[sustran] SUSTRAN News Flash #27

[Paul Barter]

Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia and the Pacific (SUSTRAN)
c/o Asia Pacific 2000, P.O. Box 12544, 50782 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603 2559122 ext 2240, Fax: +603 253 2361.
E-mail: <tkpb at barter.pc.my> or <umpap at po.jaring.my>.

SUSTRAN News Flash #27                                          7 October, 1997

 CONTENTS
1.  Bangkok mass transit/highway project cancelled.
2.  Malaysian Minister dismisses latex dust issue.
3.  Vietnam highway update.
4.  Gender and transport research program.
5.  Sustran-discuss e-mail discussion list reminder.
6.  Call for Urban Best Practices nominations.
7.  Phuket built heritage threatened by road widening.
8.  New central and eastern European road-fighting coalition.
9.  New resources.
10. Events.
11. Quick facts.

1. BANGKOK MASS TRANSIT/HIGHWAY PROJECT CANCELLED
Citing massive cost overruns and delays the Thai government has cancelled
Hopewell Holdings' Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System (BERTS). As of
March, only 17.4 % of the first phase of the project had been completed.
Hopewell Chairman and Managing Director, Gordon Wu, had told the Transport
Minister on July 18 that the first phase would not be ready for the
December 1998 Asian games as originally planned. The Government blamed
Hopewell's failure to find sufficient financing while Wu blamed red tape
within the many departments of the Thai administration. The collapse of
property prices and the sharp devaluation of the Thai currency had been
further blows to the project's prospects, especially as its viability
depended upon the revenues from real estate developments around the system.
The Government and Hopewell also disagree on how much has already been
spent on the project. It is not yet clear if there is any hope for a new
investors to take on the project later. [Sources: various newspaper reports
and 'Railway Gazette International', Sept. 1997, p.613]

2.  MALAYSIAN MINISTER DISMISSES LATEX DUST ISSUE
Recent research has suggested that non-tailpipe particulate pollution from
motor vehicles may be significant, including dust from brake, pads, tyres,
etc. References (thanks to Todd Litman) include: Brock Williams, et al.,
"Latex Allergen in Respirable Particulate Air Pollution," Journal of
Allergy Clinical Immunology, Vol. 95, 1995, pp. 88-95; and Seaton, et al.,
"Particulate Air Pollution and Acute Health Effects," The Lancet, Vol. 345,
Jan. 21, 1995, pp. 176-178. Latex dust from vehicle tyres has been claimed
to be particularly worrisome. However, the Malaysian Ministry of Primary
Industries smells a conspiracy here. Malaysia is one of world's largest
producers of natural rubber and rubber products. The Minister, Mr LIM Keng
Yaik, was quoted recently as saying that claims that dust from natural
rubber tyres could cause allergies and the ban on powdered latex gloves in
some American states were "over-reactions of extreme absurdity." He said
the allegations were aimed at driving Malaysian products out of the market.
He acknowledged that allergic reactions could cause irritation to certain
individuals but said, "we are extremely concerned with the sweeping
conclusions made which are not supported by data." [Source: The Star
newspaper, 30 Sept. 1997, p.10].

3. VIETNAM HIGHWAY UPDATE
SUSTRAN News Flash #22 (1 May, 1997) mentioned the proposal for the Truong
Son Road Highway to follow the war-time Ho Chi Minh trail along Vietnam's
mountainous spine. Now it has been reported by AFP news service (citing the
Vietnam News Agency) that just before leaving office last month, Prime
Minister Vo Van Kiet approved the masterplan to build the US$5.2 billion,
1,800 km long road by the year 2010. It was also reported that a "free"
labour force of up to one million Vietnamese will be mobilised for
construction. Locals will be asked to work for 10 days on the project or
contribute money instead.

4. GENDER AND TRANSPORT RESEARCH PROGRAM
The International Forum for Rural Transport and Development is coordinating
an international research program on gender and transport. The aim is to
carry out gender analyses of the impact of transport and non-transport
interventions that have helped overcome the access and mobility constraints
of rural people. Eleven case studies have so far been identified in Asia
and IFRTD hopes to have an initial meeting of researchers in Calcutta in
November. [Contact: IFRTD Secretariat, New Premier House, 150 Southampton
Row, 2nd Floor, London WC1B 5AL, UK. Tel: +44 171 278 3670, Fax: +44 171
278 6880, e-mail: <ifrtd at gn.apc.org>, URL: http://www.gn.apc.org/ifrtd].

5. SUSTRAN-DISCUSS E-MAIL DISCUSSION LIST REMINDER
This is a reminder about the 'sustran-discuss' list for those who have not
already tried it. It is an interactive forum (using e-mail) for news,
announcements, asking questions and discussions on sustainable and
people-centred transportation issues, especially in low and middle-income
countries. At the moment about 140 people are subscribed. Topics of
discussion since May have included: poverty alleviation and basic mobility;
motorcycles in Asian cities; debate over public transport regulation;
public transport profitability; pedal rickshaws in Indonesia. In addition,
people ask questions or ask for help and there are frequent announcements
of events and new resources.

There are TWO OPTIONS. You can join either the ORDINARY list or the DIGEST
list. In the ordinary list you receive individual messages from the list.
In the digest version, messages get compiled together into one long message
every day or two.
        To subscribe to the sustran-discuss list, send a message to:
<majordomo at jca.ax.apc.org> with the BODY of the message being: subscribe
sustran-discuss
        OR to subscribe to the DIGEST version of the list, send a message
to <majordomo at jca.ax.apc.org> with the BODY  of the message being:
subscribe sustran-discuss-digest

6. CALL FOR URBAN BEST PRACTICES NOMINATIONS
The Best Practices Initiative began as a world-wide search for human
settlements success stories as an action and planning tool for the June
1996 Habitat II conference. Best Practices are initiatives which have
resulted in tangible improvements in the quality of life and the living
environment of people in a sustainable way. There will be a new round of
Awards for Excellence in Improving the Living Environment in 1998, valued
at US$ 30,000. The submission process is open to ALL ACTORS FROM ALL
GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS. A detailed list of criteria for a Best Practice and a
comprehensive Reporting Format are available from the following addresses
or on the Human Settlements website: http://www.hsd.ait.ac.th.

The deadline for First-Stage Submissions is 1 January 1998. Submissions may
be sent to: UNCHS (Habitat), Best Practices Programme, P.O. Box 30030,
Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: (254 2) 624328  Fax: (254 2) 624328/624266-7. Email:
<bestpractices at unchs.org>. Submissions from the Asia and Pacific region may
be sent to: Prof. Yap Kioe Sheng, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), P.O.
Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120 Thailand. Fax: (662) 5246132.
Email: <yapks at ait.ac.th>.

7. PHUKET BUILT HERITAGE THREATENED BY ROAD WIDENING
Phuket old town in southern Thailand has highly significant vernacular
heritage with a concentration of 80 to 100 year-old shophouses built in a
Chinese style blended with Portuguese influences. The character of the
district is threatened by the 1990 designation of the area as a 'high
density commercial zone' where narrow roads are to be widened. New
buildings are required to be set back behind the current building line, in
order to reserve land for future expropriation. This is creating an ugly
bump-and-dent street facade. Heritage advocates object that the road
widening proposal is in any case, extremely impractical. Since 1994 local
people, NGOs and consultants have been successfully lobbying the municipal
government to enact a conservation programme for the area. [Source: AWPNUC
Newsletter, Vol 4, No. 2, 1997. Asia & West Pacific Network for Urban
Conservation, c/o Penang Heritage Trust, 19 Kelawei Road, 10250 Penang,
Malaysia. Tel/Fax: +60 4 226 1358, E-mail: <lubisksn at tm.net.my>].

8. NEW CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN ROAD-FIGHTING COALITION
A new coalition of NGOs has emerged to oppose many of the new highway
proposals in central and eastern Europe. The group is called 'Ecotendencee'
(Environmental coalition opposing trans-European networks destroying
environment and nature in central and eastern Europe {!!!} ). The group is
holding a plenary meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia on 11-12 November. One of
its main aims is to pass on experience of successful anti-road campaigning
in western Europe to regions to the east. [Contact: Ewout van der Weij;
Mileaukontakt Oost-Europa, fax: +31 20 639 1379;  source: T&E Bulletin, No.
61, August 1997, T&E, Bd de Waterloo 34, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium. Fax: +32
2 502 9909, e-mail: tande at knooppunt.be>. NOTE: this is a NEW postal address
for T&E].

9. NEW RESOURCES

a.  "Annotated Bibliography on Rural Transport"
(Edited by Niklas Sieber, 1997, International Forum for Rural Transport and
Development, ISBN 1 85339 418 1). The Secretariat of IFRTD has compiled an
excellent annotated bibliography of more than 120 of the most important
documents on rural transport. It is organised into topics: rural transport
infrastructure; intermediate means of transport; animal power; rural
transport services; rural transport planning; financial and institutional
issues; transport and development; gender and transport; miscellanea; and
promotional material. It also includes information on where to get the
documents, including unpublished material. [Contact: IT Publications,
103-105 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4HH, UK. Tel: +44 171 436 9761, Fax:
+44 171 436 2013, or the IFRTD Secretariat - see item on Gender and
Transport above].

b.  South Cycling Studies
The Synthesis Report of the I-ce project "Cycling and Bicycle Theft" (or
"Transporte en Bicicleta y Prevencion del Robo") by Geetam Tiwari and
Rajeev Saraf of the Indian Institute of Technology is now available in
English or Spanish. In the report major cycling issues have been defined
based on local background studies: LEON, NICARAGUA. by Patricia Lindo and
Ton Daggers; LIMA, PERU. by Carlos Cordero; DELHI, INDIA. by Rajeev Saraf
and Geetam Tiwari; GUANGZHOU, CHINA. by Zhou He-long and Deng Xin-dong;
ACCRA, GHANA. by Andrews Kwablah. A preliminary desk study is also
available: PREVENTION OF BICYCLE THEFT, Dutch experiences and possibilities
for application in Cities of the South, by Jaap Rijnsburger and Ton
Daggers. Price for each report is US$15 including postage. [Contact: Ton
Daggers, fax: +31 30 2512208, E-mail: <daggers at knoware.nl> or Interface for
Cycling Expertise, PO Box 2476, 3500 GL Utrecht, The Netherlands. E-mail:
<I-ce at cycling.nl>].

c. "European Cycle Routes: a report on national and international developments"
This report just published by Sustrans is on the development of long
distance cycle routes in Europe, dealing also with the social and political
background to their development. High-profile cycle projects help the
public to take the bike seriously as a form of transport which can help
overcome the environmental problems caused by over-reliance on the car.
"Sustrans: Routes for People" is a UK-based organisation which designs and
builds traffic-free routes for cyclists, walkers and people with
disabilities. The UK National Cycle network is being created by Sustrans in
partnership with Local Authorities and many other bodies. Please do not
confuse Sustrans with us, the SUSTRAN Network. The similarity of names is
coincidental. The report, along with other Sustrans technical publications,
is available from http://www.sustrans.org.uk.  It costs 10 pounds plus P&P.
[Contact: Philip Insall, 35 King Street, Bristol BS1 4DZ, Fax:+44 117 929
4173, e-mail: <sustrans at mail.sustrans.org.uk>].

10. EVENTS

International Symposium 'Transport and Traffic Facilities for the
Disabled', 2-5 December, Havana, Cuba. Deadline for abstracts was 30 Sept.
1997 but there may be some leeway. [Contact Dr Humberto Valdes Rios,
Apartado Postal 17029, Haban 17, Cuba. Fax: +53 7 338250. E-mail:
<iitransp at ceniai.inf.cu>].

Urban Transportation in Sarawak: Issues and Challenges, 27-28 October 1997,
Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.  Organised by the Sarawak Development Institute
(SDI). [Contact: Dr Daniel Chew, Sarawak Development Institute, Rumah
Laksamana Muda, Jalan Rodway, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Fax: +60 82
412 799, E-mail: <sdi at po.jaring.my>, URL: http://www.sarawak.com.my/sdi/].

Philippines Sustainable Transport Forum (STF) Conference, 6-7 November
1997, Manila.  Organised by the STF, which is a national network of
environmental groups, green transport advocates, academics, transport
planners, consumer advocates and others. [Contact: Ramon Fernan III,
Cycling Advocates (CYCAD), 1563 Pasaje Rosario, Paco 1007 Manila,
Philippines. Tel: +63 2 523-0106 (NOTE: this is new number), E-mail:
<cycad at epic.net>].

UN-ESCAP Committee on Transport and Communications, Bangkok, 1-4 December
1997.  This multilateral meeting accepts accredited NGOs as observers. The
agenda includes: country reports on implementation of the Regional Action
Programme of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in
Asia and the Pacific (country reports will be posted on the Web at
http://www.un.org/depts/escap/); the Asian Highway network and the
Trans-Asia Railway; environment and safety issues; private sector
involvement in infrastructure; and promotion of user-friendly public
transport for people with disabilities. [Contact: Dr M. Rahmatullah,
Director, Transport, Communications and Tourism Division, ESCAP, United
Nations Building, Rajadamneon Nok Aveneue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Fax:
+66 2 288 1371, E-mail: <rahmatullah.unescap at un.org>].

International Conference on Transport and Regional Development (CONTRA-98),
9 - 11 JUNE 1998, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.  Theme:
the prospect of public and private partnership to enhance regional
transportation in developing countries. Organised by the Indonesian
Transport Society and Gadjah Mada University. Abstracts submission are due
by November 15, 1997. [Contact: CONTRA-98 Yogyakarta, c/o Dr. Danang
Parikesit, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Gadjah
Mada University, Yogyakarta, 55281 INDONESIA. Tel: +62 274 902246, 512796,
Fax. +62 274 512796, Email: <dan-dan at indo.net.id>].

International Conference on Transportation into the Next Millennium, 9-11
September 1998, Singapore.   Calling for abstracts by 15 Nov. 1997.
[Contact: Conference Secretariat, Centre for Continuing Education, Nanyang
Technological University, Administration Annex #04-06, Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798. Tel: +65 799 4723, Fax: +65 793 0997, E-mail:
<wwwcts at ntu.edu.sg>, URL: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/cts/conference].

11. QUICK FACTS
About 3 to 4 million tonnes of oil enter the oceans each year. Oil spills
the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster occur somewhere in the world on
average once a year. Even so, 'non-accidental marine transport' (ballast
discharge, washing of tanks, bilge pumping, etc) accounts for twice as much
marine oil pollution as accidental spills. Land-based urban and industrial
sources account for more than four times as much marine oil pollution as
marine accidents. Car exhausts and car oil changes dumped down drains
account for more oil entering the oceans than any other source. [Source:
Greenpeace, 'The Environmental Impact of the Car', 1991, pp. 35-38].

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