When we get in our cars for a journey, all too often we simply think of the cost of the fuel we use. However that solid surface we move down costs money to make and keep smooth. When it does break up, the old tarmac will probably end up in a landfill site. The heavier the vehicle that moves down it, the shorter its lifespan. Having a traffic jam outside your house all day reduces its value and disturbs you, that car engine starting at 6am every morning and the hum of the nearby main road can have significant health consequences. These are just a few examples of factors that don’t make it onto most policy makers balance sheet but results in costs that are primarily paid for in your taxes and should be considered when we all decide how we get from A to B and when our politicians look for the most “cost effective” transport solutions for a city.
The information calculated in the sections of this website were derived from three primary sources. Vehicle Mileage data for each country was taken from the TRACCS project. This was combined with cost data per vehicle kilometer for individual countries, taken from the Handbook of External Costs of Transport. Written by Ricardo-AEA for DG Move. For air pollution the comprehensive EMEP/EEA emissions inventories were combined with the TRACCS kilometre data.
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