Re: Walking to the shops ‘damages planet more than going by car’
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Roads? Meh.
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Really cheap (per use) roads are one of the main reasons that large scale alternative transportation had little reason to get off the ground in the US. They also encourage bulk transportation of goods to be competitive verses local production which helps massive stores like wal mart gain its dominance, ect ect ect. The subsidized road system is one of the biggest primary causes of environmental problems in the US, and all you can say is meh?
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Seems almost certain to be false. Government interventions probably INCREASE the total cost of road transportation when you include gas and vehicle taxes. If inefficient, competition-free government toll roads are any guide, the cost-per-mile for big semis is between $.25 and $.50 a mile. Assuming $1 a gallon gas tax and 7 mpg, that's one-quarter to one-half of the road cost right there. Add in driver payroll taxes, vehicle taxes, etc., and the total subsidy is probably only a tiny fraction of the per-mile cost. Also consider that trucks are by far the least efficient form of long-haul transportation.
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