Governments worldwide are attempting to devise transport policies that balance the benefits of increased mobility and accessibility, brought by motorisation, with the pollution, congestion, and road accident costs that it imposes on the environment. The growing dependence on vehicles powered by internal combustion engines has emphasised the problems of automotive air pollution and excessive reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels. The developed countries' strategy of stabilising emissions, then gradually reducing them, needs to be modified in developing countries, by: (1) more focus on cost-effectiveness; (2) more reliance on demand management; and (3) a more comprehensive and preventive package of longer-term measures. Some elements of cost-effective strategies for developing countries are discussed. Although their current approach of seeking a `technological fix' is not sufficient, road pricing measures are not yet widely accepted, and more research is needed on appropriate forms of demand management. A cost-effective long-term strategy should emphasise preventive actions like better land-use planning and effective multimodal transport systems.
Abstract