Solutions for congestion: Ban

Ban: In March, the European Commission released a white paper outlining its vision for a “Single European Transport Area.” Designed to bring about a “profound shift” in how people travel the continent, the document called for a ban on conventionally fuelled cars in city centres by the year 2050. Siim Kallas, of the EU transport commission, said that new taxation on fuel would force people out of their cars and onto alternative transport. “That means no more conventionally fuelled cars in our city centres,” he said. “Action will follow, legislation, real action to change behaviour.” Needless to say, the idea has not been overly popular. The British government has gone so far as to veto the idea, with Norman Baker, U.K. under secretary of state for transportation, saying: “We will not be banning cars from city centres any more than we will be having rectangular bananas.”

Cities get creative with solutions for traffic congestion woes

SIRI AGRELL and MURAT YUKSELIR

The Globe and Mail  Published Sunday, Aug. 21 2011, 11:39 PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/cities-get-creative-with-solutions-for-traffic-congestion-woes/article2136868/