The smart way to reduce congestion

LONDON : February 4, 2009 - smart, the iconic automotive brand, has suggested an alternative way to reduce congestion in London, as a response to the Mayor’s ‘Way To Go’ document’.


If more people drove smart, there would be a reduction in traffic congestion, which has been proved in a report by independent consultants.

Capita Symonds carried out comprehensive field tests on the effect of driving small cars, like the smart fortwo, on traffic congestion, compared to conventional sized cars. The results showed that three smart fortwo can pass through a set of traffic lights in the same time as two average sized cars. In the same way as rush hour traffic levels reduce during school holidays, a similar effect could be obtained through the year if there was a significant increase in the proportion of smarts on the road.

The resulting report by Capita Symonds has been sent to City Hall.

The ‘Way To Go’ document is a precursor to the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and discusses a variety of transport issues, including how congestion could be reduced to improve the free flow of traffic in the Capital.

Peter Mynors, FICE FIHT, Consultant with the Transport Planning Department of Capita Symonds, said: “smart was the only car brand widely available that met the criteria of being short in length, with a small engine, and sufficiently comfortable to be a credible vehicle for company fleets or commuters.”

Mynors continued: “The average car occupancy for journeys to work in the UK is 1.2 persons* and most commuters carry only minimal luggage. In cars with four seats this means that half the vehicle on commuter journeys is ‘dead space’. With more households owning more than one car, it makes sense for one of these cars to have two seats rather than four.”

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz UK, commented: “We’ve suggested to the Mayor that he could improve traffic congestion in London by encouraging the use of space-efficient cars, like the smart fortwo. The fortwo’s exceptional fuel economy, reduced CO2 emissions and the fact you can park two smarts in the space of one regular car, can only be positive news for the Capital.”

The smart range of cars starts from £6,912.44 on-the-road and is available through The Mercedes-Benz Retail network.

[Source : smart]