Transport Issues

Transport has a dramatic effect on our lives, allowing us to live further from our place of work and more personal freedom. Improvements in transport have increased tourism, availability of rapid emergency services, and availability of consumer goods.

People in developed countries spend 20% of their income on transport, with 10% employed in transport and related industries. transport is the single, largest manufacturing industry in the world. There are about 25 million cars on the road in the UK, expected to double by 2025.

Transport has major impacts on the environment, particularly atmospheric pollution, noise and quality of life in urban areas. But there are also the recources side concerns of materials for roads, cars and the disposal of all the car parts - the life cycle of the vehicle.

Transport as a whole contributes about 1/5th global warming emissions in UK, most of this (19%) coming from road transport - air, ships and trains the rest! In recent years there have been dramatic improvements in the development of more energy efficient technologies.

Impacts on Land, Air, Water

Dept of Transport: "Transport & the Environment"