The role of public transport regulation in the improvement of the urban environment

摘要

In the fight against degradation of the Urban Environment, many refernces are made to the potential contribution of Public Transport, but it must be recognised that little progress has been achieved. The regulatory framework of Public Transport can have a powerful effect on these matters, as authorities have the possibility of clearly defining their goals, which should explcitly contain an indicatio of the tresholds they wish to preserve in terms of the air quality, availability of space for pedestrian circulation and sojourn, etc. Such decision are strategic in their nature, and it is only very infrequently that authorities take the risk of making such clear statements.