The spatial, environmental, economic, and social impacts of speed in transport

Antonia Coffey, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien

Abstract

Speed and technical progress are still fascinating many people. Fast modes of transport enable people to travel greater distances and give them the illusion of greater freedom and more choice in the way of life.

Also many politicians claim that the building of major roads (and thus the increase of the speed of travelling) brings about more jobs and more general welfare.

I will try to show that on the contrary speed in transport, be it on road or on rail, is not only responsible for environmental damages but also for disruptions of social and economic structures, both in the cities and in rural regions and is increasing existing social and spatial inequalities.

There is a strong interrelationship between planning measures and the increase of traffic and often planning is getting under pressure by transport projects designed for highest possible speed e.g. because of rising land prices.

I am convinced that the only chance to meet the mobility needs of socially less advantaged and to contribute to improving the quality of life for everybody is by reducing speed. In the cities this means speed limits for car traffic and giving priority to the slow modes of transport (walking and cycling) and to public transport.

Also in public transport it would be better to invest in a very dense extensive tram network on the surface rather than in some prestigious projects of underground lines that are very fast but expensive and therefore limited to a few corridors.