Public Transportation in Europe
Public Transportation in Europe vs. in the U.S.A.
Per capita, there are 237 public transportation trips per year in Switzerland, compared to 24 trips per year in U.S. The Netherlands has only 51 trips per year (per capita), due to the high use of cycling, which was 26% of all trips made by the Dutch in 2008 (Buehler & Pucher, 2012).
Per capita, there are 237 public transportation trips per year in Switzerland, compared to 24 trips per year in U.S. The Netherlands has only 51 trips per year (per capita), due to the high use of cycling, which was 26% of all trips made by the Dutch in 2008 (Buehler & Pucher, 2012).
So, why is public transportation more popular in European countries than in the U.S.?
Some studies suggest that public transportation in Europe has a higher demand “...due to higher density cities, much higher taxes on fuel and car purchases, less (and more expensive) car parking, and a wide range of restrictions on car use in cities” (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 542). One of the most effective tools for reducing congestion in European countries has been road pricing.
In Oslo, since the 1990s, cars crossing a ring into the center are charged by an electronic toll, or manually at toll plazas (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 156). Road pricing is also highly used in the United Kingdom, and income from the tolls can be put into improving transit systems (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 157). The government in the U.K. also taxes free company parking spaces in city centers. London has an estimated 600,000 subsidized parking spaces; with an annual fee of 750 pounds a year, this should generate 300 million pounds per year, or roughly $500 million (Beatley, 2000, p. 157). Additionally, London has a congestion tax with a flat rate of $12 per day and a 90 percent discount for residents who live in the zone. In London, the tax led to a 19 to 25 percent reduction in traffic and a net annual revenue of $220 million in 2008 (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2010, p. 13). To create this kind of tax, zone boundaries are created to determine a congestion charging zone and uncharged zones.
Some studies suggest that public transportation in Europe has a higher demand “...due to higher density cities, much higher taxes on fuel and car purchases, less (and more expensive) car parking, and a wide range of restrictions on car use in cities” (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 542). One of the most effective tools for reducing congestion in European countries has been road pricing.
In Oslo, since the 1990s, cars crossing a ring into the center are charged by an electronic toll, or manually at toll plazas (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 156). Road pricing is also highly used in the United Kingdom, and income from the tolls can be put into improving transit systems (Buehler & Pucher, 2012, p. 157). The government in the U.K. also taxes free company parking spaces in city centers. London has an estimated 600,000 subsidized parking spaces; with an annual fee of 750 pounds a year, this should generate 300 million pounds per year, or roughly $500 million (Beatley, 2000, p. 157). Additionally, London has a congestion tax with a flat rate of $12 per day and a 90 percent discount for residents who live in the zone. In London, the tax led to a 19 to 25 percent reduction in traffic and a net annual revenue of $220 million in 2008 (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2010, p. 13). To create this kind of tax, zone boundaries are created to determine a congestion charging zone and uncharged zones.
Stockholm has a congestion tax as well, aimed at reducing congestion and vehicle emissions in the inner-city. The tax led to a 20 percent reduction in traffic, a 10 to 14 percent decrease in emissions, and two to ten percent improved air quality (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2010, p. 10). Vehicles are charged when they pass the congestion zone on weekdays between 6:30a.m. and 6:30p.m, and pay $1.50 during offpeak hours, and $2.25 during peak times (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2010, p. 10). In both London and Stockholm, the revenue is used to improve public transit (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2010, p. 13). This is a technique that Los Angeles may want to consider.
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