September 22, 2023

World Car-Free Day: Rail Transport Makes Cities More Sustainable

Brazilian rail operators, through the National Association of Passenger Rail Transporters (ANPTrilhos), have released a video showcasing the benefits of passenger rail transport for the population and cities.

 

The aim of World Car-Free Day, celebrated this Friday (22/09), is to encourage reflection on the excessive use of cars and the impacts it generates such as congestion, accidents, and pollutant emissions. The date is important for raising awareness among people and promoting the use of non-polluting modes of transportation, such as rail transport.

The use of subway systems, urban trains, light rail vehicles (VLT), and people movers directly contributes to reducing congestion and accidents, improving the quality of life and environmental quality in cities, providing speed, predictability, and safety in people’s commutes.

With the goal of showcasing the benefits of this mode of transportation, Brazilian rail operators, through the National Association of Passenger Rail Transporters (ANPTrilhos), have released a video presenting the advantages of passenger rail transport for the population and cities.

Passenger rail transport is transforming cities and contributing to the future. The expansion of the sector directly aligns with the global goal of the UN’s Agenda 2030 to “make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” The benefits generated by this type of transport are widely recognized and appreciated by society.

Research conducted by ANPTrilhos shows that the use of urban passenger rail transport returned over R$ 30 billion to Brazilian society in 2022 in terms of social, economic, and quality of life benefits, including:

• Reduction of 1.3 billion hours in commuting time
• Savings of R$ 379 million in accident-related costs
• Savings of 1 billion liters of fossil fuel
• Savings of R$ 10 billion by reducing buses and cars on the streets
• Reduction of 2.1 million tons of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere

“Reducing the volume of motor vehicles in central regions and investing in structured urban mobility to meet people’s transportation needs are important measures for transforming cities, making them more pleasant places to live. Providing cities with an integrated and efficient transport network, where modes of transportation complement each other, will reduce congestion and particle emissions in the atmosphere, resulting in a higher quality of life,” explains ANPTrilhos Executive Director Roberta Marchesi.

Watch the video at this link: https://youtu.be/n0rcZ6jZ6jo