Green transport hierarchy

The green transport hierarchy (Canada), street user hierarchy (US), sustainable transport hierarchy (Wales),^[1] urban transport hierarchy or road user hierarchy (Australia, UK)^[2] is a hierarchy of modes of passenger transport prioritising green transport.^[3] It is a concept used in transport reform groups worldwide^[4][5] and in policy design.^[6] In 2020, the UK government consulted about adding to the Highway Code a road user hierarchy prioritising pedestrians.^[7] It is a key characteristic of Australian transport planning.^[8]

Green transport hierarchy
	Pedestrians
	Bicycles
	Public transit
	Trucks and commercial vehicles
	Taxis
	High occupancy vehicles
	Cars and single occupancy vehicles

History

The Green Transportation Hierarchy: A Guide for Personal & Public Decision-Making by Chris Bradshaw was first published September 1994^[9] and revised June 2004.^{[citation needed]} As part of a pedestrian advocacy group in the United States, he proposed the hierarchy ranking passenger transport based on environmental emissions. The reviewed ranking listed, in order: walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing, and finally private car.^[3]

It was first prepared for Ottawalk and the Transportation Working Committee of the Ottawa-Carleton Round-table on the Environment in January 1992, only stating 'Walk, Cycle, Bus, Truck, Car'.^[10]

Factors

1. Mode
2. Energy source
3. Trip length
4. Trip speed
5. Vehicle size
6. Passenger load factor
7. Trip segment
8. Trip purpose
9. Traveller

Adoption

Chris Bradshaw directed the hierarchy at both individual lifestyle choices and public authorities who should officially direct their resources – funds, moral suasion, and formal sanctions – based on the factors.

Bradshaw described the hierarchy to be logical, but the effect of applying it to seem radical.^[11]

The model rejects the concept of the balanced transportation system, where users are assumed to be free to choose from amongst many different yet ‘equally valid’ modes. This is because choices incorporating factors that are ranked low (walking, cycling, public transport) are seen as generally having a high impact on other choices.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Alternatives to car use
• Bicycle-friendly
• Bill Boaks campaigned for pedestrian priority everywhere
• Car-free movement
• Complete streets
• Cycling advocacy
• Cyclability
• Health and environmental impact of transport
• Health impact of light rail systems
• Induced demand
• Jaywalking
• Peak car
• Planetizen
• Priority (right of way)
• Reclaim the Streets
• Road hierarchy
• Road traffic safety
• Traffic § Rules of the road
• Settlement hierarchy
• Street hierarchy
• Street reclamation
• Sustainable transport
• Traffic bottleneck
• Traffic code
• Traffic conflict
• Traffic flow
• Transportation demand management
• Walkability
• Walking audit