[sustran] Re: FWD:Europe: Commuting Faster in Suburbs than Cities

[roland at actrix.gen.nz]

Hi

I wonder if you'd care to post the original EU reference for the source
data, rather than a table in isolation.  Then people could see what these
data actually refer to.

Roland Sapsford

> Subject: Europe: Commuting Faster in Suburbs than Cities
>
> Commentary:
> http://www.fromtheheartland.org/blog/2006/09/europe_commuting_faster_in_sub.
> php#more
> Data:http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-eu15-jtwtime2001.htm
>
> Europe: Commuting Faster in Suburbs than Cities
>
> There are few public policy issues more driven my myth than land use and
> the
> currently fashionable strategies of "smart growth" or "urban
> consolidation."
> Virtually all of the arguments made in support of smart growth's
> densification and land restriction policies melt away when subjected to
> the
> light of scrutiny. <http://www.demographia.com/dib-smg.htm>  Now data
> shows
> that European work trip travel times for suburban residents are less than
> those of city residents, which is the opposite of claims by smart growth
> advocates.
>
> Further evidence of this is provided by an analysis of Western European
> work
> trip travel times. The anti-suburban smart growth theorists often suggest
> that cities should artificially constrained in their expansion because
> suburban areas put people farther away from their jobs and thus force
> people
> to spend more time traveling to work.
>
> Estimates based upon data from the European Union Urban Audit indicates
> that
> commutes by suburban residents are faster than commutes by city (core)
> residents <http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-eu15-jtwtime2001.htm> . that
> the
> average work trip travel time for suburban residents is 23 minutes,
> one-way.
> This is five minutes less each way that the central city estimate of 28
> minutes. Of course, the reasons that suburbanites can get to their jobs
> more
> quickly are that lower densities mean less traffic congestion (contrary to
> smart growth claims) and that jobs have followed people to the suburbs.
> Doubtless, urban planners who are more inclined to believe their
> conceptions
> than the data will be surprised that this improved jobs-housing balance
> has
> occurred with little or no direction from the planning profession.
>
> Land use policy needs to be based upon fact, rather than the myopic
> perceptions of a small urban elite. The data could not be more clear.
> Smart
> growth --- the compact city --- means more traffic congestion, more
> intense
> air pollution and longer travel times. This, of course, is just the
> beginning. Smart growth also means significantly reduced housing
> affordability <http://www.demographia.com/dhi-ix2005q3.pdf> , a
> redistribution of wealth from lower and middle income households to the
> more
> affluent and, as a result, the likelihood of future greater poverty and
> less
> economic growth.
>
> --
> Wendell Cox
> Demographia | Wendell Cox Consultancy - St. Louis Missouri-Illinois
> metropolitan region
> Visiting Professor, Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, Paris
> +1.618.632.8507 | +33.6.10.59.59.92
> www.demographia.com | www.publicpurpose.com | www.rentalcartours.net
> "Absent a material threat to other individuals or the community, people
> should be allowed to live and work where and how they like."
> -Lone Mountain Compact
>
>
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