The monetary value of walking and cycling

Scene El Swear:

Report below from Local Transport Today journal, at:
http://www.lttonline.co.uk/lttxtraarticle.php?uid=5565

Document at:
http://www.webtag.org.uk/webdocument...pdf/3.14.1.pdf
[Page 35 has summary of the figures and shows that much of the cost benefit
is through increased physical fitness]


The DfT this week published long-awaited guidance on the appraisal of
walking and cycling schemes which sets out a methodology for placing
monetary values on the benefits of increasing walking and cycling.

Advocates of the modes believe that the guidance could significantly boost
their case because for the first time the value for money of what are often
relatively low cost measures will be apparent to policy-makers in monetary
terms.

The guidance includes worked examples of cycle schemes showing benefit:
cost ratios of 13:1, 22:1 and 11.7:1 - far higher than almost all road or
public transport investments.

Among the impacts that will be given monetary values are the reduction in
carbon dioxide from reduced car trips; the number of deaths saved as a
result of better physical fitness; a reduction in absenteeism; and journey
ambience. The guidance provides advice on how to estimate the demand for
new walking and cycling facilities.

It has been prepared with the assistance of Sustrans, the Institute for
Transport Studies at the University of Leeds and Bolton University.



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--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell