A clear dichotomy exists between an European economy centred on international trade and the environmental damage to which this focus gives rise. There is a need for a novel approach based on a shift away from the goal of ever-faster travel and ever-greater time savings, and the adoption of a different concept of accessibility. Will the 2000s see the emergence of a new way of thinking? These and other topical issues were the subject of the ECMT’s 15th International Symposium. Are we likely to see a decoupling of economic growth from transport growth? In designing future transport systems, will the pendulum swing away from the criterion of efficiency towards greater concern for equity and the environment? This book reproduces the 17 introductory reports presented at the Symposium, together with a summary of the discussions on the three main topics: scenarios and forecasts; transforming structures and trends in technology; peripherality and pan-European integration. It highlights the key ideas to emerge from the final Round Table on "Efficiency, Equity and the Environment in Transport: Experience and Prospects", reviews the issues facing the transport sector in the coming years and sets out policy recommendations for meeting the challenges of the 2000s. (A)
Abstract