Transport in Europe (Artech House Its Series) [Hardcover]

Christian Gerondeau (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 089006931X | ISBN-13: 978-0890069318 | Publication Date: May 1997

In this work, the author challenges commonly-held assumptions in the debate over transport in Europe and the impact of alternative transport modes, such as high-speed trains and the Channel Tunnel. The book explores all forms of ground transport, including urban and non-urban roadways, railways and freight transport, as well as sea crossing and air transport. The analysis includes a chapter on accidents, along with appendices that include statistical suggestions and a discussion of reserving tunnels for light vehicles only.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christian Gerondeau's extensive government experience includes advising cabinet-level officials in France and the World Bank. He is chairman of the Central Europe Road Safety Expert Team for the World Bank and is the former Chairman of the Road Safety Committee at the European Conference of Ministers of Transport. He currently serves as Chairman of the French Road Federation and is General Secretary of the European Road Safety Federation in Brussels. He is also an international consultant on transport matters.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Artech House (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089006931X
• ISBN-13: 978-0890069318
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,353,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EUROPEAN TRANSPORT: FROM IDEOLOGY TO REALITY, May 29, 1998

By 

Wendell Cox (OFallon, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transport in Europe (Artech House Its Series) (Hardcover)

Christian Gerondeau describes the transport situation in the average large US urban area.

* The central city has lost a large percentage of its population since 1950.

* The population of the suburbs has exploded.

* For some time, virtually all new job growth has been in the suburbs.

* Traffic conditions are intolerable.

* About the only place one can go on the transit system is the central city. Virtually no effective suburb to suburb service is available.

* Transit trips take a lot of time --- the average transit work trip takes at least double the time of the average commute by single occupant automobile.

* Air pollution, which is well on the way to being eradicated, is still a problem

* A comprehensive freeway system continues to be taxed by rising levels of traffic congestion.

But the subject of Gerondeau's book is not America --- it is Europe, and the conditions cited above are the conditions he demonstrates exist in major European urban areas.

The book opens with a compelling list of 20 widely held European transport ideas --- all of which he finds incorrect. The well organized narrative then proceeds to provide an effective description of these and other issues.

Gerondeau effectively challenges the conventional wisdom of both urban and intercity transport policy and concludes that significant policy changes will be necessary to solve transport problems. The solutions do not include the usual litany of forcing people out of their automobiles or mandating that more goods be transferred from trucks (lorries) to freight railroads.

He confounds his critics with extensive documentation and positions himself as a modern Copernicus seeking to convince those who make policy that transport problems will only be solved using the facts, regardless of how they track with today's particular ideology. Finally, Gerondeau provides an outline of strategies to improve European mobility.

Wendell Cox + Wendell Cox Consultancy & The Public Purpose + St. Louis USA