There is a clear conflict between motorists’ positive view of their own car and the more negative view that characterizes traffic planning in the state and municipality. Given that the number of cars is steadily increasing in Europe, this is a growing conflict of goals that our newly elected politicians at all levels need to deal with.
At the same time as the car is becoming emission-free
At the same time as the car is becoming emission-free, physical restrictions on accessibility are being introduced in many cities. Investments in road infrastructure are also too low and too few parking spaces are built. The latter also complicates the electrification of the vehicle fleet as the cars have to be charged somewhere. This is how we can speed up the number of owned electric cars.
- A full 81 percent want access to their own car.
- There are significantly more people who believe that car travel and car transport will increase in the future than who believe they will decrease.
Part of the policy directed at the car is about limiting emissions, and Europe rightly has ambitious climate and environmental goals. However, when the cars become emission-free, (Electric Cars) this conflict of goals is reduced, something that planning should be based on. As vehicles become quieter, cleaner and safer, the opportunities to integrate different types of traffic also increase.
Most of us are alternately walking, cycling, public transport travelers or motorists. If we don’t drive ourselves, we are dependent on car transport for service, deliveries, handicrafts, home care, etc. Today’s technology creates better opportunities than ever to build cities and transport systems for all types of traffic. This applies to both roads and parking solutions.
Infrastructure is a safe future investment
Work is also underway to limit individual mobility with political control of the location of workplaces and services. This shrinks markets with negative consequences for both the economy and quality of life as a result.
The experience of trying to plan how and where people should live shows that man is inventive when it comes to maximizing his utility in terms of housing and work within his travel time budget of about one hour per day – and has been so for a long time.