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The instability and high prices of energy supply should be given ample
thought in future, and promotion of measures for energy saving in transport
has become essential, in parallel with conversion of Japanese economy to the
energysaving-type industrial structure and fuel saving on the part of the household
sector.
It should be borne in mind, however, that in promoting measures for energy
saving in transport, they should be examined in relation to the exterior restraining
factors which transport is now facing--such as environmental problems, labor
force problems, and traffic space problems. Especially those problems which
are conflicting between themselves should be given careful consideration.
1) Conversion to Transport Methods Having Higher Energy Efficiency
As for energy saving measures in the transport sector, it is necessary to
convert existing transport means to those which have higher energy efficiency.
In goods transport, it is desirable to absorb long-haul lorry transport
gradually into railways and domestic marine transport, actively promoting combined
transport and special transport for special materials with the aid of containerization
and palletization.
Especially, the energy efficiency of privately owned lorries has become
two to three times inferior to that of lorries owned by common carriers, and
the loading efficiency of privately owned lorries also has become about 20 per
cent worse than that of lorries owned by common carriers. It is necessary, therefore,
to promote increased rationalization and efficiency in lorry transport by actively
utilizing common collection and delivery of goods, while taking into consideration
advantages inherent in privately owned lorries.
In passenger transport, privately owned passenger cars are very low in energy
efficiency and greatly contribute to the adverse effect exercised upon environments
and traffic congestion in cities.
For this reason, it is necessary to promote more active use of public transport
systems such as railways and buses and to encourage the efficient use of taxi-cab
with many passenger groups, so that passengers of privately owned cars can be
absorbed to public transport system.
When promoting the conversion of transport means it will be necessary to
promote the implementation of energy-saving-type transport system, after carefully
examining such problems as the quality of transport services and the preference
of passengers in addition to the external restricting causes such as environmental
problems which were mentioned earlier.
2) Improvement in Energy Efficiency of Various Transport Sectors
In case of automobiles, improvement in energy efficiency can be expected
from the following measures: To promote technical improvements on the power
source and on the construction of automobiles, to take up easily applicable
traffic measures such as maintenance of proper speeds and avoidance of sudden
acceleration and sudden stop, and to introduce a wide-area traffic control system
in which traffic signals are re-arranged to maintain the continuity of the traffic
flow.
In case of rairways, efficient utilization of energy by employing regenerative
braking and reduction in weight of the rolling stock are desired.
Beside the accumulation of efforts in improving the energy efficiency in
transport facilities, it is required, as a long-term measure of improvement,
to achieve an increase in the utilization ratio of energy other than petroleum.
Such a requirement has motivated worldwide promotion of development and utilization
projects of various kinds of energy. Out of these projects, nuclear powered
vessels, together with atomic power generation, are most promissing for practical
application. In Japan, however, the nuclear powered vessels project was temporarily
suspended at the experimental stage, because radiation leaks occurred at the
time of inspection. In future, this project of practical applica tion of nuclear
powered vessels should be re-opened after safety is ensured and environment
assessment is rigorously carried out.
3) Promotion of Transport Saving
As one of the measures for saving energy, it would be necessary to promote
the transport saving system by controlling the volume of transport itself.
To achieve this, it would be essential to carry out the innovation of the
distribution structure--including the association of a number of business enterprises
by overriding the framework of individual enterprises and also changes in oldfashioned
business usage--and to drive home into the consumer's mind the fact that too
fine terminal delivery service will cost high.
As short-term measures, reorganization of various transport sectors and
adoption of a common collection and delivery system could eliminate a con siderable
volume of crossing or duplicating transport. It has also become necessary to
promote the transport information system which can correctly grasp the transport
demand and achieve efficient utilization of transport supplying capacity.
Beside the necessity of promoting the energy-saving-type transport system
as outlined above, it would also become necessary to consolidate systems for
coping with emergencies and to improve and expand the merchant fleet of Japan.
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