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1993 | Book

Introduction: Can a Billion Trips be Reduced to a Few Patterns? Read chapter Read first chapter

A Billion Trips a Day

Tradition and Transition in European Travel Patterns

Editors: Ilan Salomon, Piet Bovy, Jean-Pierre Orfeuil

Publisher: Springer Netherlands

Book Series : Transportation Research, Economics and Policy

Included in: Professional Book Archive

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About this book

A Billion Trips a Day: Tradition and Transition in European Travel Patterns consists of twenty-four original chapters developed by a network of transport professionals in a coordinated manner. The three parts of the book are: European Mobility Patterns; Dimensions of European Mobility, and National Perspectives. Mobility in fourteen countries is described and ten chapters of analysis compare the major dimensions of travel across Europe, which is seen as a laboratory for transport policies.
A Billion Trips a Day: Tradition and Transition in European Travel Patterns questions the uniqueness of European travel and transport policies and demonstrates that, in many ways, Europe is different from other developed economies. However, there are side dissimilarities within Europe. The authors take a deep look at the underlying factors which affect travel behavior, with the objective of providing the necessary information for policy making. The comparative chapters of Part II provide an analysis based on national perspectives of the role of the time dimension travel; automobile ownership and use; commuting; public transport; and international travel. They also review the transport policies applied in Europe, explaining why some policies work in some places, while failing in others.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter

European Mobility Patterns

Frontmatter
Chapter One. Introduction: Can a Billion Trips be Reduced to a Few Patterns?
Abstract
The 413 million Europeans generate roughly a billion trips a day. In doing so, they consume vast amounts of time, energy and money, produce tons of air pollution and a myriad of safety hazards. Nevertheless, as individuals and as societies, they are willing to do that, in order to get to work, shopping or leisure activities, and to support the productive and consumptive life-styles they lead.
Ilan Salomon, Piet Bovy, Jean-Pierre Orfeuil
Chapter Two. European Mobility is Different: A Global Perspective
Abstract
European travel patterns are different from those of the North-Americans and the Japanese. The main differences may be explained by geography (density and distribution of settlements), culture (Europe being in an intermediate position between the holistic approach of Japan and the individualistic culture of the American pioneers), and the domestic economic context (pricing policies, infrastructure investment) which in turn mirror the different cultures.
Jean-Pierre Orfeuil, Piet Bovy
Chapter Three. Europe: A Heterogenous ‘Single Market’
Abstract
What makes Europe unique in comparison to the United States of America and to Japan, is its diversity. Many different languages are spoken; many forms of spatial organizations (centralized and federated forms), different levels of economic development and different cultures.
Piet H. L. Bovy, Jean-Pierre Orfeuil, Dirk Zumkeller
Chapter Four. Travel Patterns of the Europeans in Everyday Life
Abstract
Further understanding of mobility can be gained by moving from the aggregate data at the national levels, as presented in previous chapters, towards observations of personal activities in a social context. Understanding mobility includes a wide diversity of topics, such as activities of social groups, competition between destinations and modes, time devoted to travel, distances travelled and more.
J. P. Orfeuil, Ilan Salomon

Dimensions of European Mobility

Frontmatter
Chapter Five. Taming the Peak: Time and Timing as Travel Moderators
Abstract
Traffic congestion problems result not only from a growing number of (car) trips, but also from the uneven distribution of trips in time and space.
Ilan Salomon, Mart Tacken
Chapter Six. Car — Increasing Ownership and Decreasing Use?
Abstract
Car ownership1 is increasing in almost every country. Since World War II it has been considered that motorization will have a certain saturation level. Determining this level has proven to be one of the most difficult research problems (Figure 6.1). For instance, in the U.S., where motorization started much earlier than in Europe, the ‘natural’ saturation levels have been passed repeatedly.
Wim Korver, Jeroen Klooster, Gijsbertus R. M. Jansen
Chapter Seven. Commuting: Home Sprawl, Job Sprawl, Traffic Jams
Abstract
Commuter1 travel constitutes roughly 20 to 25 per cent of the total mobility in industrialized societies. However, for a number of reasons the importance of commuting to total travel goes beyond its share.
Gijsbertus R. M. Jansen
Chapter Eight. Public Transport in Europe: Requiem or Revival?
Abstract
State and local government involvement in the fmancing and operation of public transport services is basically motivated by the objectives of economic efficiency, equity and environmental considerations. In large cities the first objective is often the dimensioning factor for the peak supply. The task is to compete with and supplement the private car mode in congested networks. Distributional equity is the reason for offering a more basic supply between peak periods and at weekends.
Eliahu Stern, Terje Tretvik
Chapter Nine. Travelling Across Europe: Going for Pleasure and Profit
Abstract
European airport and airways’ congestion, jammed motorways during holiday periods, overcrowded beaches along the Mediterranean coast and multi-lingual menus in resort restaurants, are just a few examples which demonstrate—better than any statistics—the impact of international travel in Europe today.
Francoise Potier, Ali Turel, Jean-Pierre Orfeuil
Chapter Ten. Transport Policy: The European Laboratory
Abstract
At the European Community level there is increasing pressure to harmonise transport policies among the member states, with consequential effects on travel both within and between countries. To date this has particularly affected the taxation of motor vehicles and fuels, and regulations on vehicle standards and driver hours for non-private vehicles. These pressures are likely to intensify, as a consequence of both commercial and political imperatives. However, at the present time, most decisions about transport policy issues affecting the movement of people within countries are still taken by the individual member states.
Peter Jones, Piet Bovy, Jean-Pierre Orfeuil, Ilan Salomon

National Perspectives

Frontmatter
Chapter Eleven. Austria: Something is Happening Between East and West
Abstract
Austria’s transportation system reflects its situation between the (former) east and west blocks. Changes in the political context relocate its position in Europe’s transportation system.
Gerd Sammer
Chapter Twelve. Belgium: Mobility in the Political Heart of Europe
Abstract
Within Western Europe Belgium always took an important place (Figure 12.1). Throughout history various people in power always competed with each other for the possession of this country.
Hilde Meersman, Eddy Van de Voorde
Chapter Thirteen. Finland: Mobility on Top of Europe
Abstract
Finland is one of the most northern countries in the world. Its neighbouring countries are Sweden, Norway and Russia. The Baltic sea separates Finland from the rest of Europe in the south and west (Figure 13.1).
Lassi Hilska, Veli-Pekka Kallberg
Chapter Fourteen. France: A Centralized Country in between Regional and European Development
Abstract
Located in the south-western part of western Europe, France belongs both to the Central Europe and the mediterranean world (Figure 14.1). It is the gateway to the Iberic peninsula and the Channel Tunnel will link it to U.K. France has traditional relations with the Maghreb area too.
Jean Pierre Orfeuil
Chapter Fifteen. Germany: A Review at the Verge of a New Era
Abstract
Germany, is undergoing serious changes as a result of the unification of FRG (Federal Republic of Germany) and fGDR (former German Democratic Republic) when this book is issued. Predictably, this Germany will remain a widely heterogenous country for years. This applies to socio-geographical, infrastructural and economic as well as to institutional matters. In view of this unusual situation it was difficult to come up with a clear concept for the chapter devoted to “transport in Germany.” Three options were available: i) To focus on the old FRG, presenting a historical exercise but allowing for comparisons with other West-European countries; ii) To focus the description of transport conditions on the new Germany. This would only be possible by the amalgamation of FRG and fGDR statistics which—as a matter of fact—are not only kept separately but are also incompatible; and iii) To do i) in a more limited way and supplement the findings by an additional section on some salient features of the fGDR.
Claus Heidemann, Uwe Kunert, Dirk Zumkeller
Chapter Sixteen. Greece: Growing Slow, Travelling Fast
Abstract
Greece is located at the South Eastern part of Europe covering a total area of 131, 990 sq. km., out of which 25, 504 is covered by more than 140 populated islands and more than 500 unpopulated ones. Its continental frontiers measure a length of 1, 170 km while the coast measures 15, 021 km (Figure 16.1).
Kostas Petrakis
Chapter Seventeen. Israel: Transport in a Small Turbulent “Island-State”
Abstract
Israel is a small state, even by European standards. With a total area of 21, 946 km2, it measures 420km from north to south and no more than 100km at its widest point from east to west. As a result of the continuing state of belligerency with all its neighbours (with the exception of Egypt), Israel is in effect an “island state” with very few connections to its neighbours.
Ilan Salomon, Eran Feitelson
Chapter Eighteen. Italy: A (Motorway) Bridge to the South
Abstract
The Italian population at the end of 1989 stood at 57.6 million, distributed over a land area of more than 301,000 km2. The Italian peninsula’s structure (Figure 18.1) has significantlyificantl influenced its transportation system. The long coastline (4, 321 km.) and the mountain ridge along the country, have affected the population distribution, as well as the use of maritime transport.
Giancarlo Del Sole, Massimo Pazienti
Chapter Nineteen. The Netherlands: Ground Transport Below Sea Level
Abstract
The Netherlands are situated at the mouth of the rivers Rhine, Maas and Schelde and border on the North Sea. The highest point (321 m) is in the extreme south-east and the lowest (6.70 m below sea level) near the city of Rotterdam. In total about a quarter of the land area is below sea level.
Wim Korver, Gijsbertus R. M. Jansen, Piet H. L. Bovy
Chapter Twenty. Norway: Crossing Fjords and Mountains
Abstract
Norway is situated in the northwestern corner of Europe, bordering Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Atlantic Ocean. The total land area is 386,958 km2, including two islands which contribute 63,080 km2. The straight line distance between the most southern and northern points on the mainland is 1,752 km. The length of the mainland coastline not including fjords and bays is 2,650 km; including fjords and bays the distance is 21,347 km. The width of the mainland varies between 6 and 430 km. (Figure 20.5). The travelling distances are extremely long due to the unique topography. For example, the distance from the Russian border to Oslo (2,537 km) is longer than the distance by car from Oslo to Rome (2,340 km). Only 3 % of the area is agricultural land, and 18% of the area is covered with productive forests.
Arild Hervik, Terje Tretvik, Liv Øvstedal
Chapter Twenty One. Sweden: Moving Towards a Safer Environment
Abstract
Sweden’s 8.5 million inhabitants share an area of 450,000 sqkm, which equals to roughly 21 inhabitants per sqkm [SCB, 1991]. This makes Sweden one of the more sparsely populated countries in Europe.
Krestin Westin
Chapter Twenty Two. Switzerland: Neutrality at the Centre of Europe?
Abstract
Switzerland is situated in the centre of Europe. It’s surface is 41,000 km2, of which around 60% are Alpine territory. The highest point lies 4634 m above sea-level, the lowest point 193 m above sea-level.
Rico Maggi, Massimo Filippini
Chapter Twenty Three. Turkey: Coping with High Transit Demands through Entrepreneurship
Abstract
Turkey is one of the largest countries in Europe with 774,815 km2 land area. The shape of the territory can be approximated to a rectangle, 1565 km long in the east-west direction and 650 km in the north-south direction (Figure 23.1).
Gokhan Mentes, Ali Turel, Turgay Gunal
Chapter Twenty Four. United Kingdom: Deregulated Transport in an Over-Regulated Continent
Abstract
The total population of the UK in 1988 was 57.1 million whilst its total area was 244100 km2. This gives a population density of 234 people per square kilometre, making the UK one of the most densely populated countries in Europe.
Sharon Cullinane
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
A Billion Trips a Day
Editors
Ilan Salomon
Piet Bovy
Jean-Pierre Orfeuil
Copyright Year
1993
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Electronic ISBN
978-94-015-8118-9
Print ISBN
978-90-481-4278-1
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8118-9