The UK population will reach 70 million by 2027. How will all these people get around? Is building more, wider roads really the solution?

If you've ever studied, worked in or used transport, there's a good chance you'll have stopped one day and asked yourself 'why?'. With population numbers rising and more than three-quarters of the British population living in urban areas, cities are becoming congested - and the air increasingly stinky!

In Volume 1 of Urban Transport without the hot air, transport and planning specialist Steve Melia dispels long-standing myths surrounding transportation issues in the United Kingdom. From car ownership, public transport and cycling to airports and the belief that we're building too many flats, he discusses the challenges and values of urban planning.

This is also a practical book filled with sustainable solutions to improve the future of our transport system. By drawing on the experience of London, Bristol, Cambridge and other European towns, Steve argues that we can create cleaner and more pleasant places to live, and a more sustainable economy. It also includes evidence from both Steve's research, and studies carried out by respected academics and experts, providing reliable and informative insights on urban living.

Persuasive and accessibly written, and is a must-read for anyone interested or involved in transport and urban planning.

Dr Steve Melia lectures in transport and planning at the University of the West of England, Bristol. He has advised two government departments on how to achieve more sustainable transport and helped with the transport planning of the London Olympic Park. The ideas in this book began while cycling 5,000 miles across three summers and seven European countries, studying cities making progress on transport problems and improving the urban environment.

Everyone is a transport user, and most of us live in towns or cities, but how much of what we take for granted about transport is true? This book looks at the current situation of transport in UK cities and considers how we can get ease congestion and move toward a more sustainable future. Accessibly written, Urban Transport without the hot air looks past the misconceptions that surround town planning and development, using the evidence of cities in Britain and Europe. Steve Melia not only reveals surprising conclusions about our urban environments, he also suggests a way forward that can not only ease the traffic in our streets, but can also create cleaner, more pleasant places to live. Not only a realistic view of transport on a city-wide basis, it also answers the crucial question of 'what can I do?'.