Title: CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE HELSINKI AREA
Abstract: This paper contrasts some general failures of transport policy with fairly successful congestion management in the Helsinki area. The search for balance in traffic systems has adopted two alternative approaches: (1) the assumption that congestion reduces demand, so that the traffic system will function in any case; (2) the use of active measures, such as road pricing, that aim to influence traffic demand or congestion directly. It is remarkable that transport policy has never resolved the conflict thus provoked. The usual failure of transport policies can be interpreted as a symptom of inadequate government, which in turn arises from difficulties inherent in managing extremely complex systems. However, the traffic management situation in the Greater Helsinki area is better than in other European capitals, with a higher share of public transport and very small growth in car traffic entering the city centre. It has resulted from long-term systematic work especially in: (1) preventing significant increases in available city centre parking spaces; (2) structural, administrative and economic public transport measures. There has also been extensive use of flexible working time, and considerable scope for using telecommunications as a substitute for travel. For the covering abstract see IRRD 866164.
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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