Forestry

Cost–benefit analysis

Mathematics education

Engineering

Transport engineering

Ecology

Aerospace engineering

Biology

Environmental economics

Microeconomics

Archaeology

Range (aeronautics)

Economics

Kilometer

Business

Neoclassical economics

Mathematics

Politics

Geography

Unit (ring theory)

Political science

Externality

Economic policy

Cycling

Natural resource economics

Investment (military)

Social cost

European union

Ecological Economics

Cost-benefit-analyses (CBA) are widely used to assess transport projects. Comparing various CBA frameworks, this paper concludes that the range of parameters considered in EU transport CBA is limited. A comprehensive list of criteria is presented, and unit costs identified. These are used to calculate the external and private cost of automobility, cycling and walking in the European Union. Results suggest that each kilometer driven by car incurs an external cost of €0.11, while cycling and walking represent benefits of €0.18 and €0.37 per kilometer. Extrapolated to the total number of passenger kilometers driven, cycled or walked in the European Union, the cost of automobility is about €500 billion per year. Due to positive health effects, cycling is an external benefit worth €24 billion per year and walking €66 billion per year. CBA frameworks in the EU should be widened to better include the full range of externalities, and, where feasible, be used comparatively to better understand the consequences of different transport investment decisions.

The Social Cost of Automobility, Cycling and Walking in the European Union