Economic valuation of transport-related health effects (2008)

Transport is an essential component of life. It provides access to education, employment opportunities, services, goods, leisure activities and other amenities and contributes to economic development and to the logistics of production and distribution. Different modes of transport are associated with specific effects on society, one being health effects.

This report focuses on road transport, as it accounts for the largest share of transport activities in Europe, involves nearly the entire population, directly influences urban development and presents the largest effects in terms of emissions of pollutants and of greenhouse gases, as well as consumption of energy.

The adverse health effects of road transport result from air and noise pollution, road crashes and deterrent effects on walking and cycling as well as from less obvious effects such as social isolation and reduced quality of life in neighbourhoods affected by heavy road traffic. The topics discussed in this report in more detail included road noise, transport-related air pollution, road safety and insufficient physical activity related to hindering effects of transport on commuter cycling and walking.