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Sustainable strategies for transport
April 1999
Should it be compulsory that advertisements for new cars spell out details of the vehicle's fuel economy?
Should regulations be introduced requiring employers to reduce the travel demands of their employees?
It is concepts like these which are being canvassed in a new report just published by ARRB Transport Research as part of Austroads' National Interest Service program. ¹
The report's author, ARRB's Perth-based Senior Research Scientist, Heidi Lansdell, has taken a detailed look at the concept of environmental justice and produced a shopping list of legislative initiatives to address justice issues as part of a sustainable strategy for transport.
"The pursuit of environmental justice is a blueprint for the future of a sustainable and equitable society in Australia," she told TransScan.
"Certainly the trend towards the endorsement of ESD (Ecological Sustainable Development) objectives and the recognition by road and transport authorities of environmental, social and equity issues in the context of major projects is a step in the right direction."
Ms Lansdell said it was clear that both within Australia and world-wide, environmental justice in the context of transport was reaching a "critical momentum." She said her research for the report had followed the development of the environmental justice concept in the United States, and its adoption by various international bodies including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
So far specific policies relating to environmental justice had not been openly debated and endorsed by Australian governments.
"But non-government agencies, such as the National Road Motorists Association (NRMA) in New South Wales, are continuing to promote environmental sustainability and social justice objectives in conjunction with transport equity and accessibility," she said.
Ms Lansdell believes that the concepts of environmental justice and transport sustainability could be supported through the development of a series of strategies, guidelines and criteria on personal travel.
These initiatives could include, in addition to widespread public education, a review of transport pricing mechanisms; reinforced marketing of transport demand management strategies; a higher commitment to public transport and other non-automobile modes to encourage and promote environmental, social justice and equity objectives," she said.
As a first step, Ms Lansdell would like to see government endorsement of Ecologically Sustainable Development.
With that done - plus a measure of public education - she believes it would be possible to introduce a long-term strategy for sustainable transport development - including:
- Fuel economy labelling for new cars;
- A rebate scheme for new cars based on fuel economy;
- Enforced speed limits, including the reduction of some existing limits to better improve average fuel economy;
- Regulations requiring companies to reduce the travel demand of their workers;
- Measure options for new road schemes by the levels of CO2 generated; and
- Use some of the money saved on road building to increase investment in public transport and other non-motorised transport.
"Its time for Australia to consider a new way of looking at transport and the environment," said Ms Lansdell. "A multi-dimensional, community-based holistic approach is what is needed right now."
¹ "Environmental Justice in Australian Transport: Fact or Fiction" by Heidi Lansdell, ARRB Transport Research, March 1999, price $Aus40. Email domm@arrb.org.au
