Transportation Alternatives

Private road transport accounts for more than a third of BC's carbon emissions, and is the single largest source of emissions in BC. The BC Government provides help to local governments through the ‘LocalMotion' program. Policy guidance can be found from the ICLEI (see their report for local governments), while the Victoria Transport Policy Institute recently released a report on reducing emissions through parking management.

Promoting practical alternatives to the private car

A smart growth planning framework will help people live closer to work, shopping and schools. In the short term, municipalities need to help provide alternatives to the wide-spread use of gas-consuming, single occupant vehicles through support for:

• car-pooling, car cooperatives and car-sharing schemes. In the City of Vancouver, parking is free for cars belonging to car-share schemes such as the co-operative automotive network.
• public transit; and
• walking and cycling-friendly infrastructure, and strict limits to the expansion of road and parking infrastructure.

Further information

• http://www.localmotion.gov.bc.ca/
• http://www.iclei.org/documents/Global/Progams/CCP/Sust_Trans_Options.pdf
• http://www.vtpi.org/park_man.pdf