From John Whitelegg
Fred Pearce’s article on the Oresund link (“How to build greener bridges”, 21 January) raises important issues for the future development of transport and the environment in Europe. The bridge connecting Malmo and Copenhagen is very bad news indeed because it will generate substantial amounts of extra traffic, the majority of which will be local (an M25 effect).
Both Malmo and Copenhagen will experience a dramatic increase in travel by car and a dramatic relocation of economic activity to take account of the new nodes of high (car) accessibility. This will require substantial amounts of new motorway construction including Malmo northwards to Lund and through the southern suburbs of Copenhagen. The environmental consequences of new motorway construction in southern Sweden will be as dramatic as damage to the Baltic and the stimulation of additional lorry trips will ensure a large increase in health-damaging air pollution.
The Oresund link is a major shift towards non-sustainability and will make both Malmo and Copenhagen less attractive places in which to live and work. The economic impact will be confined to relocation effects. If either city gains it will be at the expense of another location and even then at a very high cost in terms of new greenfield sites, new motorway interchanges and the abandonment of existing sites of economic activity in Malmo and Copenhagen.
Economy, environment and society will suffer in the pursuit of illusory economic goals and mobility for the sake of mobility.
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