Relieving urban congestion: the light rail contribution

Congestion is already bad in many urban areas and is likely to worsen as road traffic increases. The latest Government forecasts suggest that road traffic could grow by between 83 and 142 per cent over the period 1988-2025. However, LRT systems may not significantly reduce congestion. While in some cases a doubling of public transport use has often occurred, the introduction of LRT has led to a shift of patronage from buses rather than cars. Furthermore, while car trips may initially be lowered, they may return to previous levels over time. This results from the cost of car use being lower than LRT fares, as well as the convenience and flexibility offered by cars. LRT schemes are most effective solutions when integrated with other public transport facilities including park and ride facilities. They are not a panacea for urban congestion, but one option in a package of measures to be implemented where appropriate. Medium-sized cities lacking conventional rail networks seem the most likely candidates. If the 1960s was the decade of the Swiss, the '70s the decade of the French and the '80s the decade of the West Germans in LRT systems, then the 1990s might give the UK the opportunity of introducing the most modern and up-to-date systems in the world. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that more than half a dozen schemes will proceed.