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Sustainability of HSR as a mass transportation mode in terms of efficient use of natural resources

Figure 3.2 shows that the road network takes most of the total land used by transport infrastructure,
and it occupies 93% of the total land used by transport infrastructure when railways occupies
around 4% and the rest is occupied by airports and inland water transport. With the increasing
population and growth in global mobility, it was predicted that by 2050 there will be a need to
build around 25 million lane-kilometres roads and 335 000 rail track kilometres. It will increase
the built surface area between 250 000 km² and 350 00 km². It is approximately the size of
Germany and UK combined that will be needed to build the new transport infrastructures
(Dulac, 2013).
The shift of travel from roads to railways can reduce the amount of land that is needed to build
new transport infrastructures. The network of HSR in the next 10 years will increase slightly,
and most of it will be in countries that have developed HSR network already. There was a
plan to build 14 000km of HSR in countries such as Iran, Morocco, Turkey, Argentina, and USA.
However, with the present political and economic circumstances, it is questionable that these
countries will build HSR.

HSR in France, LGV Bretagne Pays de la Loire are responsible for 2,300ha of taken land but Paris
CDG airport had taken 3,200ha of land. When comparing the land that has been taken by HSR
and airports, there is a need to bear in mind the indirect amount of land that has been taken
by aviation and this number is very significant (Jehanno, et.al., 2011e). For example, Schiphol
airport in Nederland has 26.8 km² land in direct use and 222.8 km² for indirect uses (Koetse,
et.al., 2001). HSR can carry 12,000 passengers per hour per track, whereas a single line highway
carries 2,250 passenger cars per hour and HSR is approximately 5-6 times more efficient than
road transport in terms of land use (Agarwal, 2011). Building HSR will need more land take than
that required to build conventional line as HSR needs to allow greater distances between the
railway tracks. The reason for this is the pressure caused when two trains pass each other with
a speed of 250-350 km/h. Also, HSR requires larger radius curves than conventional rail.

Table 3.1 Comparison of land-use for different types of transport infrastructure

Means of transport Type Average width Surface occupied in ha

Railway Conventional 2 tracks 26 m 2.6 ha

Upgraded TGV line 32 m 3.2 ha

New TGV line 35 m 3.5 ha
Road Motorway 2x2 lanes 54 m 5.4 ha

Motorway 2x3 lanes 60 m 6.0 ha

Motorway 2x4 lanes 72 m 7.2 ha

Source: (Publications.naturalengland.org.uk, 2011)

Table 3.1 represents the difference in land occupied by different transport infrastructures.
Land-use policies can be an effective tool to encourage shift to a more environmentally friendly
mode of transport and can influence traffic volumes and behaviour. By building new residential
areas close to railway stations or by building new stations close to residential areas, there
can be an increase use of public transport. Urbanisation will make closer places to work,
live and relax. Land-use policies can contribute to conservation of open spaces for further
generations. “Reducing the land requirements for road transport is central to the achievement
of sustainability and quality of life”, (Whitelegg 1994).

International Congress on High-speed Rail: Technologies and Long Term Impacts - Ciudad Real (Spain) - 25th anniversary Madrid-Sevilla corridor 395