Shift to public transport should conserve energy

Ôûá Public transport needs three times less energy and emits three times less greenhouse gases than private car traffic, says a study for 50 cities worldwide. Energy consumed plunges with more public transport use Ôûá But in some cities, the share of public transport has shown an increase Ôûá

 Cities with a higher share of public transport, walking and cycling have a lower cost of transport for the community (as a percentage of GDP)

Ôûá In India, the use of public transport has gone down. During the 1950s, buses accounted for 11 per cent of registered vehicles, now the figure stands at 1 per cent

 Ã”ûá Obviously, private vehicle use is rising sharply. For instance, in Delhi, cars/jeeps/station wagons showed an annual compounded growth rate of 9.27 per cent in the decade ending 2003-2004. In Hyderabad, the number of autorickshaws, two-wheelers and cars grew by over 150 per cent during 1993-2002

 Ã”ûáBut the use of private vehicles is increasing, while the share of public transport (in meeting travel demand) is decreasing by 0.2-1.4 per cent annually