In this extension of the 1999 project (with the same title) we were able to go beyond the initial derivation of external costs of land-based passenger transport, particularly of the costs of pollution, the overall aim being an assessment as to what extent the quantification and internalisation of external costs may imply sustainable development in passenger transport. Accordingly, a first of the subsequent examinations had to address whether and in which cases this relationship may not hold. Moreover, in search of a generally applicable and consistent sustainibility strategy in the area of passenger transport concrete proposals were discussed.
Indeed, much theoretical knowledge has beeen achieved in terms of the identification, evaluation, and internalisation of motorised transport´s external costs, with little need for further research. Concerning consequent derivation and operationalisation of sustainability goals in the area of passenger transport has, however, largely omitted the use economic tools fitted to the analysis and internalisation of external costs. Thus a special challenge arose from the according theoretical integration.
Seeking comparison with ex ante derived sustainability goals the procedure took into account the effects from internalisation of the external costs. In doing so, relevant measures were analysed towards both their economic as well as ecological efficiency.