Urs 02074 Fu
Urs 02074 Fu
Urs 02074 Fu
Abstract
A key element of success for any long-term process such as the development of a
Sustainable Urban Transport system, is to monitor and evaluate progress over
time, which may allow, if necessary, to introduce remedial measures and actions.
An efficient monitoring process requires well-defined targets set at the design
stage and performance indicators regularly measured during the lifetime of any
project aimed at achieving the goals of sustainability. Based on a recent seminar
held at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, this paper presents a review
of the current international literature on setting and using targets for sustainable
urban transport, and looks at the Australian practice on how these principles are
applied in two recent urban development projects in Sydney. The review has
revealed several weaknesses and missing links in the present practice, and the
paper offers recommendations on how to make the targets “smarter” and what
needs to be done to establish an efficient monitoring process.
1 Introduction
performance and to identifi best practice that could improve the performance,
Complex statistics can create difficulties, whereas rough guides can be equally
beneficial in order to make comparisons and raise awareness [6].
Note that the terms “performance indicators” and “targets” are used
somewhat interchangeably in the literature and the usage in the references cited
is preserved in this paper, However, in the conclusions we recommend that they
should refer to two separate sets of attributes.
(the higher level goal). The PROSPECTS study proposes three types of
indicators that are, directly related to the 6 sub-objectives ([9], pp. 13-14):
s Level 1 indicators – comprehensive measures of all aspects of a sub-
objective where the impacts are both quantified and monetarily valued (eg,
cost benefit analysis for economic efficiency).
● Level 2 indicator – quantifiable measures of aspects relating to the
achievement of a sub-objective.
. Level 3 indicator – qualitative assessments of the level of goal achievement.
Indicator systems are based on one of two approaches; (i) the measurement
and monitoring of a particular indicator; (ii) the forecasting of indicator values
based on modelling complex systems. Most of the research reviewed falls into
the latter approach. The SPARTACUS indicator system is a good example of
this forecasting approach: Table 2 shows the 3 primary components of
sustainability (envirorunent, social and economic), 5 “themes” and 22 indicators.
Air quality targets are essential because road transport is the principal contributor
to urban air pollution in NSW. The improvements gained from stricter emission
standards of modem vehicles are now outweighed by the increasing numbers of
© 2002 WIT Press, Ashurst Lodge, Southampton, SO40 7AA, UK. All rights reserved.
Web: www.witpress.com Email witpress@witpress.com
Paper from: The Sustainable City II, CA Brebbia, JF Martin-Duque & LC Wadhwa (Editors).
ISBN 1-85312-917-8
vehicles and trips. The issue is complex due to the variety of pollutants related to
transport: carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants (as ozone), nitrogen
dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particles as PM 10 and lead.
In 1998, the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC) established
national air quality standards and goals for the 6 common pollutants. In setting
the standards, the NEPC commissioned a leading respiratory physician with
expertise in the health impacts of air pollution, to review the relevant literature
and to identify the range of concentrations necessary to protect health.
Historical airshed monitoring data were also examined to determine the
pollutant status of each airshed. Following a review of technologies readily
available for the control of polluting emissions, an assessment was made of the
improvements that could be achieved over a 10-year period designated for
meeting the standards. This included an analysis of the likely level of exposure
to the various pollutants and a cost-benefit analysis of the various standard
options being considered. Table 3 lists the National Environment Protection
Measure for Ambient Air Quality (ANEPM) standards and goal for Ambient Air
Quality for the six criteria pollutants of concern.
Table 3 NEPC Measure For Ambient Air Quality Standards And Goal
The process of setting ambient air quality standards or targets involves the
careful evaluation of the available scientific, social and economic data. The final
standard is a balance between these factors and the technical practicality of
meeting the standard. Thus, the degree to which we clean up our atmosphere is a
combination of technology, scientific understanding and community will. The
key to this is an informed debate on the desirable ambient air quality standards
and on the costs and impacts (positive and negative) associated with meeting
those standards. Finally, once actions are taken, monitoring and reporting in
accordance with national protocols is required to ensure that the targets are met.
been formulated. The integrated trimsport strategy released in 1993 divided the
objects broadly into economic, social and environmental and then specified
quantitative performance indicators for each [2]. This approach – representing
best practice for the time – would have led to some interesting conclusions about
change of indicators over time had the strategy been implemented, The incoming
Labor Government produced ActionJor Transport 2010 [10], in which the prime
target was vehicle kilometres of travel (VKT) by private transport. A whole of
government approach is committed to improving metropolitan air quality and the
transport portfolio aims to achieve that by encouraging the use of public
transport and setting VKT as a target. Specifically, these are halting the growth
in per capita VKT by 2011, and halting the growth in total VKT by 2021 ([10],
p, 10). If these targets are to be met the proportion of commuters traveling to
work by public transport must increase ffom 20 per cent to 30 per cent.
The Liverpool Local Government Area is home to some of the most significant
future developments in the Sydney Metropolitan Area, almost all of which are
currently greenfield. In response to shortcomings of past developments in
Liverpool, which have led to social problems, high infrastructure costs and
overwhelming car dependence, Ccmncil commissioned Gutteridge Haskins &
Davey Pty. Ltd. (GHD) in 1999 to undertake the Developing Sustainable
Communities project. The project brief sought sustainable development
incorporating the ecological, environmental, social and economic elements of
future growth.
The GHD project incorporated the concept of sustainability into every level
of the planning process. The project started from a vision that recognised
sustainability as a quest rather than an end point in the process. The principal aim
of the project, based on this vision, was a more sustainable interaction of
transport and land use, and the planning instrument proposed to achieve this aim
was the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD), with the following
specific objectives: (1) reducing the need to travel, by locating a range of
services and activities within reach of the community; (2) providing urban form
and structure that promotes access by non-motorised modes such as walking and
cycling; (3) higher residential densities around transit links.
The transport modelling process was founded on the agreed outcome that the
project wanted to achieve, It involved a spreadsheet model called Environmental
Baseline System, as a means of estimating different aspects of development on a
per household basis. TOD recognises that travel behaviour is directly related to
the availability and choice of transport ahematives. Therefore transit modal
shares were based on proximity to transit stops, The following travel targets were
set for the project as modal shifts ffclmthe existing mode shares:
. Zone 1 - High transit accessibility zones (areas within 800 m from a train
station arrd/or 400 m of a trrmsitway station): 15 % shift from car to
alternative modes;
© 2002 WIT Press, Ashurst Lodge, Southampton, SO40 7AA, UK. All rights reserved.
Web: www.witpress.com Email witpress@witpress.com
Paper from: The Sustainable City II, CA Brebbia, JF Martin-Duque & LC Wadhwa (Editors).
ISBN 1-85312-917-8
4 Conclusions
The following conclusions can be drawn from this review. Air quality targets in
NSW are well defined and clearly justified by epidemiological research findings.
The setting of transport targets – the rote of which would be to determine more
specifically the objectives for the transport task needed to achieve the given air
© 2002 WIT Press, Ashurst Lodge, Southampton, SO40 7AA, UK. All rights reserved.
Web: www.witpress.com Email witpress@witpress.com
Paper from: The Sustainable City II, CA Brebbia, JF Martin-Duque & LC Wadhwa (Editors).
ISBN 1-85312-917-8
quality targets - appears to be less well justified. Transport targets are typically
stated in the form of maximum VKT for certain urban regions. However, there is
no spatial dimension related to these transport targets, although it seems obvious
that the same volume of travel in different parts of an urban region may have
different impacts on air quality. There seems to be a missing link between the air
quality targets and the specific transport targets to be set in a more detailed
spatial dimension, The concept of “area-wide environmental capacity” [5] is one
analytical tool that attempts to fill in this gap in the process.
The case studies of new urban developments in Sydney reviewed in this
paper are based on a clear goal of achieving sustainable urban transport, and the
proposed solutions are in good agreement with the current international practice,
However, the only target used in these projects is a relative modal shift away
from the current level of car use, one which is important but may not be enough
to indicate the level of achievement of the final goal of sustainability. There is no
time scale attached to the target. Also, the projects offer little justification, in
terms of modelling the environmental consequences of various transport
solutions, as to the setting of the actual target values.
The proposition that targets for sustainable transport should be “achievable”
is a contentious one, That “targets” remain constant and inflexible over long
periods of time is unlikely with such a dynamic system as land-use and transport,
given changes in technology, scientific knowledge, community aspiration, and
behaviour. Targets are in need of monitoring and revision where appropriate –
thus, targets should be “adjustable” rather than “achievable”. This is particularly
important in the case of transport targets where the air quality impacts of
technological development in vehicle and engine design and the use of
alternative fi.relsare very difficult to predict for the long term,
While “targets” and “performance indicators” are used somewhat
interchangeably in the literature, we suggest that these terms should refer to two
separate sets of attributes. Targets must be set at the planning and design stage
and mechanisms for institutional accountability must be articulated. Performance
indicators must be measured after implementation during the lifetime of any new
development and compared with the targets, to reveal the level of achievement
and to allow any remedial measure or action to be taken when a discrepancy is
detected. Only an efficient process of monitoring and intervention can ensure
that the final goals will be achieved. The environmental legislation should be
amended to define clearly the responsibilities and accountabilities of each paw
(local councils, government agencies, consulting and design organisations) in
relation to monitoring sustainability indicators. Research organisations have a
role in developing the required measurement and evaluation tools for various
types of targets (air quality, transport, social and economic targets).
Finally, there is enough support in the literature for the proposition that
“spatial” could be substituted for “specific” in the “SMART” acronym. Any
target must be linked to its spatial reach. In particular, we note the literature on
targets for sub-regions of metropolitan areas and for mobility management plans
at the organisation level, both representing a more “bottom up” approach to
meeting societal targets. In conclusion we suggest, therefore, that sustainable
transport targets should, indeed, be SMART but: “spatial, measurable,
adjustable, relevant and time-based”.
© 2002 WIT Press, Ashurst Lodge, Southampton, SO40 7AA, UK. All rights reserved.
Web: www.witpress.com Email witpress@witpress.com
Paper from: The Sustainable City II, CA Brebbia, JF Martin-Duque & LC Wadhwa (Editors).
ISBN 1-85312-917-8
Acknowledgements
Sections of this paper are based on the papers and presentations made at the
seminar held on 4 September 2001 at the University of New South Wales.
However, the authors are solely responsible for the suggestions and conclusions
presented in the paper.
References