Hey everyone, I'd like to invite a discussion about the negative economic impacts of car use in London, Ontario.
The understanding that some folks have in this city concerning the impact of car-dependency on society's economic bottom line is frustrating. I watch the headlines and often read about Londoner after Londoner killed by another car driver, either in a car, bike, or simply a pedestrian. All too often every single one of these events is followed by armchair economists insisting individually driving their 4-person car over hectares of 3.5m wide roads is the most efficient and beneficial use of resources for our city of London, Ontario - subtly suggesting or even outright stating that these deaths are normal, acceptable, and the status quo is preferred (unless they themselves or someone they love has been impacted...)
Here's a recap of the last few months of headlines involving car drivers hitting Londoners with their cars:
https://imgur.com/a/JT1b1d9
alt-text:
| Date | Location | Outcome for Driver | Outcome for Pedestrian | Truncated Headline |
|------------|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
| Jun 22, 2024 | Wellington & Commissioners roads | No consequences | Taken to hospital | Police probe shut... |
| Jun 17, 2024 | Wonderland N & Oxford West | Fled scene | Serious injuries | Pedestrian serio... |
| Jun 4, 2024 | Dundas & Colborne streets | No information | Unknown injuries | Person on electr... |
| Jun 22, 2024 | Sunset Road & Fingal Line, St. Thomas | Fled scene | Killed | Police investiga... |
| Mar 13, 2024 | Adelaide Street bridge near King Street | Remained at scene | Killed | London pedestria... |
| Mar 7, 2024 | Commissioners Road East near Highbury Avenue | Remained at scene | Serious injuries | Roads reopen aft... |
| Jan 24, 2024 | Highway 4 near 14 Mile Road | No information | Killed | Pedestrian kille... |
| Mar 13, 2024 | Adelaide Street North bridge, south of King | Remained at scene | Killed | Pedestrian dies ... |
| Jan 12, 2024 | Veterans Memorial Parkway, north of Hamilton | Remained at scene | Life-threatening | Pedestrian fight... |
| Nov 13, 2023 | Adelaide Street North and Glenora Drive | Remained at scene | Killed | Pedestrian kille... |
As someone who bikes regularly to their job, allowing my partner to drive my car to work enables us to be a 1-car family, thus saving at least $350/month, which is an extra $4,200 in disposable income we spend at local businesses. Culturally, I know for a fact that if I'm the one in the headlines next, the very same folks will come out to make the same comments that, at best, stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of how civil finance and walkability interact to effect the average London taxpayer.
Let's break down the real economic impact of car dependency in London:
1. Cars Hurt the Economy by Killing Londoners
• Each life lost represents a significant economic blow to our city. These aren't just statistics; they're taxpayers, workers, family members, and consumers, removed from our local economy.
• For instance, if we conservatively estimate each person's economic activity at $50,000 per year, losing at least four citizens annually (as we do in London apparently) equates to a $200,000 annual loss to our economy.
• The ripple effect on families is substantial. Any income earner's death can cripple a family's finances, increase reliance on deficit-facing services like mental health care, and reducing overall economic productivity of the entire family.
2. Cars Hurt the Economy by Reducing Business Traffic
• Our obsession with parking has turned vibrant areas like our downtown area into concrete slabs of road and parking. Just look at the difference between the Victoria Park area, the foot traffic those businesses have, and then look merely four blocks south to the parking lots surrounding London's train station – which area generates more economic activity per square foot?
• Studies show that walkable cities have higher property values and more successful businesses, which leads to higher city revenue for services like road maintenance and traffic enforcement. For example, a study by the City of Toronto found that pedestrian-friendly areas saw 40% lower commercial vacancy rates compared to car-centric areas.
• The land used for downtown parking, especially parking lots adjacent to the Bus Rapid Transit stops, is an objectively poor economic use of the space. One might even find several locations downtown where a parking spot may generate less revenue than a mature tree in the same spot - the knock-on effects of shade, walkability, air quality, street traffic, would replace what the square footage a parking spot would earn in annual revenue.
3. Car Dependency Diminishes Livability and Societal Health
• The "loneliness epidemic" isn't just a social issue; it's an economic one. Isolated people are less productive and more likely to require mental health services. Walkable areas are more social, and high sociality is directly linked to happiness - and happy citizens are more productive citizens (since we don't value happiness outright in Canada ~gestures angrily around at everything~).
• Noise pollution from traffic isn't just annoying – it's linked to decreased property values and increased health care costs. The WHO estimates that traffic noise in Western Europe alone costs society at least €40 billion per year. Our downtown is dead quiet at times when there's no cars driving by, but in contrast - Frank & Furter's patio on King's absolutely sucks with the amount of motor exhaust settling onto your plate. Barney's consistently has motorcycles intentionally ripping away from their patio too.
• Air pollution from cars contributes to health issues, increasing healthcare costs and reducing productivity. The Canadian Medical Association estimated that air pollution costs Canada $8 billion annually in health care expenses.
• Car dependency disproportionately affects our most vulnerable citizens. Those who can't afford or are unable to drive a car face significant barriers to employment, healthcare, and social participation.
No one's suggesting to ban anything in a hyperbolic manner, though we should make the realization that in later decades every single Londoner will benefit from "severe" policies like congestion taxes, for those insisting not to use the (if-ever-practical) rapid transit system downtown. Every Londoner would economically benefit from a mental shift in our infrastructure planning towards a city with less cars. This means:
• Investing in protected bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure by reducing 4-lane roads to 2-lane roads. (Candidates like York St., Richmond St.)
• Improving public transit frequency, coverage, and holding fares against inflation for several years
• Review each parking spot in the downtown core, first removing city on-street parking spots, whilst changing policy to discourage private surface lots.
• Enable trees to be planted immediately next to roadways, granted things like utilities enable.
By making these changes, we can create a London that's not only more economically vibrant but also safer, healthier, and more financially accessible for working class families.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel like London is shifting in a better or worse direction in this sense?
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