[sustran] SUSTRAN News Flash #26

[Paul Barter]

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

SUSTRAN NEWS FLASH #26
12 September 1997

CONTENTS
1.  Expanding our contacts list
2.  Report slams Trans-Israel Highway plan
3.  Calcutta rickshaw ban
4.  Developing countries curbing global warming gas emissions
5.  CANSEA training workshop
6.  Save Bombay committee on transport in Mumbai/Bombay
7.  Proposed APEC virtual centre on transport research and education
8.  Seoul congestion pricing success
9.  Malaysian Highland Highway Shelved
10. Resources
11. Quick facts.

We rely on you, the participants in the network, for our news. Thank you to
everyone who has sent material. We welcome news, comments and announcements
from all over the world. SUSTRAN News Flashes go to more than three hundred
NGOs, academics, government officials, staff of international
organisations, and interested individuals all over the world.

1.  EXPANDING OUR CONTACTS LIST
We in the SUSTRAN Secretariat are eager to expand our list of contacts. Do
you currently forward our material to anyone else? If so, please let us
know and we can add them directly to our list. Any other suggestions of
organisations or individuals for the SUSTRAN Network's mailing list would
be most welcome. Please send contact details. This will also assist us in
preparing a contacts directory for the region.
        Of course, we would like to know of any transport-related
organisations in Asia or the Pacific. In addition, we are also keen to make
contact with many other kinds of organisations, including:
transport-related research organisations or individuals, environmental
organisations of all kinds; urban resource centres; advocates for various
disadvantaged social groups; housing rights advocates; built heritage
advocates; consumers' organisations; etc.  "Watchdog" organisations, which
monitor aid flows, multi-lateral organisations, and large corporations, are
also relevant to SUSTRAN's mission.

2. REPORT SLAMS TRANS-ISRAEL HIGHWAY PLAN
Israel, like many developing countries, is experiencing rapid motorisation.
The government there recently approved a plan to build a massive (up to 12
lanes) highway through the country. Proponents claim that it will be
self-supporting through tolls and still provide benefits many times higher
than its costs, but a recent study by the Floersheimer Institute challenges
many of the assumptions used to evaluate it.
        The report finds that the project contradicts national
transportation and land use goals and criteria. The cost-benefit analysis
ignored virtually all environmental and social costs, including air
pollution, accident injuries, severance and community disruption, traffic
noise, visual intrusion, and loss of recreational, cultural and heritage
amenities. The benefit-cost analysis ignored the effects of generated
traffic. This significantly overvalues the net benefits of highway capacity
expansion (the report gives an excellent summary of recent research on
generated traffic). Project traffic demand modeling was based on no toll,
but the project is intended to be tolled. The cost of land that will be
used for the highway was calculated based on its restricted use
(agriculture), although its market price would be 10x or more higher. The
highway project was presented to decision makers without any alternatives.
        The Floersheimer report argues that these omissions and distortions
in the analysis have greatly overstated the net benefits of the project,
and that this project (and the lack of support for travel alternatives)
creates a self-fulfilling prophesy of increased motorisation and automobile
dependency.
        [The report is: Yaakov Garb, "The Trans-Israel Highway: Do We Know
Enough To Proceed?", Floersheimer Institute for Policy Studies, Jerusalem,
April 1997. It is available for US$25 from the Floersheimer Institute, 9A
Diskin Street, Jerusalem, 9/6440, Israel; <floerins at actcom.co.il>. Also,
for more information contact the author, Yaacov Garb
<ygarb at cc.huji.ac.il>].

3. CALCUTTA RICKSHAW BAN
The State of West Bengal has announced that it intends to ban cycle
rickshaws, hand-pulled rickshaws and hand-pulled carts in a wide area of
central Calcutta. In addition, the Japan International Co-operation Agency
(JICA) has proposed and arranged financing for six new flyovers to "relieve
congestion" at crowded intersections. The Government also intends to close
a number of sections of tram route which traverse congested streets.
        All of this can be summarised as the exact opposite of sustainable
transport. This lurch in the direction of a Western model of development
deprives many of the poorest of their livelihood and adds to the pollution
for those who spend most of their time on the streets. The abolition of
cycle rickshaws and hand-pulled carts would add about another 200,000 to
the ranks of those without income and livelihood. Calcutta has an excellent
tram system which is starved of funds and carries only 20% of the
passengers that it is capable of, with zero pollution. Calcutta's tram,
metro and waterway possibilities make it potentially one of the most
sustainable cities in the world. Calcutta could become a role model for the
rest of the world, but it is about to become the latest victim of
motorisation and the destruction of architecture, heritage and culture.
        [Source: Extracted from an article "Rickshaws Banned in Calcutta",
by John Whitelegg, in Auto Free Times, Issue #12, Late Summer 1997, p. 40.
Contacts: John Whitelegg: <j.whitelegg at lancaster.ac.uk>; Auto Free Times:
c/o Fossil Fuels Policy Action Institute, PO Box 4347, Arcata, CA 95518,
USA. E-mail: <autofree at tide-pool.com>, Web: <www.bikeroute.com/autofree>].
        Postscript: The next issue of the journal World Transport Policy
and Practice (volume 3, no 3) is a special issue on Calcutta with 5
articles written by Calcuttans active in the transport/environment policy
debate there. It will be out in the third week of October. Requests for
subscriptions should go to the subscription manager (Pascal Desmond) at
<pascal at gn.apc.org>.

4. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CURBING GLOBAL WARMING GAS EMISSIONS
A report by the World Resources Institute in Washington, DC, suggests that
developing countries may be doing relatively better than developed
countries in containing their emissions of greenhouse gases. WRI cites
examples including: China's fuel price rises in the 1980s, which led to a
20% reduction of carbon emissions from expected levels; energy efficiency
standards and subsidies for renewable energy in Brazil, Mexico, and India;
and reduced fossil fuel subsidies in 14 major developing countries have led
to lowered rates of carbon emission growth. [Such price rises are not
without controversy, however. Fuel price rises have led to political strife
and/or strikes in India, Bangladesh and the Philippines recently. Ed.].
        [For more information, contact: Shirley Geer, World Resources
Institute, Fax: +1 202 638 0036, e-mail: <media at wri.org>].

5.  CANSEA TRAINING WORKSHOP
The Climate Action Network-Southeast Asia (CANSEA) held a workshop in early
June to train its members to analyse and criticise the "National
Communications" of their respective countries to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change. These national communications
document the national inventories of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse
gases by source. Five participants each from Indonesia, Philippines and
Malaysia attended the workshop. The transport sector was one of the sectors
discussed and one of the resource persons was John Ernst, sustainable
transport program coordinator in the Asia regional office of the
International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) in Bangkok.
[Contact: Gurmit Singh or Rabin Jacob, CANSEA Regional Secretariat, c/o
CETDEM, PO Box 382, 46740 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Tel: +60 3 775 7767,
Fax: + 60 3 775 4039, e-mail: <cetdem at po.jaring.my>].

6. SAVE BOMBAY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT IN MUMBAI/BOMBAY
The World Bank has now withdrawn from the huge Mumbai Urban Transport
Project II (MUTP II), although it says it will consider funding aspects of
the project if it is broken up into smaller projects. The withdrawal has
caused recriminations and soul searching in the city. A coalition of NGOs,
the Save Bombay Committee has become involved in debate over where this
leaves the transport agenda there. In a recent feature article, the group's
president, Kisan Mehta, outlined a number of criticisms and suggestions,
including:
*       criticising existing policies that from national to local level are
targeted towards increasing car ownership;
*       easy finance is denied to buy bicycles but is readily available to
aspiring car owners;
*       the state government charges dismally low levels of vehicle
registration tax (the wheel tax for a Fiat has not risen in 60 years);
*       the government programme to construct 50 flyovers and overbridges
through privatisation is aimed at providing faster movement to the small
number of car owners;
*       the time has come to curb the movement and parking of private cars
in congested areas through measures such as, congestion and area pricing,
higher parking charges (at least to cover the full cost of land and
construction);
*       the proposal for the 36.6 km long Western Relief Road from Searock
Hotel to Dahisar will cause serious environmental degradation and should be
abandoned;
*       the main priority must be to improve public transport and more
efforts must be made to improve bus services.
        [Source:  "MUTP-II: Where do we go from here?" by Kisan Mehta, The
Times of India, Mumbai, Mon. June 23, 1997, p.18 (sent to us by Lakshmi
Menon). [Contacts:  SUSTRAN Participants, SPARC  and YUVA,  are both
members of the Save Bombay Committee.  Sheela Patel, SPARC, PO Box 9389,
Mumbai 400 026, India. Tel. +91 22 3096730, Fax.+91 22 4950505, e-mail:
<admin at sparc.ilbom.ernet.in>;  Nasreen Contractor, YUVA, 8 Gr. Fl. 33/L
Mhatre Bldg., Mugbhat Cross Lane, Mumbai 400 004, India. Tel. +91 22 414
3498/4155250, Fax. +91 22 385 3139, e-mail: <yuva at giasbm01.vsnl.net.in>].

7.  PROPOSED APEC VIRTUAL CENTRE ON TRANSPORT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
Harun Lubis of the Institute of Technology in Bandung is conducting a study
on the formation of an APEC Virtual Centre on Transport Research and
Education, with the objective to share information on the state of the art
in the transport field. They hope first to collect information on existing
transport research and education institutions within the APEC member
countries. Transport-related institutions in APEC countries are being
invited to fill in a questionnaire which is available at:
http://www.sistelindo.net.id/personal/halubis/index.htm.
        The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum) members are
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand and USA.
        [Contact: Harun al-Rasyid S. Lubis, Department of Civil
Engineering, INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132,
Indonesia. Tel/Fax. : +62-22-2502350, e-mail: <vapec at ibm.net>].

8.  SEOUL CONGESTION PRICING SUCCESS
In Seoul...passenger vehicles occupy 65% of all road space, but transport
only 15% of the population. So, from a cost-benefit perspective, it has
been necessary to reduce the use of passenger cars for individual commuting
purposes.
        In November 1996, the city government of Seoul introduced economic
incentive policies regarding traffic and transport demand management. A
particularly effective policy measure has been the congestion charge of
W2,000 (approx. US$2.10) levied on private cars entering two of the Namsan
Tunnels leading to the center of Seoul. This charge is in effect on
weekdays for every vehicle carrying fewer than three people during rush
hours.
        Results of the charge include a reduction of traffic [on the
effected routes?, ed.] by 26%, an increase in average car speed in the
tunnels, and an increase in the use of public transport. The number of
passengers using car pools for more than 3 persons during rush hours has
increased by 76%  [on the effected routes?, ed.]. The feasibility of
introducing a citywide congestion charge in Seoul is under study. More
generally, a system of tolls is being studied to reduce the number of cars
entering heavily congested areas at peak times.
        The Seoul municipal government plans to use the returns from the
Traffic Congestion Charge System to enhance the transport infrastructure as
an incentive for citizens to continue using responsible and sustainable
transport options."
        [Source:  The APEC Clean Cities Web Site which includes useful
contacts and case studies of innovations in improving the environment in
APEC cities. There are a number of transport examples. The item above is a
brief excerpt from the case study on Seoul's Congestion Pricing. The site
address is: http://www.cleancities.com].

9.  MALAYSIAN HIGHLAND HIGHWAY SHELVED
The proposed Highland Highway in Malaysia is opposed by a number of
Malaysian environmental groups and was highlighted in a previous SUSTRAN
news flash (#21, 24 April 1997). The Federal Works Minister announced on
Thursday that the project had been shelved as part of the Government's
effort to cut spending in the economy and restore investor confidence.
However, the Environmental Impact Assessment, which is half completed, is
to continue. Other major projects which have been put on hold include the
Bakun Dam, the Linear City in Kuala Lumpur, and the second phase of the new
administrative centre, Putra Jaya. These decisions are part of the fallout
from the recent currency crisis in Southeast Asia.

10. RESOURCES
a. Mumbai/Bombay Activists' Website
The Mumbai Nagrik Vikas Manch, a citizens' action group, which represents
ten social groups in the city, has launched a website on their fights
against urban decay and the social and environmental effects of major
infrastructure and development projects. Topics include the controversial
proposed new airport at Mandwa-Rewas ("we question why this project is
being pushed through despite low feasibility, gross violation of human
rights, no transparency, with total disregard for the environment and
against all common sense."). [The site address is:
http://www.mafatlal.co.in/guests/MNVM/default.html].

b.  New Book on Transport and Urban Health
"Health at the Crossroads: Transport Policy and Urban Health", edited by
Tony Fletcher and Anthony McMichael is based on the proceedings of the
Fifth Annual Public Health Forum at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine. There are 28 chapters with sections on Pollution and
Health, Traffic and Injury, Wider Public Health, City Case Studies, and
Transport Policies. Contributions of particular relevance to this region
include ones on road safety in the developing world by D. Jacobs of TRL, on
Bangkok in international perspective by Jeff Kenworthy, and on safety in
Delhi by Geetam Tiwari. [Publisher: John Wiley and Sons, Baffins Lane,
Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1UD, UK. Tel. +44 1243 779777, e-mail:
<cs-books at wiley.co.uk>].

c.  Transport Demand Management Examples
"Commuting in the Greenhouse: Automobile Trip Reduction Programs for
Municipal Employees".  This Policy & Practice Manual provides local
governments with advice and examples on Trip Reduction Programs for
employees.  Published by the International Council for Local Environmental
Initiatives in 1996. 33 pages.  US$20.  Along with other transport-related
case studies, this can be ordered through http://www.iclei.org.  [Contact:
ICLEI Secretariat: 8th Floor, East Tower, City Hall, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5H 2N2, Fax: +1 416 392 1478, email: <iclei at iclei.org> or  Matt
Nichols in ICLEI's U.S. Projects Office, within the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign-U.S. <mnichols at iclei.org>].

d.  ESCAP newsletter on Rural Infrastructure
REORIENT is a new newsletter from ESCAP's Transport, Communications and
Tourism Division. It is on Participatory Planning of Rural Infrastructure.
The two editions so far have concentrated on the pilot project in Laos,
which is an initiative of several United Nations and other agencies. There
is also news of a UNDP initiative to provide funding to ESCAP to undertake
best practice studies of "Transport Interventions and Poverty Alleviation"
in five countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the
Philippines). [For more information contact: Nasreen A. Khan, Transport,
Communications and Tourism Division, ESCAP, United Nations Building,
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. E-mail:
<khann.unescap at un.org>]

11.  QUICK FACTS
The production of a typical US car requires more than 50 times its weight
in water. [Source: A.R. Lubis, Coordinator, Water Watch Asia, 120 Armenian
Street, 10200 Penang, Malaysia. Tel: +60 4 262 0123, Fax: +60 4 263 3970,
e-mail: <lubisksn at tm.net.my>].

Former Chrysler Corp chairman, Lee Iacocca, has now started a new company
to develop and market light electric transportation (electric-assisted
bicycles and electric scooters).

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Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the SUSTRAN Secretariat
or of all participants in the network.

The Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia & the Pacific (SUSTRAN)
is dedicated to promoting transport policies and investments which foster
accessibility for all; social equity; ecological sustainability; health and
safety; public participation; and high quality of life.