In October 1973 the Arab members of OPEC imposed an oil embargo on states supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War, and over 1973–74 the price of crude roughly quadrupled. Industrial economies faced fuel shortages, petrol rationing and queues, alongside the onset of 'stagflation', combining stagnation with high inflation. Governments responded with conservation measures, speed limits and investment in energy efficiency and alternative supplies. The shock exposed the dependence of Western economies on cheap imported oil.
It ended the era of cheap-energy postwar growth and prompted early questioning of car-dependent, energy-intensive suburban development. Concerns about fuel security fed lasting interest in public transport, density and energy-conscious planning.