Peak hour car trips have higher emissions
Tuesday, 20 May 2008.
An RACQ study has found that Brisbane drivers use 30 per cent more fuel getting to work in peak hour, compared to the same journey in the middle of the day.
The motoring body carried out a comparison test on two commuter routes into Brisbane to understand the effects of congestion on fuel consumption and emissions.
The increase in fuel consumption is about a $7.50 increase per week. The RACQ's Steve Spalding says the test confirms what drivers already know. "In terms of additional fuel consumption and CO2 emissions I think this would be fairly typical of any city's traffic, congested traffic conditions," he said.
Mr Spalding says it also found inbound travel times during peak periods for the routes had blown out by 85 per cent, while the outbound journey took 38 per cent longer.
He says motorists need to do what they can to avoid peak hour traffic if they want to reduce their petrol costs and carbon dioxide emissions. He says the finding also reinforces the need for governments to get serious about reducing congestion on the roads.