[sustran] Re: transit in Mexico city

[kisan mehta]

Dear Sustran Friends inc Paula, Kanu and Craig,

The discussion on the Transit in Mexico City leads, I submit,
to aconcensus that various modes of traffic including
walking and cycling to say the least have to be provided
support even as cities grow (rather explode in population)
to cater with increasing personal car ownership.

Authorities spend considerable part of public resources for
building carriageways, expressways, flyovers without charging
the users of such facilities.    In Mumbai a car owner pays not
even a farthing (this word should not be used now that even the British have
changed to pence) while bus commuters are
forced to pay passenger tax (upto 15% of the fare) for
maintaining these facilities.    There is no attempt to curb the
movement of personal vehicles, heavy duty and intercity
buses in the congested areas.   Parking is permitted
(authorities collect parking fees where caught).

On the other hand pavements are removed or drastically
narrowed down. Pedestrians die in road accidents.
Cycling is discouraged.  At one time, Mumbai Traffic
Policeman would appprehend a cyclist and remove air
from both tyres.  We had to take up this invasion on the
right to cycle at the highest level and wait for 6 months
to reform the Police.

It is good to see that the World Bank lays down policies
to assist cyclists, pedestrians, non-motorised traffic.  In
Mumbai, the Bank wants to assist Mumbai Authorities
for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project costing Rs 60
billion which proposes to build 6 lane carriageways without
pavements passing through crowded residential areas and
slums where the poor stay.   Talking to the Bank team
and even to the Bank President has not made the Bank to
insist on the Bank policy.

Conditions in the poor countries are very much different.
Laying down the policy and its implementation are two
distinct matters not to be thought together.  Continuing to
talk of policy but no implementation.

I am reimnded of  the situation when Switzerland was
considering whether to join the World Bank.  The Swiss
Govt sought our view when we suggested that the govt
ask for applying of uniform policy to the rich and poor
nations equally and had hinted to the Bhopal Tragedy.
The Bank President on visit to Switzerland declared
that the same policy can not be applied as the poor
nations cannot afford the high norms.

In the Mumbai case, it could be surmised that the poor
countries cannot afford constructing pavcments or
providing cycling safety. Why not support pavementless
dangerous roads only?

Craig, Can we request you to guide us as to how we can
access the Bank policy document? Best wishes.

Priya Salvi and Kisan Mehta

----- Original Message -----
From: Craig Townsend <townsend at central.murdoch.edu.au>
To: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 8:54 AM
Subject: [sustran] Re: transit in Mexico city


> Dear Kanu,
>
 While bicycles are good for the poor, it is worth noting that in
the places such as Tokyo and Amsterdam where cycling and
walking are prominent and well-integrated with other forms
of urban transport, they are used by rich men (and women)
as well. This point is made in the document "Poverty and
 Urban Transport" (available online) prepared for the World
Bank Urban Transport Strategy Review. They advise that
"the attention paid to non- motorized transport has to be
viewed as an element in a more global policy where efforts
are made also on public transport supply. So that these
 policies have a chance to be implemented successfully, it is
essential that they do not solely concern the poorest but also
other population categories."
>
> Craig
>
> At 04:28 PM 02/04/02 +0530, you wrote:
> >Dear Paula,
> >
I have been following the exchanges re Cycling and Mexico which is 2400 M
above MSL. Even in Khatmandu (Nepal) I was reading that they are trying to
provide Cycleways. Even as an experimentation they have started a Mountain
Cycle mounted Police for controlling traffic.
> >
> >A bicycle is a poor man's vehicle and it also lends mobility to the youth
> >
> >Kanu
> >
> >Kanu H J Kamdar
> >
> >Tel: +91 22 4010041
> >Fax: +91 22 4021590
> >E Mail: hjk @rincon.net <mailto:hjk at rincon.net>
>
> ________________________________________________
> Craig Townsend
> Institute for Sustainability & Technology Policy
> Murdoch University
> South Street, Murdoch
> Perth, Western Australia 6150
> tel: (61 8) 9360 6278 fax: (61 8) 9360 6421
> email: townsend at central.murdoch.edu.au