Carbon dioxide emissions have been linked to global warming; transport accounts for 28% of carbon dioxide discharges in the UK and is the only major source which is increasing in amount. Road transport is the principal cause of the UK not being on course to meet the Government's target to reduce such emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010.The increase in transport discharges in the past decade has been from goods vehicles; carbon dioxide pollution has kept pace with the amount of goods moved despite improvements in vehicle technology to reduce atmospheric pollution. Although carbon dioxide from cars has not increased, and from buses reduced despite increased travel, the use of vehicles is still wasteful in environmental as well as economic terms due to low loadings. Policies towards the amount of travel and changes to less polluting means of transport also have potential to secure reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. The effects of policies towards the locations of activities on transport demand are widely acknowledged; the reverse process-the effects of transport and travel policies on the locations of activities-has been neglected, with significant consequences for increased transport demand. (Author/publisher).
Samenvatting