures are based on the needs of travelers and consider the aim of the European Union, the conclusion would be that it is possible to enhance the increase of public transportation by differentiated measures at least in the midtermrun. (Author/publisher)
Abstract