Transport Energy Descent Plan – Steve Melia. This Workshop: 1.Presentation 1: the Problem 2.Questions/Comments 3.Discussion: Forming a T.T. Transport.

Transport Energy Descent Plan – Steve Melia

This Workshop:

1.Presentation 1: the Problem2.Questions/Comments3.Discussion: Forming a T.T.

Transport Contact Group4.Presentation 2: Some

Solutions (Oxford example)5.Discussion in Groups

• A difficult problem for transition towns – limited scope for individual action

• The nature of the problem:

Transport & Transition Towns

Business Residential Transport Other

UK CO2 by END USER

2006 Source: www.defra.gov.uk

28.3%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1990 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006By End User. Source: www.defra.gov.uk

UK CO2 Trends (1990 =100)

Transport

Other Sectors

39.7%

26.4%

4.1%

21.9%

7.1%

Cars HGVs/LGVs Public Aviation* Ships

UK CO2 from Transport

Source: Carbon Pathways Analysis (DfT 2008)

*No allowance for radiative forcing

Aviation

• 1 flight to New York = average car use for 1 year(www.campaigncc.org)

• Long-term trends• The ‘Because I Deserve it’ problem

amongst ‘green’ middle classes

Passenger Travel (billions km)

0100200300400500600700800900

Cars & Vans

Others

Source: DfT Transport Trends 2007 www.dft.gov.uk

Why Technology Won’t Solve the Problem…

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Car Trips CO2

< 5 miles

> 10 miles

Longer Trips are Biggest Problem:

Source: Carbon Pathways Analysis (DfT 2008)

So Are Walking & Cycling Irrelevant?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Car Walk Bike Bus Rail

Distance Trips

To replace half current car mileagebuses would need 10 x increase

Source: TransportTrends (DfT 2007)

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Car Walk Bike Bus Rail

Distance Trips

► To reduce CO2 from transport we must reduce travel distances

Source: TransportTrends (DfT 2007)

What is the Most Significant Factor Associated with Car

Use?

Source:

The Car in British Society

(RAC Foundation 2009)

Avg Mileage per Person per Year

10,000

No Car 1 Car 2 Cars+

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

Other

Driver

Passenger

Source: Echenique & Homewood (2003)

Avg. Annual Miles/Person

1.Questions/ Comments on The Problem

2.What Might a Transport Contact Group for Transition Towns do?

Discussion:

• Report for Sustrans and Transition Town Oxford

• How to reduce car dependence, energy consumption, CO2 emissions

• Short and Longer-Terms

2) Some Solutions…

47%

13%1%

14%

23%

Car

Bus

Train

Cycling

Walking

Oxford Modal Share

(trip stages)

Source: Access to Oxford Survey (2008)

Problem: too many busesAir quality limits exceeded

Transform Oxford

Report Approach

1. Reduce convenience of the car2. Give advantage to other modes3. Improve conditions for walking

and cycling4. Tackle ‘the bus problem’5. Support lower car ownership

Filtered PermeabilitySeparates modes to give the advantage to cyclists & public transport

Groningen, pop. 180,000:

60% of trips by bicycle

‘coarse grain’ network of roads for cars

Groningen – ‘coarse grain’ network of roads for cars

Groningen – fine grain cycling network

Some Examples in Oxford Already

Magdalen Bridge –Close to general traffic

Conventional Wisdom in Britain:

Manual for Streets (DfT, 2007)

4.2.3 Connected or ‘permeable’ networks encourage walking and cycling….

This Statement is Misleading!

Solution to the Bus Problem

Trams in Pedestrianised Areas

Freiburg

• Strongly weighted towards buses• Up to 90% of bus-based schemes,

only 75% of tram/rail schemes• Is Oxford too small? (conurbation

pop. 174,000)

Government Policy

Mulhouse. Popn. 172,000. New Tram system 2006: €249m

New Generation Ultra Light Rail

Bristol (trial finished) Stourbridge (began March)

• Power on board• Cheaper than conventional trams

(See: www.ultralightrail.com)

• Intensification, particularly around city centres

• Transport serving new developments

• Carfree development

Planning Principles

• Traffic-free residential area• Designed around travel by other

modes (inc. car clubs)• Limited parking, separated from

residential area• 3 models across Europe:

Carfree Development

Vauban (Freiburg)

2,000 dwellings

• Vehicles walking pace pick up/deliver• No parking (some infractions)• Absolute priority for children playing

Stellwerk 60, Cologne: 400 dwellings. No vehicles on site

Groningen City Centre:

Popn. 16,500

Groningen City Centre

1 km

Princesshay, Exeter

• 120 apartments

• 23 parking places

• No vehicular access

Carfree Association for London:

Public Meetings in September

www.carfree.org.uk

www.stevemelia.co.uk

Click on:

Research Papers

1.How can your Transition Town reduce transport energy dependency in your town?

2.ONE STEP you intend to take

Group Discussion: