Citation

Morikawa T. IATSS Res. 2008; 32(1): 26-31.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article promotes Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a means to achieve Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST). The author divides approaches to ITS into three categories: automobile measures, alleviating barriers to public transportation usage, and controlling inner-city automobile use. Automobile measures involve reducing car size and making them more fuel efficient, reducing space required between vehicles through automatic components and the use of probe cars to provide traffic information. Methods to increase public transportation use include Travel Demand Management (TDM) that encourages use of public transportation and discourages automobile use. TDM methods include park and rides at train stations as well as eco-point incentives. Another modal shift that ITS can facilitate is controlling inner-city automobile use through Parking Deposit System (PDS), a system in which drivers pay to enter a restricted area, and then can use that deposit to pay for parking or to shop. The author also suggests traffic emergence control, also known as traffic calming, which would use ITS and land use measures to reduce the speed and amount of traffic in residential areas.