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Eurocities 2009 focuses on sustainable transport solutions – and so does Scania

Erica Zandelin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:37:44 +0000

In a sustainable city, resource consumption is minimised and renewable resources replace fossil fuels wherever possible. Green spaces are preserved and transport has more to do with walkways, bicycle paths and public transport than highways, congestion and urban sprawl.

Up until now, society is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which are being depleted. The challenge is to make use of today’s green technology and simultaneously develop a sustainable transport system for the future.

As a main sponsor of the Nov. 25-28 annual meeting Eurocities 2009, a network of European city governments, Scania takes the opportunity to show how transport companies can quickly move to low-carbon urban transport solutions.

Jonas Strömberg, director of Sustainable Systems at Scania, on sustainable cities

Erica Zandelin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:35:04 +0000

How can the development of sustainable cities benefit Scania?

Jonas Strömberg, director of Sustainable Systems at Scania

“With more than 50 percent of the world’s population living in urban centres, it is imperative that cities become sustainable. Thus there are lots of business opportunities at the moment for companies [like Scania] that supply green technology.”

What is Scania’s contribution to sustainable cities?

“We have a range of products, buses, trucks and engines that fit well into the sustainable city concept, which encourages both public transport and energy efficiency, and thereby reduces CO2-emissions. We will also work in partnerships with fuel and infrastructure suppliers.

What are the main challenges for sustainable cities?

“Transport is one of hardest nuts to crack. Society is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which are being depleted. The challenge is to make use of today’s green technology and simultaneously develop a sustainable transport system for the future.

“Another challenge is how society works with different fuels in different countries, due to the lack of harmonised standards, tax systems and so on. Regardless of the type of fuel, we all must become more energy efficient in the future.”

Buses – the base in sustainable city transports

Erica Zandelin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:34:22 +0000

Cities worldwide are increasingly adopting Bus Rapid Transit systems to transport their populations and at the same time reduce impact on the environment.

Bus Rapid Transit - the fast track to sustainable city transports

As private motorists jam the streets of the world’s cities, city planners are turning to Bus Rapid Transit (BTR) systems − smart, comprehensive city bus solutions that transform buses into a kind of tram with rubber wheels.

Compared with urban rail, BRT systems are far cheaper to build than rail networks: USD 1–10 million per kilometre compared with USD 40–220 per kilometre for an underground metro rail network, according to German technical consultancy GTZ. The time required from plan to fully built system is also shorter: 12 to 18 months for an urban BRT network compared with three to 30 years for a metro system.

And of course it is a huge gain for the environment if 150 commuters can be persuaded to ride an environmentally friendly bus route instead of driving 120 private cars.
Today there are some 200 BRT systems worldwide, either in operation or being planned. So far countries in Latin America and Asia have invested the most in these systems. In Colombia, BRTs are found in Bogotá and six other cities. Mexico has 10 BRT systems, including one in Mexico City. In China, where urban areas are expanding rapidly, there are now BRT networks in some 15 cities, with Guangzhou (10 million inhabitants) joining the list in 2010. The United States now has BRTs up and running in 36 cities and more are expected.