From geobpa at nus.edu.sg Tue Oct 1 10:02:32 2002 From: geobpa at nus.edu.sg (Paul Barter) Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 09:02:32 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: Smart Urban Transport Message-ID: <0709A702109DA844B290CEAA959078BD208777@MBXSRV04.stf.nus.edu.sg> -----Original Message----- From: SNL [mailto:sutnews@smarturbantransport.com] Sent: Tuesday, 1 October 2002 8:24 AM To: SUSTRAN Resource Centre Subject: Smart Urban Transport ====================================================== = Smart Urban Transport Issue #13 October 2002 = ====================================================== CONTENTS - Beijing's car love affair - KMB buys into Shenzen transport group - SCATS dominant in Asia - UK targets air pollutants - Taiwan freeway management update - Sydney bus wars + lots more ... --------------------------------------------- SUT is the modern communication medium for developers, regulators, operators and financiers of passenger and freight traffic systems. SUT's focus is to highlight solutions for cost-effective and environmentally-friendly transportation movements within the cities of the Asian triangle encompassing Japan, India and New Zealand. This SUT email provides links to six Information Silos, soon to be available only to SUT subzcribers, who also receive the SUT magazine three times a year. These news services are supported by SUT conferences. *** SUBZCRIBE AND UNSUBZCRIBE - details at the base of this mail *** NON-CLICKABLE LINKS - If the links in this newsletter are not clickable, please copy and paste them into your browser. +++++++++++++++++++++++ + STRATEGY & POLICY + +++++++++++++++++++++++ BEIJING'S CAR LOVE AFFAIR Traffic congestion in Beijing is rapidly rising. Sales of new cars have risen 20% in the past year. On the back of a growing economy and reinforced by pro-car policies of the government, taxi fleets are initially being hit hard reports the South China Morning Post (August 26). Beijing's 60,000 taxis are losing passengers as they purchase their own cars. And taxi productivity has fallen. To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=1 TOP STRATEGY & POLICY STORIES (at the above link)... - Local govt impede transport productivity - Road and fuel taxes to replace registration charge - Queensland lifts PPP limit - New book on bus systems of the future - World Bank book on urban transport strategy - Practice note: innovative financing of PT - Never mind the debate just give dollars - Car or bus tax --advertisement-------------------------------- The September issue of Smart Urban Transport magazine is available now. To see what you may be missing and to be able to download a sample article please view the current issue at http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=cissue.cfm. To reserve your copy and others subzcribe at http://www.pubserv.com.au/subs/index.cfm?cp=Subscriptions&category=subsc riptions&mag=Smart%20Urban%20Transport. ----------------------------------------------- ---advertisement------------------------------- PicoPass - A NEW CONTACTLESS SMART CARD FOR TRANSPORT COMBINING TWO STANDARDS, PROXIMITY (ISO 14443 TYPE B) AND VICINITY (ISO 15693). A new contactless 2K byte memory-based smart card chip PicoPass (http://www.insidefr.com/pdfs/PP16k.pdf) developed by INSIDE (http://www.insidefr.com) which is able to combine support for multi-applications, secure payment (debit/credit), proximity (10cm) and Vicinity (60cm) communication distance on the same card, was launched recently at the AFC transport show in Bologna, Italy. ----------------------------------------------- ++++++++++++++++++++++++ + PEOPLE & COMPANIES + ++++++++++++++++++++++++ KMB BUYS INTO SHENZEN TRANSPORT GROUP Seeking to tap into the growth potential of the Pearl River Delta, one of the fastest growing regions in mainland China, Hong Kong's Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings (KMB) is reportedly planning to bid for a 45% stake in near-monopoly Shenzhen Public Transportation (Group) reported the South China Morning Post (August 31). To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=2 TOP PEOPLE & COMPANIES STORIES... - ITS Singapore's new website - Connex WA sale approved by government - Aussie Logistics look to SE Asia - Macquarie enters US toll road market - Meet ITS Australia's head - Microlistics snares major Chinese contract - Philippines LTO website --advertisement-------------------------------- Do you need specialised information on transportation in the Asia-Pacific region? While SUT covers transportation developments in the region you may have specific requirements. Chances are the editors and staff of SUT can help. With many years of experience in the region we offer a specialised advisory service to individuals or firms. We can provide specialised information on key players in the region and in-depth assessments of particular markets. For further details please contact Phil Sayeg at mailto:p.sayeg@transportroundtable.com.au". ----------------------------------------------- ++++++++++++++++++++ + TECHNOLOGY + ++++++++++++++++++++ SCATS DOMINANT IN ASIA With new orders for expansion of urban traffic control (UTC) systems in Hangzhou, Shenyang and Shanghai, China, the pre-eminence within Asia of Australia's Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS) marketed by Tyco's Sydney office is beyond doubt. To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=3 TOP TECHNOLOGY STORIES... - Melbourne joins mobile phone parking plan - Smart ticket advance in Belo Horizonte - Electronic surveillance on Penang Bridge - Real time info coming to Seoul buses - Beijing's ITS plans - Technology improves truck turnaround times - Aussie e-procurement specialist cleans up --advertisement-------------------------------- Need information on leading global firms specialising in ITS? http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=6 #1179 Here is a resource that can assist. Just made available by Transport Roundtable Australasia, a partner in publishing Smart Urban Transport, the "ITS Profiles 2002" covers 170 firms in North America, UK and Western Europe, Asia, Brazil and Australia. "ITS Profiles 2002" are a cost-effective resource. They are available on CD-ROM only. Inquiries to Phil Sayeg - mailto:p.sayeg@transportroundtable.com.au. ------------------------------------------------ +++++++++++++++++++++ + ENVIRONMENT + +++++++++++++++++++++ UK TARGETS AIR POLLUTANTS The United Kingdom set new targets for cutting air pollution. Under the government's new measures, air pollution from particulate matter would be reduced by 50% by 2004, to an average of 20 micrograms per cubic metre over the year. To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=4 TOP ENVIRONMENT STORIES... - London saves congestion pricing - Road transport puts case to United Nations - Stop and go electric cars - Technology cannot solve it all - New community carbon fund, Kyoto --advertisement-------------------------------- Looking for an effective Intelligent Transport System that delivers centralised visibility, management, control and automation of complex high volume traffic systems resulting in unparalleled utilisation and optimisation of new and existing traffic infrastructure? You need MI Transport Systems. For more information visit www.mi-services.com or mailto:greg.smith@mi-services.com or Tel +61 9368 8600 ------------------------------------------------ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TAIWAN FREEWAY MANAGEMENT UPDATE Not much new has happened with new freeway management projects since the "Ramp Metering Project" was initiated and completed over the past five years. New segments of the Second North-South Freeway are scheduled to open over the next three years, and freeway to freeway traffic diversion systems will be implemented over this same period. To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=5 TOP INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS STORIES... - Sydney Spit bridge upgrade - Now satellites erode Oz road budget - Edwards promotes 'China+1' strategy - Motorists hit back - Qld govt negotiates PPP on busway project - Kallang/Paya Lebar expressway accelerates - Berlin's public-private transport centre - Zuhai bridge of hope --advertisement-------------------------------- Combitech Traffic Systems supplies highway operators and systems integrators with systems and products for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC). The company works in two segments of the market: Supply of microwave-based communications links for the upgrading of manual toll systems to ETC, and supply of turnkey systems for state-of-the-art multi-lane free-flow tolling systems. For more information visit http://www.trafficsystems.com or mailto:info@trafficsystems.com or Tel +46-36-19 43 00 ------------------------------------------------ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ + BUSINESS INFORMATION + ++++++++++++++++++++++++ SYDNEY BUS WARS Interesting to see the bus wars in Sydney. After Scania achieved some success having a bodied citybus on their chassis available for free trials, now everyone is into the 'try before you buy' policy. To read this story and more, visit http://www.smarturbantransport.com/index.cfm?li=silodisplay.cfm&siloID=6 TOP BUSINESS INFORMATION STORIES... - Australia-Singapore trade pact - Who's liable? - China's economy on track - Biz at risk over poor electronic security - Queensland renews MOU with Central Java - Gulf Traffic 2002 Convention - UITP looks east - Conferences - Future business opportunities --advertisement-------------------------------- SPECIALIST TRANSPORT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS ON CD-ROM The proceedings from five recent specialist transport conferences run by Transport Roundtable Australasia P/L are available on CD-ROM: * Road Pricing Agenda - progressing electronic road pricing -- held in April 2000 includes papers and presentations on the latest developments in electronic road pricing by 27 leading international experts, covering descriptions of the key elements of road pricing today, including economic arguments, technology and institutional issues and marketing and publicity * Smart Urban Transport - using transitways and busways held in October 2000 includes papers on the latest international and Australasian developments in bus rapid transit by over 40 leading international experts, covering the design of bus services, busway infrastructure and bus stations and case studies on the use of ITS and passenger information and ticketing and discussions on institutional issues, evaluation and financing * Smart Traffic - deploying incident management - held in May 2001 includes papers on the latest international and Australasian developments in traffic incident management by over 22 leading international experts, covering incident management programs and best practice in Australia, UK, Hong Kong and USA, key technologies and services in detection, response and traveller information and discussions on institutional, legal, enforcement and compliance issues and information on innovative financing and evaluation * Smart Urban Transport - held in November 2001 with 21 leading international transport professionals from Asia, North America, New Zealand and Australia who made presentations on recent advances in public transport development and reform, designing transit services to meet market needs, contracting of bus services, developments in transit infrastructure and vehicles, and intelligent transport systems (ITS). Ultimately bus and mass transit of all types will be judged on their ability to attract significant patronage - recent experience with new mass transit systems opened in the Asia-Pacific region provides some insight into how they are perceived by potential riders. * Smart Urban Transport 2002 - Operations and partnerships - held in July 2002. An all plenary session conference, with transportation experts from Europe, Asia and Australasia who provided commentary on worldwide trends in transportation operations, partnerships, practical applications of technology and case studies on innovations deployed. Topics included: - transport operations trends - current and future issues and challenges in traffic management, freight logistics and public transit - infrastructure and technology partnerships - innovation and lessons learned - "infostructure" and data/information issues - policy approaches to smart travel. For more information see the Transport Roundtable Australasia website at http://www.transportroundtable.com.au. --------------------------------- ITS in Asia: Market Trends and Prospects to 2010 A comprehensive three part study of the emerging ITS market. Part One: ITS in ASEAN: Market Trends and Prospects to 2010 Part Two: ITS in China: Market Trends and Prospects to 2010 Part Three: Overview For more information see the Transport Roundtable Australasia website at http://www.transportroundtable.com.au. ------------------------------------------------ -------------------- SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS -------------------- For our subscription rates and details on how to subzcribe, go to http://www.smarturbantransport.com and click on the "Subzcribe" link on the left. To change the email address that we send this newsletter to, or to add other email addresses for colleagues, email us at mailto:subs@pubserv.com.au ... ------------------------------------ Copyright 2002 Transport Roundtable. All rights reserved. ------------------------------------ Transport Roundtable Australasia Pty Ltd PO Box 3224 South Brisbane QLD 4101 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 7 3365 1569 Fax: + 61 7 3844 5501 http://www.smarturbantransport.com/ ========================================================= ===== By using the best of each technology, Smart ===== ==== Urban Transport delivers the best communication ==== ===== solution for Smart Transport Professionals. ===== ========================================================= From geobpa at nus.edu.sg Thu Oct 3 09:23:15 2002 From: geobpa at nus.edu.sg (Paul Barter) Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 08:23:15 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: Action Alert: Major Cabinet Decision on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Message-ID: <0709A702109DA844B290CEAA959078BD2087DF@MBXSRV04.stf.nus.edu.sg> Forwarding without comment. Paul. -----Original Message----- From: ESG India [mailto:esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in] Sent: Wednesday, 2 October 2002 8:58 PM To: sustran@po.jaring.my Subject: Action Alert: Major Cabinet Decision on Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Importance: High Dear Friends, The Government of Karnataka (GoK) is expected to take a major Cabinet decision on the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) in the next few days. Over the last few months there has been documented evidence that the GoK is attempting to rush clearances for this project. In addition to the existing questionable aspects of this project, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) filed a case against ICICI, a major financier of BMICP in September 2002, as ICICI and potentially the Government of Karnataka are in violation of a binding RBI directive on financing of infrastructure projects. In view of these serious unresolved issues, and in order to ensure the wider public interest, we request you to write to the Chief Minister of Karnataka at the earliest urging him not to give the green light to the BMICP. Individually written letters are ideal, however, a sample letter is provided below. Please write/email letters to the Chief Minister of Karnataka with copies to other officials as indicated, giving your full name and mailing address. Information on the BMICP campaign is archived at http://www.indiatogether.org/campaigns/bmic Kindly ensure that you mark a copy of your letter/email to us. Sincerely, Leo Saldanha and Nagini Prasad Environment Support Group S-3, Rajashree Apartments 18/57, Ist Main, SRK Gardens Bannerghatta Road, Jayanagar Bangalore 560041. INDIA Telefax: 91-80-6341977/6531339 Email: esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in Encl: 1. Letter to Chief Minister of Karnataka 2. Article in Deccan Herald dated 29 Sept 2002 ------sample letter------- Shri. S.M. Krishna Chief Minister Government of Karnataka Vidhana Soudha Bangalore - 560001 cm@kar.nic.in October 2, 2002 RE: Upcoming GOK Cabinet decision on Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) Dear Shri. Krishna, This is with reference to an article in the Deccan Herald ("RBI studying ICICI's funding of BMIC project", September 29, 2002 - enclosed) raising concerns over the Karnataka Government's continuing support for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP). This in light of the possibility that the project developers and financiers are violating a binding directive of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and that your Government may be a party to this violation. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) specifically warns financial institutions from supporting projects that have not been thoroughly reviewed for financial and economic viability, and particularly NOT TO FINANCE projects that have been promoted on the basis of "State Government Guarantees". The express reason for such direction is the spate of financial scams that have hit the country's economic security of late, particularly considering that State Governments have been a major reason for backing projects that were inherently unviable, pressurizing banks to release funding. Enron's Dabhol project is a classic illustration of such a project, and it would not be an exaggeration to treat the BMICP as an "Enron" of road development. You will recall that the Karnataka Government just about managed to scrape out of potential liabilities by canceling the Cogentrix project, thanks to your sound decision soon after you became Chief Minister. The BMICP characterizes a scheme that is simply too grandiose, and not reflective of the real transport and housing needs demanded in the Bangalore-Mysore region. Existing towns and cities along this corridor have demonstrated economically and culturally vibrant, and well integrated by the existing road and rail network. Your Government has quickened the pace of widening the existing Bangalore Mysore Highway (SH-17), and the Southern Railways are keen to develop a second rail track between Bangalore and Mysore. The expansion of this road to four lanes will only require 65 acres of land in all, and there is no need for any land acquisition for doubling the rail corridor. Existing urban areas may benefit immensely from the combined impacts of these developments particularly if incentive is provided for development of high-density self-contained townships in and around existing urban areas between Bangalore and Mysore, which is affordable to a wide section of society. People are likely to prefer living in such urban areas, considering that several have already well developed networks of social, educational and health infrastructure, and would not have much handicap traveling to Bangalore on high speed rail links. Contrast this with the BMICP, which will involve five new township developments, all of which will only be serviced by the proposed expressway, that which has been reduced now to only a 2-lane road from the original 6 lane expressway. Given now that many housing and corporate development schemes have sprung up successfully around Bangalore, especially along the "IT Corridor", the potential for development of the BMIC towns is rather bleak. Financially, therefore, the project is almost certain to fail. This notwithstanding the fact that the project has very serious environmental and social impacts, especially given that it will involve acquisition of 14,000 acres of farm land and transfer of over 7,000 acres of Government land in the nature of forests, "wastelands" and wetlands, potentially dislocating over 200,000 people. In addition, as you may agree, water is a major limiting factor in this region. Despite the ongoing Cauvery River dispute, the 1997 Framework Agreement for BMICP questionably commits 2 thousand million cubic metres of water per annum to BMICP from Cauvery waters. In this context, the news that your Government has provided "State Guarantees" to the BMICP is shocking indeed. Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) and Nandi Economic Corridor Enterprise (NECE), the proponents of BMICP, have no demonstrated financial worth reflected in their inability to deposit Rs. 400 crores ( US$ 80 million) for land acquisition. The likelihood of this project thus becoming a burden on the State Exchequer and your Government mortgaging land and other resources by issuing "comfort letters" on the request of ICICI and other financial institutions, is not only against the principles advocated in the RBI directive, but simply put, against the wider public interest. It is reported that the decision on the BMICP is due to be discussed in the Cabinet soon. It is sincerely hoped that your Government will put public interest ahead of all else, and finally close the BMICP as an unviable and irrational urban development choice. Thanking you, Cc: 1.Shri T. R. Baalu, Union Cabinet Minister (Environment & Forests), Government of India - (mef@envfor.delhi.nic.in, mef@menf.delhi.nic.in) 2.Shri. P. V. Jayakrishnan, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India - (secy@menf.delhi.nic.in) 3.Shri. S. Rajagopalan, Jt. Secretary (IA), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India (raja-g@nic.in) 4.Dr. Sathya, Addl. Director (Scientific), Ministry of Environment & Forests, Southern Cell, Bangalore (romoefsz@kar.nic.in) 5. Shri. Gokul Ram, IAS, Principal Secretary, Dept. of Ecology, Environment and Forests, Government of Karnataka (sececoenv@kar.nic.in) 6. Shri. Upendra Tripathy, IAS, Chairman, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (u_tripathy@hotmail.com) 7. Environment Support Group (esg@bgl.vsnl.net.in) ------------Deccan Herald Article------------- DECCAN HERALD Sunday, September 29, 2002 RBI studying ICICI's funding of BMIC project By Visvas Paul D Karra DH News Service BANGALORE, Sept 28 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is looking into a complaint against ICICI Bank over financing the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) after a complaint registered by a greens group about banking violations. According to reports, ICICI is leading a consortium of financial institutions, which includes among others HUDCO and LIC, to release funds for the Rs 2,000-crore-project being developed by NICE (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise). The RBI, which is the country's banking regulatory authority, has taken cognisance of a complaint by Bangalore-based NGO Environment Support Group (ESG) which said that the financing of BMICP based on State Guarantees would be in violation of the RBI circular issued to all financial institutions in February on "Financing of Infrastructure Projects." Para 3 of the circular states: "In respect of infrastructure projects, where financing is by way of term loans or investment in bonds issued by government owned entities, banks/ financial institutions should undertake due diligence on the viability and bankability of such projects to ensure efficient utilisation of resources and creditworthiness of the projects financed. Banks should also ensure that the individual components of financing and returns on the project are well defined and assessed. Lending/ investment decisions in such cases should be based solely on commercial judgment of banks/ financial institutions. There should be no compromise on proper credit appraisal and close monitoring of the projects financed and banks should ensure that only projects that are intrinsically viable are financed. State government guarantees may not be taken as a substitute for satisfactory credit appraisal and such appraisal requirements should not be diluted on the basis of any reported arrangement with the Reserve Bank of India or any bank for regular standing instructions/ periodic payment instructions for servicing the loans/ bonds." When contacted, officials of the RBI's Department of Banking Supervision in Mumbai, informed Deccan Herald that based on the ESG complaint, a letter had been sent to ICICI Bank seeking clarifications. But all efforts by Deccan Herald to elicit a response from the "Infrastructure Project Group" of the ICICI's Mumbai office failed. The ESG referred to press statements made by NICE that the BMICP's financial closure was based on "comfort letters" (guarantees) issued by the Government of Karnataka, and said this was in gross violation of RBI's February circular. According to State government officials, two "comfort letters" had already been issued to NICE and a third letter for an experimental two-lane expressway would be handed to the project developer after a Cabinet decision. When contacted, Mr Ashok Kheny, managing director of NICE, said there were no financial guarantees involved in repayment of loans to ICICI Bank by the State government. Mr Kheny, further wondering about the true intentions of ESG, said "NICE is puzzled as to why ESG keeps misrepresenting facts to the public." Says ESG Coordinator Leo Saldanha, "We raised this issue of clear violations in the financial closure with the financial institutions but they have not responded." Mr Saldanha asserts that the RBI is clearly trying to stop financial scams which have rocked the nation's economy. "In this case it is like stemming the rot before it sets in. From czegras at MIT.EDU Fri Oct 4 07:50:56 2002 From: czegras at MIT.EDU (P. Christopher Zegras) Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 18:50:56 -0400 Subject: [sustran] Delhi traffic rule hurts old custom: giving alms Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20021003184925.00a317f0@hesiod> From The Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0930/p01s05-wosc.html Delhi traffic rule hurts old custom: giving alms By Scott Baldauf | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor NEW DELHI ? Beggars are an ancient tradition in India's cities ? as common as free-range cattle and as old as the continent. The Lord Buddha himself begged for food. But New Delhi, once teeming with beggars tapping on car windows and asking for handouts, is trying to change its image with a simple traffic rule. Under the new law, which went into effect earlier this month, motorists who impede the flow of traffic by giving beggars and street vendors money at stoplights are fined 100 rupees ($2). As a result, many of the city's 1.1 million indigents, including 500,000 child street workers, are moving off the streets. The new law may achieve what Indian officials ? not to mention tourist operators ? have dreamed of for decades. But such change won't come without a raucous debate about India's self-image and its traditional values of compassion. Some argue that the law pushes away beggars without helping them find alternative means of survival. Others applaud the move, saying that begging is the bane of India, a stereotype that should be vigorously discouraged, particularly in the nation's capital. "People from foreign countries think that India is a country of beggars," says Maxwell Pereira, New Delhi's police chief, who created the new rule. "I want to dispel that image ... Begging in India can be controlled, and charity can be channeled in the right way." The tough-talking, silver-haired Mr. Pereira says he grew tired of hearing complaints from motorists and excuses from other city departments charged with handling Delhi's vagrant population. "My priority is keeping the traffic flow moving, so if you are going to indulge in this act of encouraging presence of people who obstruct that traffic flow ? whether they are beggars or vendors or vagrants ? then you will be punished." The new traffic ordinance, if it succeeds, is likely to become a model for other big cities, from Mumbai to Calcutta to Bangalore. Already, Pereira says, the number of motorists giving alms has dropped. Some beggars are relocating to other prime begging locations, such as temples or mosques; others are returning to their home villages. A long line of Indian leaders and bureaucrats before Pereira have attempted to tackle the problem. In 1959, state leaders in Bombay, now called Mumbai, banned begging outright, and several cities including New Delhi followed suit shortly afterward. But few cities have the resources to arrest thousands of rural migrants, let alone prosecute, incarcerate, or rehabilitate them. Instead a constant demand for cheap labor ? from unskilled street sweepers and garbage pickers to carpenters and masons ? continues to draw a steady stream of Indian villagers to urban centers. Upon arrival, many find they lack skills for those jobs and turn to begging. Reaction to the new traffic ordinance has been mostly positive from Delhi drivers. "It's a good thing," says Romald Yacub, a professional chauffeur. "Beggars slow down traffic. Children, especially, shouldn't be taught to beg. And it would be better if these people found better jobs." Some bureaucrats also support the new rule, especially those with the Social Welfare Department, the lead agency tasked with enforcing antibegging laws. "It helps us in two ways: First, we can now deal with the problem of beggars who pose as hawkers at traffic junctions, which we couldn't before," says K.J.R. Burman, joint director of the Social Welfare Department. "Second, the rule [stops] those who encourage the problem, those who give money." But Rahesh Kumar, a 14-year old newspaper seller from the poverty-stricken state of Bihar, has a different view. "I am not a thief, and I do not beg, so why should I not be allowed to sell newspapers," he asks. In any case, he hasn't stopped selling papers, but simply moved to a street corner without traffic policemen. "For me, there is no other way of getting money." Relatively few of New Delhi's poor migrants restrict themselves to asking for alms. Many street-workers sell boxes of facial tissues or glossy magazines. Others polish windows or wave cans of burning incense into car windows, hoping for the clink of a few rupees in their pockets. Still others, especially children, gather plastic bags, paper, and bits of metal for recycling. Some street vendors complain that the new traffic rule is just another excuse for traffic cops to beat them up or demand money. Ram Babu, a newspaper seller from Patna, Bihar, says he was picked up two days ago by a couple plain clothes policemen and verbally harassed. "One of them pretended to make a call on his cellphone, and then said, 'Somebody is going to come here and beat you up,'" recalls the 18-year-old. "They were just trying to scare us, so we wouldn't visit that corner anymore. Finally, I told them I don't sell at this corner, I'm just waiting for a bus. One of them said, 'If I see you again, I'll kill you.' " Those organizations that work with the poor say that simply banning begging and street vending is like fighting poverty by criminalizing poor people. Unless the government helps them find alternatives, they will simply force these people into more dangerous, or even criminal jobs. Like many residents of Delhi, Mr. Burman says that simply banning begging without helping people find jobs isn't going to deal with the problem in the long run. "Begging is a social problem," he says. "We can't keep it behind the curtain." "Look, giving alms is not a new concept in India," says Sanjay Gupta, director of a non-profit agency called Childhood Enhancement Through Training and Action. "These children are begging or selling magazines because there is a market for it. People want to give alms or help the poor on an individual level, because that is how you make up for past sins." He smiles. "You can't change that kind of cultural thing overnight." From geobpa at nus.edu.sg Tue Oct 8 10:21:22 2002 From: geobpa at nus.edu.sg (Paul Barter) Date: Tue, 8 Oct 2002 09:21:22 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: CAR BUSTERS MONTHLY E-BULLETIN #39 Message-ID: <0709A702109DA844B290CEAA959078BD40C5D7@MBXSRV04.stf.nus.edu.sg> From: "Car Busters" Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2002 19:11:28 +0200 Subject: CAR BUSTERS MONTHLY E-BULLETIN #39 Did you think this bulletin was free?!... Well it is, at least grudgingly. But please remember that Car Busters is supported by memberships and donations. Your contribution is always welcome. See for details. _________________________ CAR BUSTERS BULLETIN >>> _____________________________ Edition no. 39 - October 2002 - English version ............................................... Car Busters, Kratka 26, 10000 Prague 10, Czech Rep. tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-816-727 - This month's bulletin is brought to you by Ivana Jakubkova and our new staffer from Bordeaux, Aude Vidal. Bienvenue, Aude! To avoid various unexplainable formatting problems, view our bulletin at . Thought for the month: "Does one bum [butt] need four wheels?" - slogan on a banner displayed to motorists by two guys on the Magistrala Motorway, Prague, September 25 CONTENTS World News - SAN FRANCISCO CRITICAL MASS IS TEN YEARS OLD - PRO-BIKE/PRO-WALK CONFERENCE WRAP-UP - DON'T JUMP ON THE MAGLEV TRAIN BANDWAGGON Announcements - THIRD "BREAK THE GRIDLOCK" CONFERENCE - CALL TO ACTION AT BIRMINGHAM MOTOR SHOW - SUPPORT POLISH ANTI-ROAD ACTIVITIES - JOB OPENING: COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, ITDP - A NEW CAR-FREE NEIGHBOURHOOD IN THE USA? - SEE WHAT YOU'RE BREATHING Car Busters Announcements - WORLDWIDE CONTACT DIRECTORY HAILED AS SUCCESS - WORLD CAR-FREE DAYS: HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? - A CALL OUT FOR CAR BUSTERS CORRESPONDENTS - "HI, MY NAME'S JANE, AND I'M AN AUTOHOLIC" - TRANSLATORS STILL WANTED Things To Read - BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT - TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS Disclaimer _______________ WORLD NEWS >> __________________ SAN FRANCISCO CRITICAL MASS IS TEN YEARS OLD [a round-up by Paul VanDeCarr] Car traffic was jammed up worse than usual in San Francisco, California on September 25, thanks to a profusion of bicycle traffic. The tenth anniversary of Critical Mass drew an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 riders, which put the ride among the biggest Critical Masses in the city's history. Police reports put the ride at 40 blocks long at one point. As smaller groups splintered off, the overall ride got shorter, but the variety of different routes people took (about three or four major splinter rides at most) made for more traffic chaos and rider excitement! As splinter rides rejoined each other at a given intersection, and perhaps reformed and splintered off again, riders in each group cheered each other, as if they were long-lost siblings rejoining each other after a battle! Attitudes of and about the riders varied sharply with some riders seeing drivers as potential allies and others seeing cars as war- causing, stress-producing pollution monsters that have to be stopped. Car drivers were perhaps more unified in their views than were bicyclists, namely that Critical Mass is a pain in the ass - specifically, the one they're sitting on while waiting for thousands of bicyclists to pass by! One driver I saw got out of his car and started screaming at riders "You're all assholes! I just want to get home for dinner! Assholes!" Other drivers seemed to take it in stride, sitting on the hoods (bonnets) of their cars and watching the parade pass by. Earlier in the day was the city's first official "Car-Free Day," in which a portion of a downtown street was closed to traffic for the afternoon, making way for bicycle activities, mime artists, and other eco-friendly fun. The day wasn't entirely car-free, as it turned out; the mayor showed up in an electric car, amending it to be "alternative transportation day." PRO-BIKE/PRO-WALK CONFERENCE WRAP-UP [submitted by Andy Singer, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA] As one who attended the 12th International ProBike/ProWalk conference (September 3-6) here in St. Paul, I can say it was very inspiring. Every two years, over 300 pedestrian and cycling advocates, traffic engineers, cycling industry representatives and health department professionals get together to figure out how best to get people out of their cars. There are workshops on every subject imaginable: creating better connections between bicycles and public transit; effective statewide advocacy; using the media; where to get funding for pedestrian and cycling projects; bike safety; etc. One major focus was on the "Safe Routes to Schools" programme and the health issues surrounding it. The US Health Department and Center for Disease Control (CDC) report a huge increase in obesity among Americans, particularly children, with corresponding increases in childhood diabetes. The cost of these kids for the US health care system (as they become adults) will be enormous. In addition to increased use of television, video games and sedentary lifestyles, researchers blame cars. In the 1970s, 75 percent of kids got to school by foot or bicycle. Now the number is down to less than 15 percent! So the CDC has made some money available to US communities to start "Safe Routes to Schools" programs to encourage kids to walk or ride bikes to school. What form these programmes will take is hard to say, but cycling and pedestrian advocates see this as a possible springboard for larger biking and walking campaigns. One statistic from these discussions that stuck in my head was that "on average, the typical American walks just 300 yards [metres] per day!" Another issue widely discussed was the reauthorization of the (US) Transportation Efficiency Act, dubbed "TEA-3." This law allows for as much as a third of federal gas tax revenues (US$50 billion) to be used for non-automotive purposes. Many at the conference have observed that highway departments are increasingly misusing TEA money for off-ramps and other highway projects and calling them "pedestrian" or "safety" improvements. So advocates are urging a tightening of the rules and regulations for how TEA-3 money can be spent. Ellen Vanderslice, president of America Walks, dubbed these proposed reforms "GREEN TEA." The Surface Transportation Policy Project has more information on TEA-3 on its website: . The next conference will be held in two years in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Check it out!: . DON'T JUMP ON THE MAGLEV TRAIN BANDWAGGON [submitted by Evert Hassink, Friends of the Earth/Milieudefensie Groningen, The Netherlands] Sorry, last month we stopped campaigning on cars because our government has found a means of transport that might beat the car in stupidity. It is called the Magnetic Levitation (maglev) train, which is sold by Siemens under the name Transrapid. The Dutch government reserved EUR 2.7 billion and regional authorities are looking for another EUR 1.1 billion for buying a line between Amsterdam (Schipol Airport) and the cute little town of Groningen where we live. The project is sold as a sound way of investing in the regional economy, and an environmentally friendly way of public transport. But the energy consumption of maglev transport per passenger is comparable to that of a luxury car and the price will be double that of a normal railway ticket. The travelling time will be halved, which will make the train useful for the "time is money" guys. The major problem with this fast train is that it creates its own market [induces demand]. Models show that those who will use this train would not travel if there was no fast transport. Many people will move to towns farther away from their work. The train causes dispersal of social and economical networks. This means not only extra train transport, but also extra car transport. You can find out more (mostly in Dutch) at . __________________ ANNOUNCEMENTS >> __________________ THIRD "BREAK THE GRIDLOCK" CONFERENCE Saturday, October 12 in Chicago: This is your opportunity to meet the leaders in Chicago's burgeoning activist community and contribute to making your city a model for a sane and sensible (and car-less) transportation policy. More info at . CALL TO ACTION AT BIRMINGHAM MOTOR SHOW [submitted by Karen Leach, Birmingham, UK] On October 23, world leaders gather in New Delhi to talk about climate change. On the same day in Birmingham, with no sense of irony, a motor show will celebrate car culture with its profligate waste of fossil fuels. There, Friends of the Earth (FOE) Birmingham will organise an action against car culture and hypermobility - and for walking, cycling and public transport. To take part in the action, contact Birmingham FOE at . Accommodation available if required. More info at . SUPPORT POLISH ANTI-ROAD ACTIVITIES! [submitted by Frank van Schaik, A SEED Europe] In August, the Polish parliament began to work on bills that will make it easier to build motorways and freeways in the country. A number of Polish groups have been circulating a petition to urge the Parliament to drop its intention to build more motorways. This petition will be presented to the speaker of the Polish Parliament on the occasion of a demo on October 10 in Warsaw. Polish activists hope to also apply pressure at the European level, so they request Western European groups and individuals to sign their petition and attend the demo. For support and information: Piotr Bielski . JOB OPENING: COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, ITDP [submitted by Paul Steely White, ITDP, ] The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy's New York office seeks a Communications Director to manage ITDP media, including Sustainable Transport Magazine (annual), Sustainable Transport e-Update (quarterly), and in cooperation with ITDP's webmaster, ITDP.org. The Communications Director will also collaborate with other ITDP staff to devise and circulate regular press releases, manage the annual year-end fundraising letter, and perform other communications and fundraising tasks as needed. Application deadline: November 1. See for the full job announcement. A NEW CAR-FREE NEIGHBOURHOOD IN THE USA? [submitted by Jeffrey Rosenblum] Between Cambridge, Charlestown and Somerville, Massachusetts lies an area known as North Point. For over a century, it has been the site of railyards and other industrial uses. Now, this area, the largest remaining undeveloped parcel in Cambridge, is proposed for complete redevelopment. Being advised by Joel Crawford, author of the book "Carfree Cities," a group of residents propose North Point to become a car-free neighborhood. For more info or to get involved, check out . SEE WHAT YOU'RE BREATHING [submitted by Margot Brinn] Have you heard of ? It ranks counties in the USA by pollution level and provides analysis of sources of the pollution. For example, our county, Tompkins, is in the top 40 percent of polluted counties and most of it comes from mobile sources. How are your county's lungs doing? ______________________________ CAR BUSTERS STUFF >> ________________________________ WORLDWIDE CONTACT DIRECTORY HAILED AS SUCCESS [submitted by Richard Lane] The international community has been unreserved in its praise for the Car Busters Worldwide Contacts Directory, up and active on the web and currently hovering at 253 entries. Leading thinkers and world leaders have rushed to heap praise upon the tool, and so far the banana offered as a prize for breaking it remains unclaimed. Register your group today, and see it there a few days later. Despite glowing tributes from Nelson Mandela, the Dali Lama, and Gandalf out of Lord Of The Rings, we're still interested in your opinions about it. Let us know. This remarkable piece of work is at . WORLD CAR-FREE DAYS: HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? [also submitted by Richard Lane] We hope you've got your breath back after this year's worldwide call to action. So far we've been told about events which took place in 40 cities on four continents. It's all up there on . Action reports are beginning to slowly trickle in. Please, if you've been involved in a World Car-Free Days action, let us know how it went! And if you saw any news about it appearing in the media, we'd like to know about that to. We'll have a run-down of the world's activities in our next magazine (no. 16), and on our website before too long. A CALL OUT FOR CAR BUSTERS CORRESPONDENTS [submitted by Randy Ghent] Do you have your finger on the pulse of transport(ation) news and action in your country or region? Do you have skills in writing/journalism, research, art/photography, communication, or at least newspaper clipping? If so, you may be exactly the sort of person we're looking for... We at Car Busters Central want to involve people in the wider movement (that means you) more directly in our projects, and a network of formal correspondents is among the ways this will happen. Correspondents will be given clear guidelines - in addition to the writers' guidelines now at - on how to best be our eyes and ears around the world. They will contribute material for our monthly bulletin and especially our quarterly magazine, where they will be listed with impressive-sounding titles such as "The Honorable Royal Liechtenstein Correspondent." In addition to an official gold-plated car-busting mallet and the glory of it all, we will offer correspondents regular contact and journalistic feedback. Correspondents should, at the minimum, contribute useful material at least once every three months. Anyone interested in becoming a correspondent should contact . Act now and you may (or may not) receive a bonus set of seven stainless-steel Ginsu steak knives. This is a volunteer position, by the way. "HI, MY NAME'S JANE, AND I'M AN AUTOHOLIC" [also submitted by Randy Ghent] We've got grand ideas for starting a light-hearted, good-humoured recovery programme for car addicts - and we want to recruit all of you car-free and car-lite former car addicts to join us. Autoholics Anonymous will consist of two parts: a secular 12-step recovery programme and an information clearinghouse providing resources on how to become car-free or reducing one's car use (plus how to encourage broader change at the community level). Autoholics.org, which we've already purchased, would be the virtual headquarters of this network, and it could eventually be linked to independent national Autoholics Anonymous websites that would provide country-specific information. We envision "up-close-and- personal" profiles of former car addicts (with their names and photos), explaining how they kicked the habit or "began the lifelong recovery process." We imagine an on-line forum where people can get advice and support from those who are already car-free. Some of it is just providing things our existing Resource Centre should provide, but putting it in a different "package" - one with more humour and less perception of being oriented towards confrontation. So we're looking for former car addicts and recovering car addicts - basically anyone who used to drive but has cut way back or "gone cold turkey" - to step forward and tell us your story at . Then we need national or regional AA contact people. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need people willing to contribute time and energy to building the web site and the recovery programme. So now's your chance. It all depends on you! TRANSLATORS STILL WANTED [submitted by Petr Kurfuerst] We are still looking for volunteers that can help us make our website as open to people as possible. We have created a short summary about Car Busters which is currently being translated into as many languages as possible. This brief basic info will be put onto the website and will require no updating. It is about 2,700 words altogether. We already have French, German, Italian, Spanish, Czech and Esperanto under control. We are still looking for translators into Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Polish, Dutch and Romanian. So if you want to help us with this, please let us know and we'll send you a short Word file with the text for translation. The above are priority languages, but if you feel like doing any other, let us know. Deadline: ideally October 20, but a little later is still okay. Thanks. ___________________ THINGS TO READ >> __________________ BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT The European Cyclists' Federation produces a month publication called Bicycle Research Report. In the latest issue (September), you can find a report on "Research and experimentation on the strategies adopted by urban cyclists." Check out . TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS The Victoria Transport Policy Institute has posted an on-line edition of "Transportation Cost And Benefit Analysis: Techniques, Estimates and Implications." It's a comprehensive study of transportation cost- benefit analysis and a guidebook for applying this information in planning and policy. To be found at . ___________________ DISCLAIMER >> __________________ Anyone happen to know of a shelter for a few hundred toads named Fluffy? Please, our office is heaving with them! We can't hear a word in here because of all the noise they make, can't move without bumping into a dozen and, most importantly, we can't see what we're typing through all the schmutz on our screens... [end] ____________________________________________ CAR BUSTERS Kratka 26, 100 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic tel: +(420) 2-7481-0849 - fax: +(420) 2-7481-6727 - ____________________________________________ Car Busters Worldwide Contact Directory Register your group on-line now: From mohsin_jp at yahoo.com Tue Oct 8 12:55:41 2002 From: mohsin_jp at yahoo.com (Mohsin J. Sarker) Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2002 20:55:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [sustran] Signal setup at intersection on LRT route In-Reply-To: <0709A702109DA844B290CEAA959078BD40C5D7@MBXSRV04.stf.nus.edu.sg> Message-ID: <20021008035541.62800.qmail@web10505.mail.yahoo.com> Hello everybody I am trying to know about how the intersections are controlled (signal setup) on the surface LRT route. I would be grateful to you, if anyone please let me know any source of such information. Thanks Mohsin Planner Fukisawa Construction Consultant Ltd. Japan __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com From APHOWES at dm.gov.ae Mon Oct 14 19:47:31 2002 From: APHOWES at dm.gov.ae (Alan Patrick Howes) Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 14:47:31 +0400 Subject: [sustran] How to stop illegal jitneys? Message-ID: We have a problem here in Dubai with illegal taxi-type operation - some would call it jitneys. These are usually either private cars or "pick-ups", the latter being licensed for carrying goods (for hire or reward) but not passengers. My question is - where such practices are illegal, is the legislation enforced adequately, and how? In the UK, one of the main reasons car owners don't do this is that it invalidates their insurance, and could lead to big trouble in the case of an accident. But here it seems the insurance companies are not so sharp. All contributions gratefully received. -- Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department aphowes@dm.gov.ae Tel: +971 4 286 1616 ext 214 Mobile: +971 50 5989661 From jhk at ihe.nl Mon Oct 14 21:26:36 2002 From: jhk at ihe.nl (jhk@ihe.nl) Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 14:26:36 +0200 Subject: [sustran] Jan Herman Koster/IHE is out of the office. Message-ID: I will be out of the office starting 09/10/2002 and will not return until 11/12/2002. I will respond to your message when I return. From gbathan at adb.org Thu Oct 24 08:34:04 2002 From: gbathan at adb.org (Glynda Bathan) Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 07:34:04 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Pacific Rim Cities, Hong Kong, 16-18 December Message-ID: Dear friends from SUSTRAN, Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities invites you to the BAQ 2002 Workshop. Glynda Bathan CAI-Asia Dec. 16-18, 2002 Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Pacific Rim Cities (BAQ 2002) Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai District, Hong Kong For more information, visit the Web site - http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~activi/BAQ2002/Index.htm ***************************** Better Air Quality 2002 Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Pacific Rim Cities 16-18 December 2002 Hong Kong Organized by Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities, California Air Resources Board, Air Pollution in the Megacities of Asia Supported by Asian Development Bank, Clean Cities Program, U.S. Department of Energy Energy Foundation, Environment Canada, GTZ, Ministry of Environment Korea, Sida, U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The World Bank Sponsored by Diamond Sponsors Dah Chong Hong (Motor Service Centre) Ltd., The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. (1933) Ltd. Platinum Sponsors The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Ltd., Cummins, Crown Toyota Gold Sponsors The Hongkong Electric Group, CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd., AAE Technologies International Planned as the largest regional event on air quality management in Asia, the Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Pacific Rim Cities (BAQ) 2002 promises to be one of the most comprehensive learning and networking experiences to take place in the field. Held on December 16-18 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, BAQ 2002 targets approximately 500 participants from city and national governments, private companies, and civil society groups in Asia and other regions. The three-day event is designed to promote active participation and encourage discussions that build on experiences and recommendations from earlier workshops on air management and control in the region. There will be a number of associated events during the workshop, including the General Assembly of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities, Regional Policy Dialogue of the Air Pollution in the Megacities of Asia (APMA) Project, and the second meeting of the Clean Air Training Network for Asia (CATNet-Asia). Objectives Better Air Quality (BAQ 2002) will: (i) Review and discuss the current status of Air Quality Management and control techniques in Asia; (ii) Expose workshop participants to new technological developments in ambient air quality monitoring and air pollution controls (for mobile and stationary sources) which have proven to be successful in the region or other parts of the world; (iii) Expose workshop participants to innovative and effective examples of air quality management relevant for Asia; (iv) Discuss and formulate recommendations on appropriate technical solutions for air quality problems. Participants BAQ 2002 will have approximately 500 participants from across Asia and around the world. Senior decision-makers, opinion leaders and technical experts are expected to participate representing governments, private sector, civil society, academia and development community. Program BAQ 2002 will include plenary sessions, six sub-workshops, city-focus presentations, poster paper presentation, exhibitions, technical visits, and a number of associated events. Opening session and keynote address will be presented by the Secretary for Environment, Transport, and Works (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) and the Vice President of the World Bank, respectively, on the current status of air pollution and air quality management in Asia and lessons for Asia. A substantial part of BAQ 2002 are six sub- workshops on 1) Strategic Air Quality Management, 2) Management, Operation and Data Dissemination for Air Quality Monitoring, 3) Control of Stationary Sources of Pollution, 4) Control of Motor Vehicle Emissions, 5) Institutional Arrangements for Air Quality Management, and 6) Climate Change. Lead experts include Dieter Schwela (World Health Organization), Supat Wangwongwatana (Pollution Control Department of Thailand), Frank Murray (Murdoch University), Raymund Leung (Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department), Dilip Biswas (Central Pollution Control Board of India), Fu Lixin (Tsinghua University), Jian Xie (World Bank), Alan Lloyd (California Air Resources Board), and Chan Lo-yin (Hong Kong Polytechnic University). The sub-workshops will provide the participants with an environment for small-scale interaction and a space for freedom of exchange and sharing of interests. The city-focus presentations is a half-day session devoted to presentations and discussions that focus specifically on cities. Here participants' contributions will provide a more defined perspective in the recommendations proposed by the individual sub-workshops. Poster sessions will allow participants to view papers/projects presented to them in poster format and to also ask questions to the presenters. While these activities are taking place, participants will also have the option to visit an exhibit showcasing clean technologies, products, and services to control air pollution held throughout the duration of the workshop. In addition to all of these events, technical visits to a range of organizations in Hong Kong are scheduled in the afternoon of the last day of the workshop. Associated Events Finally, a number of side events, including the General Assembly of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities, Regional Policy Dialogue of Air Pollution in the Magacities of Asia (APMA) project, and the second meeting of the Clean Air Training Network for Asia (CATNet-Asia) will follow the three-day workshop activities on December 19-20 and conclude BAQ 2002. Information and Registration Hong Kong & PRC Participants Dr. Wing-Tat Hung, Chair, Organizing Committee Fax: (852) 2334-6389 Email: cewthung@polyu.edu.hk Other Participants Ms. Gylnda Bathan, CAI-Asia Secretariat Fax: (632) 636 2198 Email: gbathan@adb.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Don't Miss Out! For more information and registration online, go to: http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~activi/BAQ2002/Index.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20021024/6f845c48/attachment.htm From adavis at trl.co.uk Thu Oct 24 08:55:35 2002 From: adavis at trl.co.uk (Davis, Annabel) Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:55:35 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Out of Office AutoReply: [sustran] Regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in Asian and Message-ID: <9AB26CC262F1734EBB9A01B5AC48B47137DEC9@w2-ex1.trllimited.co.uk> I will be out of the office from 24 October to 19 November inclusive. If you need to contact me about specific projects please contact Sue Stoneman on 01344 770187 (sstoneman@trl.co.uk). Annabel Davis Project Manager TRL Limited _________________________________________________________________ This communication contains information sent from the TRL Limited email system which is confidential, and may also be privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the addressee. If you are not the addressee, please note that any distribution, copying or use of this communication, or the information therein, is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender by return email. TRL Limited reserves the right to monitor emails in accordance with the Telecommunications Lawful Business Practice - Interception of Communications Regulations 2000. From APHOWES at dm.gov.ae Sun Oct 27 18:47:14 2002 From: APHOWES at dm.gov.ae (Alan Patrick Howes) Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 13:47:14 +0400 Subject: [sustran] Bus Priority in Cities worldwide Message-ID: I am looking for a "league table" or something similar, showing the extent of Bus Priority implementation worldwide. Ideally, it would be a table of a raft of cities showing population, some measure of bus service provided and/or consumed (buses operated, bus-kms per annum, passenger trips per annum?), and a measure of bus priority implemented. (Length of bus lanes, number of junctions with priority, whatever?) Can anyone point me to a suitable resource? I feel it's something someone, somewhere must have collected at some point. -- Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department aphowes@dm.gov.ae Tel: +971 4 286 1616 ext 214 Mobile: +971 50 5989661 From hertel at zedat.fu-berlin.de Sun Oct 27 22:49:55 2002 From: hertel at zedat.fu-berlin.de (Christof Hertel) Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 14:49:55 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Re: Bus Priority in Cities worldwide In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Hallo Alan et al., for more Berlin data see: http://www.bvg.de/e_index.html Buslanes unidirectional in Kilometers 100,93 http://www.bvg.de/ueber/bilanz_2001.html here is written that 169 of 225 traffic lights for the tram are prioritized, but they say it is still more to do (no Bus is prioritized yet!) Regards Christof On Sun, 27 Oct 2002, Alan Patrick Howes wrote: > I am looking for a "league table" or something similar, showing the extent > of Bus Priority implementation worldwide. Ideally, it would be a table of a > raft of cities showing population, some measure of bus service provided > and/or consumed (buses operated, bus-kms per annum, passenger trips per > annum?), and a measure of bus priority implemented. (Length of bus lanes, > number of junctions with priority, whatever?) > > Can anyone point me to a suitable resource? I feel it's something someone, > somewhere must have collected at some point. > > -- > Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, > Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department > aphowes@dm.gov.ae > Tel: +971 4 286 1616 ext 214 > Mobile: +971 50 5989661 > Christof _________________________________________________________________ From sagaris at terra.cl Mon Oct 28 21:11:25 2002 From: sagaris at terra.cl (Lake Sagaris) Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 09:11:25 -0300 Subject: [sustran] Re: Bus Priority in Cities worldwide In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20021028091012.012c5f80@correo.terra.cl> Hi Alan Walter Hook has a table that would at least serve as a good starting point for this, in a power point presentation he made at the Global Environment Fund Scientific and Technical Panel meeting in Nairobi at the end of March this year, with a list of some ten cities and a summary of their bus systems (km and passenger capacities). Hope this helps. Lake At 01:47 PM 10/27/2002 +0400, you wrote: >I am looking for a "league table" or something similar, showing the extent >of Bus Priority implementation worldwide. Ideally, it would be a table of a >raft of cities showing population, some measure of bus service provided >and/or consumed (buses operated, bus-kms per annum, passenger trips per >annum?), and a measure of bus priority implemented. (Length of bus lanes, >number of junctions with priority, whatever?) > >Can anyone point me to a suitable resource? I feel it's something someone, >somewhere must have collected at some point. > >-- >Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, > Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department >aphowes@dm.gov.ae >Tel: +971 4 286 1616 ext 214 >Mobile: +971 50 5989661 From czegras at mit.edu Tue Oct 29 00:34:16 2002 From: czegras at mit.edu (czegras@mit.edu) Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 10:34:16 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: Bus Priority in Cities In-Reply-To: <200210271701.g9RH1Ig39210@mail.jca.apc.org> References: <200210271701.g9RH1Ig39210@mail.jca.apc.org> Message-ID: <1035819256.3dbd58f89f174@webmail.mit.edu> This should be derivable from the Millenium database (produced by the folks at Murdoch University (Australia) for UITP). It's not entirely clear how reliable or complete the relevant data is, but it contains several Public transport infrastructure and service indicators (including buses operated, bus-kms, priority in infrastructure, etc.). You should try to get a copy of the database from UITP. Else, perhaps you can get it from ISTP, Murdoch. Chris > Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 13:47:14 +0400 > From: Alan Patrick Howes > Subject: [sustran] Bus Priority in Cities worldwide > > I am looking for a "league table" or something similar, showing the extent > of Bus Priority implementation worldwide. Ideally, it would be a table of a > raft of cities showing population, some measure of bus service provided > and/or consumed (buses operated, bus-kms per annum, passenger trips per > annum?), and a measure of bus priority implemented. (Length of bus lanes, > number of junctions with priority, whatever?) > > Can anyone point me to a suitable resource? I feel it's something someone, > somewhere must have collected at some point. > > - -- > Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, > Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department > aphowes@dm.gov.ae > Tel: +971 4 286 1616 ext 214 > Mobile: +971 50 5989661 > From reginamanzo at hotmail.com Tue Oct 29 12:16:23 2002 From: reginamanzo at hotmail.com (Regina Manzo) Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 03:16:23 +0000 Subject: [sustran] Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal Message-ID: Hello Sustran - There's been a request for info to help support a proposed light rail line in Cincinnati, Ohio - part of hard-fought efforts to get more transport options in a typical American metropolitan area. The request has come to me in a roundabout way, and the letter is below. If anyone can share statistics about property values and rail lines (that they don't drop), and other positive information about rail, please pass them on directly to: Glen Brand at the Sierra Club email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 Thanks, Gina Manzo urban planner Singapore ph +65 6738-6698 -----Original Message----- As you may know, in Cincinnati there is an initiative on the ballot in November to enact a sales tax to support the construction of a light rail system in Hamilton County, Ohio. A description of the system is shown in this link: http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/21/rail600x559.jpg The initiative has the broad support of a coalition of the business and civic community and was developed, in part, by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Council of Governments. If built, it would be the second light rail system in Ohio; the only other one is in Shaker Heights, in the Cleveland area, and it dates from the 1920s. Glen Brand of the Sierra Club's Ohio chapter in Cincinnati sent a request to APA's Research Department, asking for some supportive comments. His message related that, over the next several weeks, the usual opponents of such projects--Randall O'Toole, Sam Staley, and Wendell Cox--will be in Cincinnati to condemn the proposal on behalf of a coalition to stop it. This coalition is said to have made a number of questionable claims about the proposal. Among them: that the state and federal government would acquire zoning period over transit-oriented zoning districts along the rail route (not true); and that light rail causes drops property values on adjacent parcels (not true--if it were true, Shaker Heights would have disappeared from the tax rolls long ago). Which leads to this question: Would the Transportation Planning Division, or some of its leaders or Ohio members, want to offer some more enlightened views, representing the state of the art in thinking about these issues? I spoke to Glen last week and I know he would be happy to hear from you. Sam Staley's work is available online at: www.buckeyeinstitute.org Wendell Cox's at www.demographia.com. ------------------- Please respond to: Glen Brand, the Sierra Club email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 _________________________________________________________________ Unlimited Internet access for only $21.95/month.  Try MSN! http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/2monthsfree.asp From Alan.Perkins at transport.sa.gov.au Tue Oct 29 14:56:03 2002 From: Alan.Perkins at transport.sa.gov.au (Perkins, Alan (TSA)) Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:26:03 +1030 Subject: [sustran] Light Rail Energy Consumption Message-ID: <04FDB0250566D6119C0600508BE30E76E5F91A@sagemsg0006.sagemsmrd01.sa.gov.au> Dear Sustraners- Does anyone have information on the energy consumption of light rail? I need energy consumption in Kwh or MJ per vehicle kilometre (often referred to as the energy intensity). I have energy consumption per passenger kilometre for a few Australian networks eg. Adelaide's tram = 1.2 MJ per passenger km (full fuel cycle). However, figures based on passenger kilometres assume certain passenger loadings, which can vary widely between systems and dramatically alter the energy efficiency compared with other modes. Also, any information on greenhouse gas emissions per vehicle kiloemtre would be welcome (although this varies with the fuel mix used in generated the electricity used by each particular system). Regards, Alan Perkins Dr Alan Perkins Senior Transport Policy Analyst Transport Policy Group Transport SA Room 702 PO Box 1 Walkerville South Australia 5081 ph +61 8 8343 2436 fax +61 8 8343 2939 alan.perkins@transport.sa.gov.au http://www.transport.sa.gov.au Disclaimer: The information contained in this e-mail message may be confidential, and may also be the subject of privilege or public interest immunity. This e-mail and any attached files should be scanned to detect viruses and no liability for loss or damage resulting from the use of any attached files is accepted. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or reproduction of this document is unauthorised. If you have received this e-mail in error please telephone +61 8 8343 2222. From litman at vtpi.org Tue Oct 29 22:47:35 2002 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 05:47:35 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Light Rail Energy Consumption In-Reply-To: <04FDB0250566D6119C0600508BE30E76E5F91A@sagemsg0006.sagemsm rd01.sa.gov.au> Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20021029054549.01c57b98@mail.highspeedplus.com> There is a nice new report that has some information on transit vehicle emissions: ECONorthwest and PBQD, Estimating the Benefits and Costs of Public Transit Projects, TCRP Report 78, (http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp78/index.htm), TRB (www.trb.org), 2002. At 04:26 PM 10/29/2002 +1030, you wrote: >Dear Sustraners- > >Does anyone have information on the energy consumption of light rail? > >I need energy consumption in Kwh or MJ per vehicle kilometre (often referred >to as the energy intensity). I have energy consumption per passenger >kilometre for a few Australian networks eg. Adelaide's tram = 1.2 MJ per >passenger km (full fuel cycle). However, figures based on passenger >kilometres assume certain passenger loadings, which can vary widely between >systems and dramatically alter the energy efficiency compared with other >modes. > >Also, any information on greenhouse gas emissions per vehicle kiloemtre >would be welcome (although this varies with the fuel mix used in generated >the electricity used by each particular system). > >Regards, > >Alan Perkins > >Dr Alan Perkins >Senior Transport Policy Analyst >Transport Policy Group >Transport SA >Room 702 >PO Box 1 >Walkerville >South Australia >5081 >ph +61 8 8343 2436 >fax +61 8 8343 2939 >alan.perkins@transport.sa.gov.au >http://www.transport.sa.gov.au >Disclaimer: The information contained in this e-mail message may be >confidential, and may also be the subject of privilege or public interest >immunity. This e-mail and any attached files should be scanned to detect >viruses and no liability for loss or damage resulting from the use of any >attached files is accepted. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, >disclosure or reproduction of this document is unauthorised. If you have >received this e-mail in error please telephone +61 8 8343 2222. Sincerely, Todd Litman, Director Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" 1250 Rudlin Street Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560 Email: litman@vtpi.org Website: http://www.vtpi.org From litman at vtpi.org Tue Oct 29 23:08:26 2002 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 06:08:26 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20021029055900.01c54d88@mail.highspeedplus.com> There is considerable research indicating that rail transit stations can significantly increase nearby property values and support local economic development, provided that other factors are in place, including consumer demand for transit-oriented housing and business locations, and appropriate local development policies. There are two components of this effect. One is an economic transfer: people value transit accessible locations more than transit inaccessible locations for housing and commercial activities. In addition, transit oriented development can provide efficiencies of agglomeration, that is, higher density development can increase the productivity of certain types of business activities (which is why certain types of stores and industries tend to locate in major commercial centers). Although this second factor is difficult to measure, it suggests that transit services can provide large economic benefits if they they provide a catalyst for more clustered development. See: Jeffery J. Smith, Does Mass Transit Raise Site Values Around Its Stops Enough To Pay For Itself (Were The Value Captured)?, Geonomy Society (www.progress.org/geonomy), 2001; available at the Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org/smith.htm). "Transit Evaluation" Online TDM Encyclopedia (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm62.htm) "Transit Oriented Development" Online TDM Encyclopedia (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm45.htm) At 03:16 AM 10/29/2002 +0000, you wrote: >Hello Sustran - > >There's been a request for info to help support a proposed light rail line >in Cincinnati, Ohio - part of hard-fought efforts to get more transport >options in a typical American metropolitan area. The request has come to >me in a roundabout way, and the letter is below. If anyone can share >statistics about property values and rail lines (that they don't drop), >and other positive information about rail, please pass them on directly to: > >Glen Brand at the Sierra Club >email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org >ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 > >Thanks, >Gina Manzo >urban planner >Singapore >ph +65 6738-6698 > >-----Original Message----- > >As you may know, in Cincinnati there >is an initiative on the ballot in November to enact a sales tax to support >the construction of a light rail system in Hamilton County, Ohio. A >description of the system is shown in this link: > >http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/21/rail600x559.jpg > >The initiative has the broad support of a coalition of the business and >civic community and was developed, in part, by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana >Council of Governments. If built, it would be the second light rail system >in Ohio; the only other one is in Shaker Heights, in the Cleveland area, and >it dates from the 1920s. > >Glen Brand of the Sierra Club's Ohio chapter in Cincinnati sent a request to >APA's Research Department, asking for some supportive comments. His message >related that, over the next several weeks, the usual opponents of such >projects--Randall O'Toole, Sam Staley, and Wendell Cox--will be in >Cincinnati to condemn the proposal on behalf of a coalition to stop it. > >This coalition is said to have made a number of questionable claims about >the proposal. Among them: that the state and federal government would >acquire zoning period over transit-oriented zoning districts along the rail >route (not true); and that light rail causes drops property values on >adjacent parcels (not true--if it were true, Shaker Heights would have >disappeared from the tax rolls long ago). > >Which leads to this question: Would the Transportation Planning Division, or >some of its leaders or Ohio members, want to offer some more enlightened >views, representing the state of the art in thinking about these issues? > >I spoke to Glen last week and I know he would be >happy to hear from you. > >Sam Staley's work is available online at: www.buckeyeinstitute.org >Wendell Cox's at www.demographia.com. > >------------------- >Please respond to: >Glen Brand, the Sierra Club >email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org >ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Unlimited Internet access for only $21.95/month. Try MSN! >http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/2monthsfree.asp > > Sincerely, Todd Litman, Director Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" 1250 Rudlin Street Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560 Email: litman@vtpi.org Website: http://www.vtpi.org From kisansbc at vsnl.com Wed Oct 30 10:34:20 2002 From: kisansbc at vsnl.com (kisan mehta) Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 07:04:20 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Assistance Requested-Cincinnati Light Rail Project Message-ID: <001101c27fb4$787b9100$3226020a@im.eth.net> Dear Colleagues, It is interesting to learn about the hot fight for a light rail line in an automobile centred country. We do not have any data that can help the fight however we wish the promoters of sustainable transit a great sucess. We in Mumbai are faced with a serious threat. Our authorities have developed Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) with active World Bank support. In a city of 11.91 million residents (Census of India 2001) where public transport and motor cars account for 88% and 7% journeys respectively the Bank has extended multimillion dollar loan for supporting motorisation and denigrating public transport. Six and eight lane link roads without pavements would pass through crowded areas. State-of-art Computerised Traffic Signal System would be instaled on pavementless roads where flyovers and elevated roads have been recently built for exclusive use by motor cars. The Bank has not proposed levying of toll on vehicles so common man not owning motorised vehicles will be required to pay back the loan. Road accident rate is very high with pedestrians forming 95% of the victims (Bank observation). Traffic control is conspicuous by total absence. Not a single road or lane is closed to personal cars but many roads and all flyovers are closed to public buses. This is what the poor countries have to accept to avail the Bank loan. The Bank swears by sustainability and poverty reduction! Best wishes. > Kisan Mehta and Priya Salvi Save Bombay Committee 620 Jame Jamshed Road, Dadar East, Mumbai 400 014 India Tel: 00 91 22 414 9688 Fax: 00 91 22 415 5536 From sustainable_universal_mobility at hotmail.com Wed Oct 30 17:12:23 2002 From: sustainable_universal_mobility at hotmail.com (Tim Frodsham) Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 17:42:23 +0930 Subject: [sustran] Re: Assistance Requested-Cincinnati Light Rail Project Message-ID: >From: "kisan mehta" >Reply-To: sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org >To: >Subject: [sustran] Assistance Requested-Cincinnati Light Rail Project >Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 07:04:20 +0530 > > > Dear Colleagues, > >It is interesting to learn about the hot fight for a light > rail line in an automobile centred country. We do not >have any data that can help the fight however we wish the >promoters of sustainable transit a great sucess. > >We in Mumbai are faced with a serious threat. Our > authorities have developed Mumbai Urban Transport Project > (MUTP) with active World Bank support. In a city of 11.91 > million residents (Census of India 2001) where public > transport and motor cars account for 88% and 7% journeys > respectively the Bank has extended multimillion dollar loan > for supporting motorisation and denigrating public transport. > Six and eight lane link roads without pavements would pass > through crowded areas. State-of-art Computerised Traffic > Signal System would be instaled on pavementless roads where > flyovers and elevated roads have been recently built for > exclusive use by motor cars. > > The Bank has not proposed levying of toll on vehicles so > common man not owning motorised vehicles will be required >to pay back the loan. Road accident rate is very high with pedestrians >forming 95% of the victims (Bank observation). >Traffic control is conspicuous by total absence. Not a single >road or lane is closed to personal cars but many roads and all >flyovers are closed to public buses. > > This is what the poor countries have to accept to avail the > Bank loan. The Bank swears by sustainability and poverty > reduction! Best wishes. > > > Kisan Mehta and Priya Salvi >Save Bombay Committee >620 Jame Jamshed Road, Dadar East, >Mumbai 400 014 India >Tel: 00 91 22 414 9688 >Fax: 00 91 22 415 5536 kishan and priva, sounds like MUPT are endorsing yet another world bank funded tansport planning disaster waiting to happen. my advice would be to let the authorities in mumbai know they are making a HUGE mistake by misconstrueing uncontrolled motorisation with modernisation. a few companies will do very well with some fat contracts, but the consequences will be assuredly nightmarish. a good place to start your counter-actions against the world bank supported freeway project in Mumbai is the book, newman p.w.g & kenworthy, j.r (1999) 'sustainability and cities, overcoming car dependence' [new york: island press]. it has information in its appendices on how to systematically account for urban growth with checklists, as well as guidelines for sustainable urban development. these would be useful advocacy tools. having done a lot of cycling around india, about 7 and 10 years ago, i can vouch firsthand the hazards and constraints of non-motorised transport in the sub-continent. i cycled through every major indian mega-city, except mumbai. i was impressed by both the sheer scale and the huge unlocked potential for cycling as a tool for sustainable development in that country. mumbai's city transport authorities could learn a lot on bicycle traffic engineering from the chinese experience, where dedicated lanes for bikes exist in most cities. unfortunately, in some chinese cities, particularly those in the industrial zones experiencing high economic growth (and subsequently higher growth in car ownership), the official policy is now sadly that bicycles are seen as the primary cause of traffic congestion, and are now increasingly excluded both physically and in future planning scenarios. cycling is now banned, for example, in the main thoroughfares of many chinese cities, including beijing, shanghai and guangzhou. no doubt that mumbai has been experiencing high growth of car ownership in a growing middle-upper class minority, since deregulation of indian markets in the 1990s. it would be interesting to know precisely whose interests are being represented on the Mumbai Urban Transport Project. it would also be interesting to know of the official policy (or fantasy!) in relation to cycling and congestion in mumbai. let me know if my company can be of any use to you. best, tim Sustainable Universal Mobility International Transport Consultancy ABN 78965310898 tel: +61 8-9337 3898 fax: +61 (0)8 9335 7741 web: www.geocities.com/sustainable_universal_mobility/ email: sustainable_universal_mobility@ hotmail.com post: 4 Victor St, Hilton, WA, Australia 6163 _________________________________________________________________ Unlimited Internet access for only $21.95/month.  Try MSN! http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/2monthsfree.asp From ericbruun at earthlink.net Thu Oct 31 00:39:22 2002 From: ericbruun at earthlink.net (Eric Bruun) Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 10:39:22 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal References: <0B63E4C1CA099B4596A3CBE042B33E22237B75@hillnjexch.hillintl.com> Message-ID: <005601c2802a$893922c0$6313f243@earthlink.net> Bill I assume you are asking Glen Brand for his address. It might have been on his original request for information. Thanks for helping out. I should help a fellow SC member, but I am just overwhelmed at the moment. Eric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vigrass, Bill" To: "Eric Bruun" ; "ckromer" ; "Matoff, Tom" ; ; "Doug Cross" Cc: ; ; Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 8:59 AM Subject: RE: Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal Please provide me with your snailmail address. I have a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia that demonstrates that properties along SEPTA Regional Rail Division (commuter railroad) lines are valued about 6% more than those not so located. It also demonstrated that properties along the Lindenwold Hi-Speed Line operated by Port Authority Transit Corporation of PA and NJ (where I worked 1968-88, retiring as Asst.GM) is valued about 10% more than like properties not on the line. It was prepared by Dr. Richard Voith, chief economist, Fed., a top authority, and sometime SEPTA board member. I await your response. Bill. (Native Ohioan) J. William Vigrass, Project Manager Hill International, Inc. 303 Lippincott Centre Marlton, NJ 08053 Tel: 856-810-6239 Fax: 856-810-4082 billvigrass@hillintl.com www.hillintl.com -----Original Message----- From: Eric Bruun [mailto:ericbruun@earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 6:31 PM To: Vigrass, Bill; ckromer; Matoff, Tom; jschumann@septa.org; Doug Cross Subject: Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal Just in case you don't have enough to do...... Eric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Regina Manzo" To: Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 10:16 PM Subject: [sustran] Assistance Requested - Cincinnati Light Rail Proposal > Hello Sustran - > > There's been a request for info to help support a proposed light rail line > in Cincinnati, Ohio - part of hard-fought efforts to get more transport > options in a typical American metropolitan area. The request has come to me > in a roundabout way, and the letter is below. If anyone can share > statistics about property values and rail lines (that they don't drop), and > other positive information about rail, please pass them on directly to: > > Glen Brand at the Sierra Club > email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org > ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 > > Thanks, > Gina Manzo > urban planner > Singapore > ph +65 6738-6698 > > -----Original Message----- > > As you may know, in Cincinnati there > is an initiative on the ballot in November to enact a sales tax to support > the construction of a light rail system in Hamilton County, Ohio. A > description of the system is shown in this link: > > http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/21/rail600x559.jpg > > The initiative has the broad support of a coalition of the business and > civic community and was developed, in part, by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana > Council of Governments. If built, it would be the second light rail system > in Ohio; the only other one is in Shaker Heights, in the Cleveland area, and > it dates from the 1920s. > > Glen Brand of the Sierra Club's Ohio chapter in Cincinnati sent a request to > APA's Research Department, asking for some supportive comments. His message > related that, over the next several weeks, the usual opponents of such > projects--Randall O'Toole, Sam Staley, and Wendell Cox--will be in > Cincinnati to condemn the proposal on behalf of a coalition to stop it. > > This coalition is said to have made a number of questionable claims about > the proposal. Among them: that the state and federal government would > acquire zoning period over transit-oriented zoning districts along the rail > route (not true); and that light rail causes drops property values on > adjacent parcels (not true--if it were true, Shaker Heights would have > disappeared from the tax rolls long ago). > > Which leads to this question: Would the Transportation Planning Division, or > some of its leaders or Ohio members, want to offer some more enlightened > views, representing the state of the art in thinking about these issues? > > I spoke to Glen last week and I know he would be > happy to hear from you. > > Sam Staley's work is available online at: www.buckeyeinstitute.org > Wendell Cox's at www.demographia.com. > > ------------------- > Please respond to: > Glen Brand, the Sierra Club > email:glen.brand@sierraclub.org > ph: country code 1-513-861-4001 > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Unlimited Internet access for only $21.95/month. Try MSN! > http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/2monthsfree.asp >