Energy consumption of commuting from suburban areas
¹University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Vehicles ang ground transport, Kamýcká 129, CZ16521 Prague, Czech Republic; *Correspondence: marcev@tf.czu.cz
Abstract:
The process of suburbanization begun half a century later in the Czech Republic in comparison to Western Europe. It has given rise to similar changes in the individual behaviour of potential residents, resulting in different land use and the emergence of new requirements involving technical and transport infrastructures. Many factors that characterize suburban land use, e.g., density of population (households), free access to public facilities, availability of transport modes, etc., are closely associated with energy consumption, specifically in transport. Suburban development affects not only transportation inside expanding suburban municipalities but also their surroundings, e.g., the cumulative effect of traffic intensity increasing on roads radially oriented towards the city centre has been observed in recent years. The construction of manufacturing facilities, logistic and commercial complexes, entertainment centres, etc. continues within the suburban areas and it tends to significantly increase traffic movements (e.g., in tangential directions towards the core of the city). The current capacity of transport infrastructures does not correspond to the increased vehicle intensity (even not only during peak hours) and it does not guarantee an adequate quality for transport operation. The results of performed traffic surveys proved that morning traffic intensity (during peak hours) on the roads (of 2nd. or 3rd. class) leading to the city centre has doubled in the last five years. These results mean that transport energy consumption has increased enormously. Transport energy consumption is higher than usually expected in these cases. The energy consumption (fuel consumption) determined according to a vehicle’s homologation does not take into account the conditions that may affect driving style in a negative manner, e.g., slow driving, traffic congestions road, vertical alignment and tortuous roads. The mean consumption was 9.2 (l 100 km-1) on the selected trail sections –that is 1.66 more than the combined consumption figure presented by car producers. The selected sections make up 54% of the total trail length. This ‘local consumption’ is linked with higher emission production, details are available below. The author compared specific fuel consumption per 100 km and found that real consumption is evidently always higher than the quantities claimed to be correct by car producers in view of mixed modes. The same has been found by, e.g. Marique & Reiter, 2012 and other authors. The conclusions of the research are potentially relevant and should be used in a spatial planning or decision making processes to prevent ‘urban sprawl’ and the accompanying high energy consumption. Suburban development should go hand in hand with the construction of new transport infrastructures and high-quality public transport.
Key words:
commuting, energy, fuel consumption.596, suburban settlements, transport