Marginal External Costs of Peak and Non Peak Urban Transport in Belgium

FEEM Working Paper No. 12.99

21 Pages Posted: 2 Dec 1999

See all articles by Leo De Nocker

Leo De Nocker

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Stef Vergote

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Luc Vinckx

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Guido Wouters

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Date Written: October 1998

Abstract

This paper discusses intermediate results of an ongoing research project to estimate all external costs from all transport modes in Belgium. It gives estimates of the marginal external costs of air pollution from urban transport. The evaluation of the environmental impacts is based on the European ExternE accounting framework. This methodology uses the impact pathway analysis for the detailed bottom-up assessment of impacts from air pollutants. It integrates state of the art knowledge in the fields of emission modelling, dispersion modelling, dose-response functions and monetary valuation. This paper focuses on the impact of location (rural areas versus cities), regulation, traffic conditions and congestion on environmental externalities. These case studies for Belgium confirm earlier results of the ExternE project that external environmental costs of car transport are significant and that damage to public health is the dominant impact. In addition, it shows that externalities of urban peak traffic are 2 to 4 times higher than for normal urban driving conditions. Finally, it is calculated which occupancy rates are required for urban public transport (trams and diesel buses) to have lower external costs compared to passenger cars.

JEL Classification: H43, I31 , R49, Q300, Q49

Suggested Citation

De Nocker, Leo and Vergote, Stef and Vinckx, Luc and Wouters, Guido, Marginal External Costs of Peak and Non Peak Urban Transport in Belgium (October 1998). FEEM Working Paper No. 12.99, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=158429 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.158429

Leo De Nocker (Contact Author)

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research ( email )

Boeretang 200
B-2400 Mol
Belgium
+32 14 33 5886 (Phone)
+32 14 32 1185 (Fax)

Stef Vergote

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Boeretang 200
B-2400 Mol
Belgium

Luc Vinckx

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Boeretang 200
B-2400 Mol
Belgium

Guido Wouters

VITO, Flemish Institute for Technological Research

Boeretang 200
B-2400 Mol
Belgium

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