Indicator Fact Sheet
Capacity of transport infrastructure networks
Go to latest version
Assessment made on 01 Aug 2005
Generic metadata
Classification
Topics:DPSIR: Driving force
Identification
- TERM 018
Policy issue: Optimise the use of existing infrastructure capacity and revitalise rail and inland waterways
Figures
Fancybox relations
Key assessment
While infrastructure length is only a proxy measure for capacity, the steady increase in the length of the road infrastructure between 1990 and 2002 (with motorways growing by 41 %), suggests that road capacity has expanded to the detriment of conventional rail and inland waterways that remained constant. The capacity may have increased even more since additional lanes are not counted in the statistics. The effect is bigger for the newly acceded countries than for the old EU countries. The length of motorways increased in these countries with 70 % -but from low levels-, while the length of other infrastructure remained stable.
Increasing infrastructure capacity is not always necessary. Optimization of the current traffic flows through road pricing ( e.g. road pricing or congestion charging1) is still limited throughout Europe. The application of these principles might be more beneficial to the society than the construction of new infrastructure when capacity problems arise.
Permalinks
- Permalink to this version
- 4f2f72b2e430e3a2440b45d3331eff1c
- Permalink to latest version
- IND-177-en
Older versions
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/capacity-of-transport-infrastructure-networks-4 or scan the QR code.
PDF generated on 30 Jun 2022, 10:58 PM
Document Actions
Share with others