Evaluering af Trafik- og Miljøpuljen 1992-1995 English SummaryPLS Consult has in co-operation with Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, Aalborg University, carried out an evaluation of the Traffic and Environmental Pool for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) in the spring and summer of 1998. This chapter summarises the conclusions of the evaluation of the Traffic and Environmental Pool. Purpose of the Traffic and Environmental Pool The purpose of the Traffic and Environmental Pool was to support the implementation of local action plans for traffic and the environment to be elaborated by major municipalities as part of the municipal planning. The action plans were to contain specific measures aiming at reducing the environmental impact of traffic in the cities, including promotion of road safety. The measures could, for instance, include a reduction of the amount and speed of cars or promotion of bicycle transport and public transport insofar as this would have a positive environmental impact. The underlying principles of this policy aim were twofold: One that the pool had to contribute to a strengthening of the overall planning - including, particularly, promotion of a holistic view on the traffic work. Hence, the pool would get a special planning focus. The other principle was a wish to initiate a number of projects as quickly as possible. Overall evaluation of the Traffic and Environmental Pool An overall evaluation of the Traffic and Environmental Pool shows that the pool has achieved its objectives in some areas whereas others still require some effort until the objectives can be considered satisfactorily fulfilled. This conclusion is based on a weighing of the results within the main areas of the pool. Geographical coverage It is a very satisfactory result that the pool has large geographical coverage as the major part of the municipalities in the target group are included and have initiated considerable work on the action plans. The DKK150 mill. in the pool has been allocated to 51 municipalities in the period of 1992-95. This has resulted in the elaboration of 50 local action plans for traffic and the environment and execution of 136 projects at a total project cost of DKK575 mill. The action plans gave rise to preparation and execution of a total of 1,341 projects, including the directly supported projects, at a total project cost of DKK2,150 mill. Of these projects, 25% have already been implemented - or are under implementation - irrespective of the fact that the time frame for the plans extends to the year 2010. Hence, the degree of implementation is satisfactory. Project promoting impact The pool has also demonstrated a satisfactory project promoting impact - but not a marked one - promoting projects other than those supported by the pool. Impact on the political agenda Moreover, the pool has contributed to putting traffic and environmental matters on the political agenda in the municipalities. Consequently, 23 municipalities state that the problems of the Traffic and Environmental Pool are to a greater extent than before the elaboration of the action plans included in the day-to-day local political work. This is a satisfactory result of the pool. Impact on administrative capabilities The same can be concluded for the contribution of the pool to the strengthening of the municipal administrative capabilities. Here, 32 municipalities state that the capabilities of the staff within technical and methodological areas have been enhanced as a consequence of the pool whereas 17 municipalities state that the capabilities within long-term planning have been strengthened. In conclusion, this is deemed satisfactory, even though it would have been desirable if the capabilities of the staff within, particularly, long-term planning in a larger number of the municipalities had been enhanced. Documented environmental impacts The results as expressed in documented and realised environmental impacts of the pool supported projects within the six central parameters are more diversified (cf. table 2.21 in chapter 2). Increased road safety is the parameter which is the primary objective of most of the projects, i.e. 120 out of 136. Of these 120 projects up to 55 have documented a positive impact. 65 projects out of 136 had noise reduction as an objective, but none of these have documented impacts. Reduction of energy consumption was an objective of 21 out of 136 projects. Of these, 9 and 10 projects, respectively - depending on the sub-parameter - have brought about documented positive results. Reduction of air pollution was an objective of 23 out of 136 projects. Of these, 1, 7 and 9 projects, respectively - depending on the sub-parameter - have brought about positive, documented results. From a subjective point of view made by the municipalities, 37 out of 55 projects have contributed to an improvement of the visual environment. 67 out of the 136 projects had improvement of the visual environmental as an objective. Likewise, from a subjective point of view made by the municipalities, 34 out of 70 projects achieved a positive impact in terms of reduction of barrier impacts. 62 out of the 136 projects had reduction of the barrier impacts as an objective. In conclusion, the documented environmental impacts are less satisfactory, although the actual results of the pool cannot be said to be less satisfactory. In this relation, it cannot be excluded that the projects have in fact had more positive environmental impacts. However, they cannot be documented due to an inadequate data basis, which in itself - seen from an evaluation point of view - is dissatisfactory. Community participation Finally, it can be concluded that the contribution of the pool to an increased community participation has been less satisfactory. To a great extent, a traditional approach rather than a community participation approach has been applied - but the municipalities are on the right track. Increased community participation has not been the explicit objective of the Traffic and Environmental Pool, but yet the municipalities seem to have succeeded in involving the citizens in the planning work to a greater extent than usually witnessed within the field of traffic, which is, naturally, satisfactory. Administration of the pool In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the DEPA administration of the pool has been very satisfactory. The general administration and case processing have on all parameters been very positively evaluated by the project managers, irrespective of the fact that insufficient funds were allocated for that specific purpose in the DEPA. Therefore, the results of the pool could - probably - have been even more satisfactory if the administration had been accompanied by resources for active support and follow-up on the work performed in the municipalities.
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