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The transport sector is a cornerstone of Germany’s industrialised economy. It satisfies individual mobility needs, provides employment and makes up a significant share of the net economic added value. On the other hand, transport has some adverse effects.
Noise and exhaust emissions harm the population and the environment and large numbers of people are victims of traffic accidents. From the tense relationship between the demands for mobility and its negative effects, the need arises for an intensive examination of current and future problems in the transport sector. DLR has taken up this challenge.
Every day, 7 500 kilometres of traffic jams obstruct the free flow of traffic on Europe’s main roads. At the same time, European rail traffic reaches its limits on 16 000 kilometres of track. Capacity-related bottlenecks and delays are commonplace in air travel. However, congestion is not the only problem: noise and exhaust emissions from motor vehicles impair the quality of life in congested areas and hardly anyone now doubts the negative effect of vehicle emissions on the climate. Additionally, every year, more than 40 000 people are killed in road accidents in Europe alone.
