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Tackling Congestion by Influencing Travel Behaviour

Did you know?/How you can help

1) Did you know? - general

We look after all-purpose trunk roads and most motorways. In 2002, our network made up around 2.4% of the total road length in England but carried around 35% of car journeys and 66% of heavy goods vehicle journeys.

Traffic is expected to grow by about 40% by 2025. By 2035, there could be nearly three times as much traffic as there was in 1980 - but there will be nothing like three times as much road capacity to handle it all.Unless we change the way we travel, traffic will grow too fast for England's roads. Everyone will pay the price of longer delays and road problems.

2) Did you know? - pollution

exhaust fumes

Today's travel habits are damaging our environment and affecting our health

The impacts of today's travel habits are wide-ranging on both the environment and our health. For example, the benefits from progress in the development of cleaner vehicles are being offset by the continuing growth in traffic. Emissions from cars and lorries of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) and fine particles (PM10) can contribute to health problems. Emissions of carbon dioxide contribute to climate change with wide-ranging environmental impacts as a result.

You may like to view further information about Climate Change by visiting the Climate Challenge web site or to make a difference, visit www.changeyourworld.org.uk.

Rio Earth Summit (1992)/ Kyoto Climate Change Conference (1997)

The Rio Earth Summit highlighted the international concern at levels of pollution arising from transport emissions and identified the need to take positive action to reduce these levels. This led to the setting up of 'Local Agenda 21' aimed at encouraging local actions to reduce impacts. International concerns for the environment were more recently highlighted in 1997 at the Kyoto Climate Change Conference, which led to the imposition of targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

3) Did you know? - Travel Plans

Within our 'smarter choices' remit, typically, 15-20% of reductions in journeys can be achieved when travel plans are implemented.

How you can help

For details on how you can drive *Smarter and help reduce CO2 emissions please visit the Act On CO2 website.


* 'Smarter travel choices' are techniques for influencing people's travel behaviour towards more sustainable options such as encouraging school, workplace and individualised travel planning. They also seek to improve public transport and marketing services such as travel awareness campaigns, setting up websites for car share schemes, supporting car clubs and encouraging teleworking.