Green transport hierarchy
Prioritising vulnerable sustainable road users
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Through Hierarchy, Transport and Moral suasion
History
The Green Transportation Hierarchy: A Guide for Personal & Public Decision-Making by Chris Bradshaw was first published September 1994. As part of a pedestrian advocacy group in the United States, he proposed the hierarchy ranking passenger transport based on environmental emissions. The reviewed ranking listed, in order: walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing, and finally private car.
It was first prepared for Ottawalk and the Transportation Working Committee of the Ottawa-Carleton Round-table on the Environment in January 1992, only stating 'Walk, Cycle, Bus, Truck, Car'.
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Factors
- Mode
- Energy source
- Trip length
- Trip speed
- Vehicle size
- Passenger load factor
- Trip segment
- Trip purpose
- Traveller
Adoption
Chris Bradshaw directed the hierarchy at both individual lifestyle choices and public authorities who should officially direct their resources – funds, moral suasion, and formal sanctions – based on the factors.
Bradshaw described the hierarchy to be logical, but the effect of applying it to seem radical.
Bradshaw introduced the concept of the green transportation hierarchy, which ranks mobility modes based on their sustainability. In this hierarchy, walking and cycling are prioritized as the most sustainable forms of transport, followed by public transit, while driving a private car is placed at the bottom.