Intelligent transport helps reduce air pollution, save fuel: Urban economy official

President of Iran Urban Economics Scientific Association (IUESA) Hossein Mohammadpour Zarandi made the remarks while addressing a local meeting in Tehran.

Explaining challenges facing urban transport infrastructures, Zarandi said that transport and traffic are related to all pillars of urban life.

He added that areas such as leisure time, education, business, production and industry require sustainable transport.

Noting that proper transport is one of the pillars of sustainable development, he added most problems facing cities and quality of urban life are associated with transport as air pollution is main challenge of our metropolises.

Considering waste of resources as one of the other deficiencies of unsustainable transport systems in cities, he further said this amount is so that its impact can be measured on economic growth in the country.

Noting that development of satellite cities near metropolises has made urban transport more important, Zarandi said nearly 400 thousand automobiles are added to Tehran streets.

He stressed that the only solution to the problem of transport is intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

Infrastructures of Tehran metropolis are at standard level, but infrastructure development cannot meet challenges of this area alone, the official noted.

Regarding ITS as one of the main solutions to improve urban transport, he said that the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are advanced applications aim to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks. They are considered a part of the Internet of things resulting in cost reduction.

The use of ITS would lead to saving in energy and time as well as increasing safety, and reducing accidents, Zarandi said.

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