[sustran] Re: [NewMobility] Finding a win-win strategy for Bogota

Dr. V. S. Pendakur pendakur at interchange.ubc.ca
Mon Aug 13 23:29:22 JST 2001


Hi, Dinesh.  Good point.

We are planning to be in India during November-December 2001.  Tentatively, we
will visit delhi for a few days.  Hope you will be in town and will have a
chance to meet.

Best wishes.  Setty.
----- Original Message -----
From: Dinesh Mohan <dmohan at cbme.iitd.ernet.in>
To: <NewMobility at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>; Lake Sagaris <sagaris at terra.cl>; Oscar
Edmundo Diaz <diazoe at latino.net.co>; <WorldTransport at yahoogroups.com>; Z UTSG
Mailing List - <utsg at jiscmail.ac.uk>; Christian Dunkerley
<c_dunkerley at hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 10:25 PM
Subject: [sustran] Re: [NewMobility] Finding a win-win strategy for Bogota


> I must say that I agree with the spirit behind Eric's observations. All of us
> want clean air. But sometimes we forget that it is human beings (and other
> living organisms) that need the clean air. If some policies harm human beings
> then we have to decide who, when and how. In many less motorised countries the
> most vociferous and influential sustainable development advocates belong to
the
> upper class, and their bias shows:
>
> 1.    They are willing to pass laws to shut down workshops and factories in
> cities, limit traffic, make public transport more expensive (by requiring more
> expensive technonolgy), etc. because they have to breathe the same air as
every
> one else. But hey don't really care if thousands of poorer citizens lose their
> jobs, go hungry or are forced to migrate.
>
> 2.    On the other hand, the same concerned activists rarely demand that every
> one must get clean and bacteria free water in their taps (if and when they get
> it) because the upperclass can afford to buy bottled water.
>
>     From my experience in India, letters to newspapers only represent upper
> class views. Street protests reflect the views of the "other". I am afraid the
> "other " does not see our views as benign. Citizens hearings in Delhi have
> brought ot the fact that some of our clean air  policies have made life
> difficult for hundreds of thousands, many of them have pulled thier children
out
> of school, others have sent their familiesd back to villages, still others are
> forced into prostitution, and so on. They certainly don't believe that we want
a
> better world.
>
> Sustainable transport policies will have to keep human beings in the centre
and
> not just chemically clean air.
>
> Dinesh Mohan
>
>
>
> eric.britton at ecoplan.org wrote:
>
> > * (This note contains the earlier correspondence on the Bogota crisis of the
> > last day's, placed here for those who have not had access to it. For the
> > latest direct, check out http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/. For history, try
> > http://www.ecoplan.org/votebogota2000/.)
> >
> > Dear Lake, Christopher and Group,
> >
> > Thanks for those fine heads-up Christopher and Lake.  Let me run this
> > through you and the others as I understand it.  Since it is quite possible
> > that I am at error in some part if not all of this, it will be with pleasure
> > to hear from you all so that we get this important story in its full and
> > necessary perspective.  And at the same time, we have to be aware that time
> > is very short here if there is anything that we might do to attenuate this
> > situation.
> >
> > 1. Wow!  One does has to wonder about what goes on in the mind of
> > purportedly sentient person in a Third World city who would be prepared to
> > take on the couple of hundred thousand people who work in the private bus
> > and taxi sector.  History is littered with the corpses of those who have
> > tried, whether in Chile, in Colombia itself a decade and a half before
> > Salvador Allende has his face-off with the truckers, or... and the list goes
> > on.
> >
> > 2. We must be careful to keep a balanced perspective on all this.  The
> > transportation and public space accomplishments of the city and its
> > administrators over these last few years have been of a very high levels,
> > and against all the odds.  I think we have given excellent coverage of this
> > here in The Commons, as well as our active, world-level support.  No problem
> > there.  We love Bogota and we love certainly no less the emerging Bogota
> > Model for Third World Cities. But we also need to be very sure that we have
> > the right model, and that as we are seeing is a terrific challenge indeed.
> > Work for which many hands are needed!
> >
> > 3. I would tend to be very careful however about seeing this as an "us"
> > (good TransMilenio, bike paths, walking and pubic spaces, Ciclovías (car
> > free Sundays), and all that other good stuff) and "them" (all those filthy,
> > polluting, half criminal, dangerous and the list goes on vehicles) issue.
> > This is however, I am afraid, the sub-text of what has been going on in
> > Bogota more or less all along- and is on area in which I was in strong
> > opposition with previous administration (but apparently without being
> > vociferous enough about it to make my point).
> >
> > 4. By the way, let's ponder for a moment who's the "them" there.  Let's
> > see -- bearing in mind that these are very rough figures since the actual
> > number of vehicles out there on the streets is subject to all kinds fo real
> > world stuff - we have something like 55,000 taxis and 35,000 or so buses of
> > various types and sizes.  Figure anywhere from 3 to 5 support people (AKA
> > jobs) for each of those vehicles, and we quickly are moving up toward half a
> > million.  Then factor in families of 3, 4 or more dependents?  Hey, that's a
> > pretty big number of people to be playing with.  Working people with no
> > safety net.
> >
> > 5. The point needs to be made about these operators that there is nothing
> > superfluous about the services they are providing.  While they maybe didn't
> > get doctorates in transportation planning from some splendid First World
> > schools, they nonetheless are succeeding in providing services that people
> > want and are willing to pay for - without the great sucking sound of public
> > subsidy.
> >
> > 6. Is this to say that the transport planners and the city do not have a
> > point?  Of course they do -- there are a real set of problems and challenges
> > out there that have to be resolved. There are, for example, a lot of empty
> > buses roaming around once the peak hour traffic has passed, and sure that's
> > a problem. And they are old and pollute in FULL CAPS.  And they run
> > illegally pretty much as they wish.  And and... But there are ways, and
> > there are ways.
> >
> > 7. I for one was looking forward to resolving these dangerous contradictions
> > with careful discussions and well thought out positions before going to bat
> > on this one.  It had been my hope (and I guess it still is) to create a High
> > Level Task Force, whose job it would be to work with, follow and advice the
> > city and all those concerned about their transport-related policies over the
> > 15 year period which has been targeted by the successful October Referendum
> > (which as you ay recall we vociferously and with high profile supported from
> > here).  But months have passed and there is still no Task Force in sight.
> >
> > 8. This next sentence, you either go with or you don't.  In the latter
> > instance, there is surely no reason to read beyond it.
> >
> > 9. The future of transport in Third World cities must (MUST!) take the form
> > of a dynamic, innovative, and patient partnership that brings together "new"
> > concepts such as the TransMilenio, waling and cycling as transport, in
> > parallel with a steady upgrading and INCLUSION of the very large number of
> > people and small groups who today are making their livings and providing
> > needed services in the city.
> >
> > 10. Anything less than that will be a victory for the authoritarian central
> > planners and a defeat for access, efficiency and social justice. The problem
> > with folks who learned everything they know about life in universities and
> > then get nice jobs in administrations or as consultants, is that they very
> > often don't know much about life on the street.  Nor apparently much about
> > concepts such as love, community, responsibilities to family and dignity.
> > And yet these are central issues here.
> >
> > 11. You see, people such as the taxistas and small bus operators have to be
> > seen as OWNING THEIR JOBS, which means that we as advisors or administrators
> > cannot simply take them away from them.  Nor introduce unilateral and large
> > changes in their working environment, without some sort of tit for tat.  And
> > where's the tit for tat in Bogota today?
> >
> > 12. The weakness of the Transmilenio et al plan until now is that it
> > presumes a certain vision of the future of the city which is essentially
> > cloistered, academic and unreal.  It has its strong points, and its weaker
> > points.  And this is probably the weakest of all.
> >
> > 13. What Bogota needs (if I may) is a well thought out network of TMs, cycle
> > paths and the rest, plus draconian parking and private car control
> > limitations plus lots of small vehicles scooting around providing cheap and
> > flexible transportation for people of all economic groups - and lots of good
> > jobs!   The potential for upgrading these private systems is enormous and
> > many sided.
> >
> > 14. And are the people who are the drivers, operators, owners, etc. easy to
> > work with?  You bet they aren't!  Life is tough out there on the street and
> > most of the time they meet a guy in a suit it's because the suited one is
> > going to make things worse for them.  And here, dear friends, we have one
> > more example.
> >
> > 15. I am dead sure that this whole thing can be resolved, but the first step
> > in this process has to be wisdom and not wounded honor.  And it has to be
> > taken by the administration.
> >
> > 16. Mayor Mockus has a terrific opportunity here.  At the same time while
> > backing away from their ill planned (and rotten) idea of extending the Pico
> > y Placa by fiat, he can first declare a hiatus, let the guys get back to
> > work in a normal way, while announcing that the government is now ready to
> > enter into a New Mobility Partnership with the small service providers -
> > with the backing (if it can be done in the needed hurry, if only in
> > principle as a first step) of folks such as the UNDP, WB, IADB and the other
> > usual suspects.. including bilateral aid programs.
> >
> > By doing this they will snatch victory out of the jaws of the defeat which
> > they are sure to meet if they keep playing for the win at all costs.  Hey,
> > this is a great opportunity for them, and for the Bogota Model.  So, what do
> > you have to say about that?  And what can we do with this next?
> >
> > Eric
> >
> > PS.  Incidentally, I have a hard time in agreeing with your criticism, Lake,
> > of El Tiempo's coverage.  Let's not forget they have been consistent
> > supporters of positive transport innovation over these last years, including
> > for the first (and second) award winning Car Free Day.  If they are not
> > lining up behind the planners, does this necessarily mean that they are
> > wrong or mean spirited? I doubt it on both scores. I have checked carefully,
> > including today, and find the coverage quite balanced and fair.
> >
> > = = = = =
> > Letter 1 from Christian Dunkerley from Bogota on Mon 8/6/2001 10:56 PM
> >
> > Dear Eric,
> >
> > I am writing to you from an internet cafe in Bogota... I was caught in the
> > mess on Thursday, and the blockage was massive.  In fact, it was the worst
> > that Bogota has experienced in its entire life.  Most of the main
> > intersections and roads were blocked.  Rich and poor had to walk: there was
> > no other way out.  It was very democratic: everyone was affected. In my
> > case, I had to walk around 6 miles to get back home.  Not even schools or
> > emergency services were spared.
> >
> > The funny thing is that I spent 5 years in a research project at ITS-Leed
> > University studying the impact of road infrastructure closures in
> > Colombia!!! If you want more precise details of the closures(and my
> > publications on this area), I can send them when I get back to the UK... my
> > other email address is cdunkerley at trl.co.uk
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Christian Dunkerley
> > Transport Economist
> > TRL Limited
> >
> > = = = =
> > Letter 2 from Lake Sagaris [sagaris at terra.cl] on Tue 8/7/2001 3:08 PM
> >
> > Hi Eric
> >
> > Patricio and I just got back from Bogota where we spent quite a bit of time
> > with the folks at TransMilenio, Ciclovías, etc. They're doing an amazing
> > job in very difficult conditions. It was quite clear, however, that El
> > Tiempo has taken a very strong editorial line against TransMilenio itself
> > and that there is an enormous and very important debate going on about what
> > should happen with the rest of the transportation system in the city. I'm
> > not sure that you should be so pessimistic -- rather than a "screw up" in
> > Bogota, I'd characterize this as a "Crucial debate" in that it is very
> > important that the positive initiatives taken by authorities past and
> > present be recognized and receive broad and increasingly active support
> > from the citizens. Otherwise, in the conditions (33,000 buses!!!, not to
> > mention taxis, etc.) existing in Bogotá it will be very difficult to expand
> > the benefits of TransMilenio beyond the current 340,000 -- 1 million by
> > years end -- daily passenger trips (this should end up being about 1/7 of
> > those who move by bus, which in turn is 80% of daily commutes).
> >
> > One problem is that authorities in general and in Latin America in
> > particular constantly underestimate the importance of citizens'
> > participation and hence support for their transportation policies. They
> > think they can change the city without the citizens, a deadly assumption.
> >
> > If you look at the letters to the editor section of the same issue of El
> > tiempo which you posted, most of the letters are very sensible and express
> > support for "Pico y Placa" and, in general, the measures being taken by the
> > authorities. There is also widespread approval of TransMilenio, which is
> > also (miracle of miracles!!!) making money, and these are crucial elements
> > to the debate.
> >
> > Anyway, I may be missing something as I haven't read the papers from Bogotá
> > in the past week, but in general we found people on the street were also
> > very happy with TransMilenio. We found it was still being underestimated in
> > the sense of what it could do for local business (same with the Ciclovías)
> > and that is an important gap, but everything takes time and it will surely
> > come eventually.
> >
> > All best
> > Lake
> >
> > PS I'm cc'ing this to you because I suspect the list won't take the new
> > address I'm sending from.
> >
> > At 07:26 AM 07/08/01 +0200, you wrote:
> > >Dear Colleagues,
> > >
> > >I would very much like to have the benefit of your reactions and thoughts
> > as
> > >to what is currently going on in Bogota.  I personally and professionally
> > >find it extremely distressing.
> > >
> > >Have a look at today's El Tiempo at
> > >http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/06-08-2001/prip83036.html to get the latest.
> > >(I attach the usual horrible machine translation, without apologies for
> > >anyone who needs a bit of help in making their way through the Spanish
> > >text.)
> > >
> > >If you look around through the recent issues of El Tiempo, you can see this
> > >storm coming.  And if you want a flavour for how things are looking out
> > >there on the streets, check out
> > >http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/proyectos/ultimahora/trancon/.
> > >
> > >Those of us who follow transport matters in the Third World are well aware
> > >of what a dynamite keg it can be.  That's on the one hand.  But then there
> > >is all the careful work that has been done over these last years to make
> > >progress in building a new model of r in Third World cities.  If the
> > present
> > >administration gets this one any wronger, that could be the real victim of
> > >all this.
> > >
> > >There is an expression that I remember from German when I was little, which
> > >went that as soon as a child says something clever at the table it's time
> > to
> > >put him to bed.  This situation reminds me sadly of that: the original Pico
> > >y Placa (Odd/Even) scheme of the previous (Peñalosa) administration was
> > >extremely well thought out and has worked admirably with private cars for
> > >several years.  Admirably!  And now the new mayor (a fine and intelligent
> > >man, as it happens) and his advisors (ahem!) have decided that, since it
> > >works so well and they still want less traffic, well why not apply it to
> > >private buses and taxis?  Ouch!
> > >
> > >But hey! maybe I have this all horribly wrong. I'd love to think that's the
> > >case and that they have really thought all this through and that the Bogota
> > >Model is going to come through this unscathed.
> > >
> > >Comments?
> > >
> > >Eric Britton
> > >
> > >The @New Mobility Forum is permanently at http://newmobility.org
> > >The Commons ___Sustainable Development and Social Justice___
> > >Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris, France
> > >Eric.Britton at NewMobility.org    Tel: +331 4326 1323
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >= = = =
> > >
> > >BOGOTÁ, ANOTHER TIME TO HALF MARCH FOR UNEMPLOYMENT OF TRANSPORT
> > >
> > >The transporters again carry out a work stoppage to protest against
> > extending the
> >  Odd/Even   scheme for public service vehicles. Hundreds of citizens
> > >crowd together in the stations of the service of the mass transport
> > >Transmilenio, the only one that currently works. Others carry out long
> > walks to
> > >arrive to their working place. Today there are no classes in the district
> > >and private schools. For the time being, there are no blockades.
> > >
> > >
> > >To the edge of the midnight they broke the conversations among the Mayor
> > >Antanas Mockus and the transporters of Bogotá, with that which was firm the
> > >measure of the pick and badge for the public transportation and today
> > Monday
> > >an unemployment will be presented on the part of taxis and buses in the
> > >capital, fair the day of its birthday number 463.
> > >
> > >With mutual accusations of intransigence, Mockus and the transporters gave
> > >end at eight hours of negotiation after which there were not agreements.
> > The
> > >Mayor's office asked to the from Bogotá ones not to take today buses,
> > >busetas, taxis or collective whose badges finish in 1, 2, 3 or 4, and the
> > >Metropolitan Police gets ready to make complete the restriction to the
> > >public transportation that began a.m. at 5:30 o'clock
> > >
> > >The drivers announced protests with the use of the call 'Operation turtle
> > '.
> > >Miguel Ángel Pérez, spokesman of Apetrans, accused Mockus of working with "
> > >bad faith " in front of the union transporter, but the Minister of the
> > >Interior, Armando Estrada, assured to be witness of the conciliatory spirit
> > >of the burgomaestre.
> > >
> > >They carry to an extreme safety measures
> > >
> > >The director of the National, general Police Luis Ernesto Gilibert, noticed
> > >yesterday that the institution to its position already adopted the
> > necessary
> > >measures to prevent that the city is paralyzed by the transporters again.
> > >
> > >According to Gilibert, their men have the order of impeding the blockade of
> > >main and secondary roads of the city, and he/she said that in this occasion
> > >the authorities won't be consequent with the drivers.
> > >
> > >To avoid any incident, the number of agents of the Metropolitan Police was
> > >reinforced with troops of the Police of Highways and the Police of
> > >Cundinamarca. About 3.000 men travel from last night the city.
> > >
> > >Likewise, a strict control will be made to the use of radio frequencies for
> > >judicializar those companies that allow the drivers to use this means to
> > >perturb the public order.
> > >
> > >Yesterday he/she took place a safe-deposit advice in the biggest Mayor's
> > >office to which attended Government's secretary, Soraya Montoya; the
> > >commandant of the Metropolitan, general Police Jorge Enrique Linares; the
> > >commandant of the Unit of Traffic, colonel Pedro Molano; the commandant of
> > >the Tenth Third Brigade, general Reynaldo Castellanos, and the adviser for
> > >the security, Hugo Steel.
> > >
> > >Linares said that there are 60 control positions in the city and 40 cranes
> > >will be available to move away the vehicles that obstruct the roads.
> > >
> > >The objective of the advice was to review the contingency stockings that
> > are
> > >had foreseen to avoid alterations of the public order in Bogotá. Troops of
> > >the Army are bet around the city with the purpose of preventing that the
> > >guerrilla's urban militias can infiltrates in the possible manifestations
> > >that are carried out.
> > >
> > >Of another side, yesterday the Defender of the Town, Eduardo Cifuentes,
> > said
> > >that the taponamiento of the citizens' roads viola fundamental rights.
> > >
> > >According to the Defender, to impede the normal flow of vehicles and people
> > >in the city, it is an attack against the free mobilization.
> > >
> > >Cifuentes said that the drivers are in all its right of protesting provided
> > >they make it for the road of the I dialogue and the agreement, and not
> > >through measures that affect to the rest of the society.
> > >
> > >The Mayor's office announced that that of today will be an ordinary day and
> > >that therefore the scheduled activities are not suspended with reason of
> > the
> > >celebration of the 463 years of the capital.
> > >
> > >Even, Mockus will be at 7 in the morning in a journey for TransMilenio that
> > >today gives a new line of the system in the North Freeway. He/she also
> > >enters in operation in Portal of Usme, in the south end of the city. The
> > new
> > >stations will allow the mobilization of at least 80 thousand passengers.
> > >
> > >Recommendations
> > >
> > >Avoid to take the taxis or buses whose registrations finish in 1, 2, 3 and
> > >4, because the surest thing is that the authorities will immobilize him and
> > >you won't be able to follow their journey.
> > >
> > >To avoid that he/she repeats that of last Thursday, when children's
> > >thousands were caught by several hours in the blockades promoted by the
> > taxi
> > >drivers, call to the school of their children and discover if there are
> > >classes.
> > >
> > >Limit their activities of the day, carry out alone those that it considers
> > >really important.
> > >
> > >Try not to traffic for the places where they concentrate the protests, as
> > >downtown, for example.
> > >
> > >If it can go out with their particular vehicle, ask if some neighbor or
> > >relative goes for his same route and bring near it.
> > >
> > >If today's journey is not very long, use bicycle or put on comfortable
> > >clothes and walk.
> > >
> > >Remember that TransMilenio will lend its ordinary service, starting from
> > >5:30 o'clock including the new ones truncates them a.m., and park in the
> > >North Freeway and the Portal of Usme.
> > >
> > >In the event of an emergency, don't doubt to communicate with the Police.
> >
> > The @New Mobility Forum is permanently at http://newmobility.org
> > To post messages to list: newmob at egroups.com
> > To get off this list: newmob-unsubscribe at egroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> =======================================================================
> Send your response to DRAFT CHARTER ON PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO SAFETY, GO TO
> TRIPP website http://www.iitd.ac.in/tripp/
>
> [IMORTANT: if this server gives you trouble in sending a mail to me,
> you can use <trippdelhi at hotmail.com> temporarily.]
> =======================================================================
> Dinesh Mohan
> Henry Ford Professor for Biomechanics and Transportation Safety
> Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme
> Room MS 808, Main Building
> Indian Institute of Technology
> Hauz Khas
> New Delhi 110016
>
> Phone:    (+91 11) 659 1147 & 659 6361
> FAX:      (+91 11) 685 8703 & 685 1169
> Home:   (+91 11) 649 4910
> Email:    dmohan at cbme.iitd.ernet.in
> =======================================================================
>
>
>



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