From info at worldcarfree.net Fri Mar 4 01:54:51 2005 From: info at worldcarfree.net (info@worldcarfree.net) Date: Thu, 03 Mar 2005 17:54:51 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Campaigners Achieve a Victory in Effort to Save Dhaka's Rickshaws Message-ID: <42274F6B.30189.1FDE42B@localhost> For Immediate Release: March 2, 2005 CAMPAIGNERS ACHIEVE A VICTORY IN EFFORT TO SAVE DHAKA'S RICKSHAWS DHAKA, Bangladesh, March 2 – World Carfree Network and its member organization Work for a Better Bangladesh declared an important victory today in their campaign to save the cycle rickshaws in this capital city of ten million people. The World Bank has officially ended its long-time support for prohibitions of cycle rickshaws on Dhaka’s main roads, and local authorities seem to have heeded the message and postponed further rickshaw bans. New Elephant Road was slated to become rickshaw-free in February, but this did not occur and no alternative date has been announced. In addition, rickshaws are again plying Eskaton Road (from Maghbazar to Bangla Motor) despite having been banned, without prior announcement, on January 23 during the Muslim holiday of Kurbani Eid. As part of the World Bank-funded Dhaka Urban Transport Project, the World Bank had been pushing local authorities to implement a street-by-street ban of rickshaws and other non-motorized vehicles on the city’s major arteries, primarily to improve the flow of motor vehicle traffic. [See map and further information at www.worldcarfree.net/dhaka/.] The World Bank first clarified its position towards the rickshaw ban in a February 2 letter sent by the bank’s country director Christine Wallich to the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board: “Any future support from the World Bank would be possible only if it can be demonstrated that aggregate positive impacts of NMT-free [non-motorized-transportation-free] conversion on transport users and transport providers outweigh the aggregate negative impact,” Wallich wrote. “The bank would not support the continued conversions that do not conform to the above principles, and any support would be contingent on the government carrying out mitigation measures to reduce the negative impacts, and alleviate public concern.” Further, Wallich urged that several measures “be completed as soon as possible to mitigate the impact on affected transport users and providers.” These included a program to retain rickshaw drivers for other trades, improvements of bus service and infrastructure, and the designation of a network of streets for “non-motorized vehicles only.” Automobiles represent only 9 percent of Dhaka’s traffic stream, used by a wealthy minority. The majority of the population rely on the city’s 300,000 to 500,000 cycle rickshaws for their mobility or their livelihood. Most dependent on cycle rickshaws are women, school children and low-income garment workers. Walking serves as the city’s principle mode of transportation, and rickshaws follow in second place as the vehicle of choice. The Prague-based World Carfree Network initiated the international campaign to save Dhaka’s rickshaws on December 1 last year at the request of its Dhaka-based member organization Work for a Better Bangladesh. An important artery, Mirpur Road, had just been closed to rickshaws two weeks before, on December 17. The network’s supporters sent hundreds of letters and e-mails to World Bank officials, urging the bank to end its support for rickshaw bans. The New York-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy joined the campaign by filing a formal complaint, urging the World Bank to comply with its own transportation policy, “Cities on the Move” (2001). The institute’s staff held several meetings with senior World Bank officials in Washington, DC during the second week of January. In addition, they communicated with Wallich, advising her that Dhaka Urban Transport Project had breached the bank’s own urban transport policies. Organizations including World Carfree Network and Work for a Better Bangladesh are now pushing for the reversal of previous rickshaw bans in the city, and the implementation of more sustainable policies such as busways, parking regulation, and slow-moving-vehicle lanes. “We congratulate the World Bank for their change in policy in Dhaka,” said Randall Ghent of World Carfree Network. “Still, the bank and its partners should seek positive solutions and not just ‘mitigate’ the damage caused by bad policies. Local and national officials must now play their part to ensure that the majority benefit from Dhaka’s transportation policy.” “To achieve a decent quality of life in a dense, poor and populous city such as Dhaka, transportation must be space-efficient, quiet, non-polluting and pleasant to be around,” said Amit Ranjan Dey of Work for a Better Bangladesh. “Current conditions leave a lot to be desired, but the answer is not to subsidize wealthy car owners while punishing the rickshaw-dependent majority.” While continuing to watch developments in Dhaka closely, World Carfree Network and Work for a Better Bangladesh offer to assist those fighting rickshaw bans elsewhere in the world. - # - Contacts: Randall Ghent, Co-Director, International Coordination Centre, World Carfree Network: tel: +(420) 274-810-849; mobile: +(420) 608-676-035; e-mail: info@worldcarfree.net Debra Efroymson, Advisor, Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB Trust): tel: +(880) 2-966-9781 or +(880) 2-862-9273; e-mail: wbb@pradeshta.net; www.wbbtrust.org A PDF file of this release is available at www.worldcarfree.net/dhaka/. ________________________________________________ WORLD CARFREE NETWORK Kratka 26, 100 00 Prague 10, Czech Republic tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-772-017 - ________________________________________________ From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Mon Mar 7 06:36:15 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Administrative User) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 22:36:15 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Kyoto World Cities Challenge - Next steps at Sustran Message-ID: <019101c52294$89275e50$6401a8c0@jazz> Full program background at http://kyotocities.org Dear Sustran Friends, Well while there is still work to be done, we have now made enough progress in laying the base for the Kyoto World Cities Challenge Initiative that I can decently put what we have before you and ask you for your ideas, reactions and suggestions. You will find the whole story at http://kyotocities.org , and I do hope that you not only find it a fair beginning but also that perhaps in time it will prove of use to many of you. The idea that we are now bringing together an extremely distinguished collection of experts, doers and authorities on sustainability transportation will, I firmly hope, be a stepping stone in getting our movement into the first ranks of policy council and practice internationally. Here are a couple of immediate questions to you: 1. Should we be encouraging discussions of this project, its ideas and future developments here - or is it out of the mainstream of your interests. (This is an important point for me, because I value your time and do not wish to dilute it with anything that might be less than potentially useful for you). 2. Any suggestions about what you see thus far? 3. Nominations for people and groups that will draw attention to the quality and coverage of the program. 4. Ideas for specific cities that we can somehow target. since that in the final analysis is what this whole thing is all about: demonstrating that very large significant improvement can be made in the short term without recourse to magic bullets, huge piles of taxpayer money, building new anything (that is big), and the list goes on. I look forward with real interest to hearing what you have to say and suggest on this. I think it's in a fine cause and hope you agree. With all good wishes, Eric Britton The New Mobility Agenda is at http://newmobility.org Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France T: +331 4326 1323 Via Skype.com Click here (callto://ericbritton) E: postmaster@newmobility.org Backup E: fekbritton@gmail.com * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Kyoto World Cities Challenge - Abstract Despite the fact that the transport sector is responsible for at least half, often more, of all CO2 production in most cities, there is no provision under the Kyoto Protocols to provide guidelines, mechanisms or incentives to attack these problems. Transport in cities was the " Empty Chair in Kyoto". The Kyoto World Cities Challenge Initiative has been created to provide an open platform of expert guidance and peer support for groups and cities anywhere in the world wishing to attack these problems, and in the process move toward being "Kyoto Compliant". The three main pillars of this collaborative Open Society initiative are: (a) An aggressive proposal for practical remedial action at the level of the city in a 20 month target period starting in 2005, supported by . . . (b) A distinguished International Advisory Panel which brings together a high level group of recognized experts and leaders in the several fields being brought together here, and (c) A multi-level information and IP communications platform making state-of-the-arts use of low cost high quality internet tools to knit the network and the interested cities together. For full background: http://kyotocities.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050306/a40f58bd/attachment.html From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Mon Mar 7 08:45:22 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Administrative User) Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2005 00:45:22 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Kyoto World Cities Challenge - Guestbook installed for your comments Message-ID: <001701c522a6$91bd8780$6401a8c0@jazz> Dear Sustran Friends, After writing that earlier note to you this evening, it occurred to me that it might be handy for us to have a Guestbook for your comments and council. You will now find that one installed on the site - and is clickable from both menus. I hope you find this convenient and look forward to hearing from you. Midnight regards, Eric Britton Site: http://kyotocities.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050307/0540baa3/attachment-0001.html From aables at adb.org Wed Mar 9 20:28:25 2005 From: aables at adb.org (aables@adb.org) Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 19:28:25 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Request for additional assistance on BRT Message-ID: The Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities have previously requested for your help in collecting information on BRT and we are very thankful for the assistance that you gave us. The outputs are now posted on the CAI-Asia website http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-59592.html Following a series of meetings where the BRTconcept was presented, we now hope to move to the stage of a pre-feasibility study on BRT for Manila. We now request for your suggestions and assistance on how to prepare for the pre-feasibility studies. We would like to receive inputs or draft ToR as well as an indication of the budget that will be required for a pre-feasibility study. At the same time we would welcome statements of interests from interested organizations and persons with the required expertise to conduct a BRT pre-feasibility study. Kindly direct your inputs to Cornie Huizenga (chuizenga@adb.org) and Au Ables (aables@adb.org). We look forward to your cooperation. - Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Secretariat -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050309/07fb1169/attachment.html From pascaldesmond at eircom.net Thu Mar 10 21:38:30 2005 From: pascaldesmond at eircom.net (Pascal Desmond) Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:38:30 +0000 Subject: [sustran] "World Transport Policy & Practice" Volume 10, Number 4 (2004) now available Message-ID: Lancaster, March 10, 2005 Volume 10, Number 4 (2004) of "World Transport Policy & Practice", a quarterly journal edited by Professor John Whitelegg, is available free of charge as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file at http://www.eco-logica.co.uk/WTPPhome.html Contents of Volume 10, Number 4, 2004: Editorial World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention Meleckidzedeck Khayesi & Margie Peden Promoting inclusion through Bus Quality Partnerships in southwest England Kazushige Terada & John Dinwoodie The ?YOU-move.nrw? campaign?? New partnerships for youth-oriented and environmentally friendly mobility management Oscar Reutter An evaluation of the traffic and financial performance of the MRT-3 light-rail/metro line in Manila Marius de Langen, Edwin Alzate & Hillie Talens Evaluating bicycle-car transport mode competitiveness in an urban environment. An activity-based approach Frank Witlox & Hans Tindemans ***** DOWNLOAD ADVICE If you are using Windows, please ensure that you 'right click' your mouse. This will download the file to your desktop for viewing off-line. This is standard Windows procedure for downloading files. ***** World Transport Policy & Practice ISSN 1352-7614 Eco-Logica Ltd., 53 Derwent Road, LANCASTER, LA1 3ES. U.K. telephone +44 1524 63175 Editor: Professor John Whitelegg Business Manager: Pascal Desmond http://www.eco-logica.co.uk/WTPPhome.html From hearth at ties.ottawa.on.ca Fri Mar 11 10:54:56 2005 From: hearth at ties.ottawa.on.ca (Chris Bradshaw) Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 20:54:56 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right References: Message-ID: <023e01c525dd$53d81f40$7101a8c0@Chris> [Sorry about not jumping earlier] I agree that _mobility_ must be distinguished from _access_. Access is the movement away from one place and the arrival at another; mobility is the movement between the two places. Access is therefore what the traveller seeks, but mobility is what they need in order to _effect_ access. The roads hierarchy, unfortunately, puts mobility ahead of access by requiring movements in and out of destinations to become secondary to those along the main roads. In that way, the hierarchy favours a smaller number of long trips over a large number of short trips. Further, the middle of a trip (when the traveller is moving the fastest and is impeded the least, usually on a wide, fast road, or on the largest, fastest transit vehicle), his movement interferes with the access movements into and out of the places adjacent to that roadway. For that reason, the land uses that are most sensitive to such impacts are located as far as possible from the upper-hierarchy corridors. This is both to buffer the land use from noise, dirt, and danger, but to provide a mini-hierarchy of roads and lanes to buffer the high-capacity roadway from the slow, pedestrian-oriented parking-space access or drop-off point. In many ways, when people choose to live in a dense city, they are choosing access over mobility (many short trips over a smaller number of faster trips). For this reason, city planning thwarts the satisfaction of access by turning roadways adjacent to destinations into wide speedways. The most successful cities either bury such corridors or just don't provide them, letting those wanting to make long, fast trips to suffer with many delays, thus discouraging such movements (and therefore thwarting sprawl). Walking, in this thinking, is the most access-oriented mode. Not only does every trip require walking in its two access phases, but when walking is used in the middle for mobility, it will never infringe on access movements into and out of the destinations along its way. Chris Bradshaw Ottawa From dmaunder at trl.co.uk Fri Mar 11 17:51:21 2005 From: dmaunder at trl.co.uk (Maunder, Dave A C) Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 08:51:21 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right Message-ID: <9AB26CC262F1734EBB9A01B5AC48B471028AC894@w2-ex1.trllimited.co.uk> I enclose a short abstract from a TRL report on Sustainable Livelihoods , mobility and access needs published in 2003 which may help clarify access and mobility 1.1 Distinguishing mobility and accessibility All communities require accessibility to supplies, services, facilities and work opportunities. The accessibility of such things can be measured in a number of different ways [Jones, 1981]. Accessibility depends on infrastructure and available and affordable modes of transport for the movement of people and their loads. Accessibility therefore depends on physical proximity and mobility. It may be improved by greater mobility and/or improved proximity. Mobility is simply a measure of the agency with which people choose to move themselves or their goods around. This involves two components. The first of these depends on the performance of the transport system, which is affected by where the person is and the timing and direction in which they wish to travel. The second component depends on the characteristics of the individual such as whether s/he has a bicycle or car available, can afford taxi, bus, or rail fares, is able to walk or use public transport, or has knowledge of the options available [Porter, 2001]. In other words, the first element is concerned with the effectiveness of the transport system in connecting spatially separated locations, and the second element is concerned with the extent to which a particular individual or type of person is able to make use of the transport system. Accessibility, or the perceived proximity of desired locational destinations, is heavily influenced by the transport mode being used. Accessibility is concerned not with behaviour but with the opportunity, or potential, provided by the transport and land-use system for different types of people to engage in activities. The two concepts of mobility and accessibility are clearly related but can be easily confused when they are not distinguished from the intervening facilitation of different modes of transport. In the transport literature accessibility is often defined as the ease with which one reaches a desired location. In fact taking a more social science perspective which traces agency and process, 'ease of movement' and 'ease of access' are attributes of the transport modality rather than a feature of the mobile agent or the locational destination per se. In this research an emphasis on mobility is preferred because it is concerned directly with behaviour. This is more in keeping with the decisions that must be made to ensure, enhance and sustain livelihoods. Moreover, mobility, activity systems, and welfare can be conceptually related. Any analysis of mobility must take account of all the motivational factors of individual agents. An agent's age, gender and income will heavily influence his/her choice of destinations as well as facilitating the possibility for individual movement. For example, women may be socially sanctioned from going to public bars to drink, or a young man's income may prevent him from having the money to travel to a distant sports event even though he may highly desire to do so. Physical mobility has to be distinguished at three levels: short-term daily or frequent regularised patterns of mobility, 'one's daily movement'; medium-term long-distance mobility, in other words, 'travel mobility'; and finally, long-term residential mobility. The three levels interact in a number of ways, but it would be highly misleading to lump them together. For example, one may state that a certain woman is highly mobile because she travels a great deal for pleasure seeing different parts of the world whereas she has lived in the same location all her life and commutes daily to her work just half a kilometre from her home. This can be contrasted with someone who has lived in many different places over the course of his/her life or has a job involving continual daily movement around a big city. Who is more mobile? Clearly, an individual's level of mobility has to be qualified to be meaningful. To isolate the influence of mobility levels and changes on livelihoods, our study attempted to hold accessibility constraints reasonably constant by excluding the sampling of remote communities. These are often dominated either by severe road access problems or major [long-distance] mobility constraints that preclude individual initiatives. They have, in any case, already been extensively studied [Barwell, 1996; Dennis, 1998; Hine and Rutter, 2000]. Our study concentrated on parts of the city where the range of transport modes, network density and transport access are comparatively high, which facilitates an understanding of the influence of income differentiation on mobility and the poor's relative mobility position. D Maunder TRL Limited ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ______________________________________________________ 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 rot at americandreamcoalition.org Fri Mar 11 15:28:03 2005 From: rot at americandreamcoalition.org (Randal O'Toole) Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 22:28:03 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Preserving the American Dream Message-ID: AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CONGESTION RELIEF The affordable housing crisis and the growing costs of traffic congestion will be the major themes of the third annual Preserving the American Dream conference. The conference will feature dozens of speakers and workshops on the latest transportation and land-use issues. In cities and regions all over the world, so-called "smart-growth" planning and rail transit are driving up housing prices, increasing traffic congestion, and reducing urban safety. If you care about affordable homeownership, reducing congestion, and safe neighborhoods, you need to attend this conference. The conference will start with an optional tour of recent transportation and housing projects in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Speakers and workshops will cover such topics as: * The Supreme Court and eminent domain; * Problems with rail transit; * How planners make crime-friendly neighborhoods and dangerous streets; * Growth-management planning and housing affordability; * Inclusionary zoning; * The effects of tax-increment financing on local communities; * How to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution; * Helping people promote better solutions to urban problems. The conference will take place in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, on June 24-26, 2005. For more information, see http://americandreamcoalition.org/pad05.html . We sent this to you because either you or someone else told us that you are concerned about land-use and transportation issues in your area. If you would like to be removed from this list, reply to this email with "remove" in the subject field. Randal O'Toole -- American Dream Coalition P. O. Box 1590 Bandon, Oregon 97411 541-347-1517 541-297-6798 cell http://americandreamcoalition.org From pendakur at interchange.ubc.ca Sat Mar 12 01:44:35 2005 From: pendakur at interchange.ubc.ca (V. Setty Pendakur) Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 08:44:35 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right References: <9AB26CC262F1734EBB9A01B5AC48B471028AC894@w2-ex1.trllimited.co.uk> Message-ID: <003d01c52659$9e56ca40$c75d4540@vqo1g195m03x39> David, thanks. Good to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and your family. What is correct reference for this study and is it available on the web? Best wishes. Setty. Dr. V. Setty Pendakur Professor Emeritus, University of BC Honorary Professor, National Academy of Sciences of the PRC Chair, TRB-ABE90 & Director, ITDP President Pacific Policy and Planning Associates 702--1099 Marinaside Crescent Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 2Z3 Phone: 604-263-3576; Fax:604-263-6493 ----- Original Message ----- From: Maunder, Dave A C To: Chris Bradshaw ; Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 12:51 AM Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right I enclose a short abstract from a TRL report on Sustainable Livelihoods , mobility and access needs published in 2003 which may help clarify access and mobility 1.1 Distinguishing mobility and accessibility All communities require accessibility to supplies, services, facilities and work opportunities. The accessibility of such things can be measured in a number of different ways [Jones, 1981]. Accessibility depends on infrastructure and available and affordable modes of transport for the movement of people and their loads. Accessibility therefore depends on physical proximity and mobility. It may be improved by greater mobility and/or improved proximity. Mobility is simply a measure of the agency with which people choose to move themselves or their goods around. This involves two components. The first of these depends on the performance of the transport system, which is affected by where the person is and the timing and direction in which they wish to travel. The second component depends on the characteristics of the individual such as whether s/he has a bicycle or car available, can afford taxi, bus, or rail fares, is able to walk or use public transport, or has knowledge of the options available [Porter, 2001]. In other words, the first element is concerned with the effectiveness of the transport system in connecting spatially separated locations, and the second element is concerned with the extent to which a particular individual or type of person is able to make use of the transport system. Accessibility, or the perceived proximity of desired locational destinations, is heavily influenced by the transport mode being used. Accessibility is concerned not with behaviour but with the opportunity, or potential, provided by the transport and land-use system for different types of people to engage in activities. The two concepts of mobility and accessibility are clearly related but can be easily confused when they are not distinguished from the intervening facilitation of different modes of transport. In the transport literature accessibility is often defined as the ease with which one reaches a desired location. In fact taking a more social science perspective which traces agency and process, 'ease of movement' and 'ease of access' are attributes of the transport modality rather than a feature of the mobile agent or the locational destination per se. In this research an emphasis on mobility is preferred because it is concerned directly with behaviour. This is more in keeping with the decisions that must be made to ensure, enhance and sustain livelihoods. Moreover, mobility, activity systems, and welfare can be conceptually related. Any analysis of mobility must take account of all the motivational factors of individual agents. An agent's age, gender and income will heavily influence his/her choice of destinations as well as facilitating the possibility for individual movement. For example, women may be socially sanctioned from going to public bars to drink, or a young man's income may prevent him from having the money to travel to a distant sports event even though he may highly desire to do so. Physical mobility has to be distinguished at three levels: short-term daily or frequent regularised patterns of mobility, 'one's daily movement'; medium-term long-distance mobility, in other words, 'travel mobility'; and finally, long-term residential mobility. The three levels interact in a number of ways, but it would be highly misleading to lump them together. For example, one may state that a certain woman is highly mobile because she travels a great deal for pleasure seeing different parts of the world whereas she has lived in the same location all her life and commutes daily to her work just half a kilometre from her home. This can be contrasted with someone who has lived in many different places over the course of his/her life or has a job involving continual daily movement around a big city. Who is more mobile? Clearly, an individual's level of mobility has to be qualified to be meaningful. To isolate the influence of mobility levels and changes on livelihoods, our study attempted to hold accessibility constraints reasonably constant by excluding the sampling of remote communities. These are often dominated either by severe road access problems or major [long-distance] mobility constraints that preclude individual initiatives. They have, in any case, already been extensively studied [Barwell, 1996; Dennis, 1998; Hine and Rutter, 2000]. Our study concentrated on parts of the city where the range of transport modes, network density and transport access are comparatively high, which facilitates an understanding of the influence of income differentiation on mobility and the poor's relative mobility position. D Maunder TRL Limited ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ______________________________________________________ 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. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050311/90211a8c/attachment.html From dmaunder at trl.co.uk Mon Mar 14 17:42:31 2005 From: dmaunder at trl.co.uk (Maunder, Dave A C) Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 08:42:31 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right Message-ID: <9AB26CC262F1734EBB9A01B5AC48B471028AC899@w2-ex1.trllimited.co.uk> Hi and yes hope all is well with you . The report is available on the DFID Transport-links web site. The title is Sustainable Livelihoods,mobility and access needs by Bryceson,Maunder,Mbara,Kibombo,Davis and Howe. TRL Report TRL554 2003. Web site is www.transport-links.org If you are ever in London come down to TRL and look us up Best wishes Dave -----Original Message----- From: V. Setty Pendakur [mailto:pendakur@interchange.ubc.ca] Sent: 11 March 2005 16:45 To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right David, thanks. Good to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and your family. What is correct reference for this study and is it available on the web? Best wishes. Setty. Dr. V. Setty Pendakur Professor Emeritus, University of BC Honorary Professor, National Academy of Sciences of the PRC Chair, TRB-ABE90 & Director, ITDP President Pacific Policy and Planning Associates 702--1099 Marinaside Crescent Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 2Z3 Phone: 604-263-3576; Fax:604-263-6493 ----- Original Message ----- From: Maunder, Dave A C To: Chris Bradshaw ; Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 12:51 AM Subject: [sustran] Re: mobility as a right I enclose a short abstract from a TRL report on Sustainable Livelihoods , mobility and access needs published in 2003 which may help clarify access and mobility 1.1 Distinguishing mobility and accessibility All communities require accessibility to supplies, services, facilities and work opportunities. The accessibility of such things can be measured in a number of different ways [Jones, 1981]. Accessibility depends on infrastructure and available and affordable modes of transport for the movement of people and their loads. Accessibility therefore depends on physical proximity and mobility. It may be improved by greater mobility and/or improved proximity. Mobility is simply a measure of the agency with which people choose to move themselves or their goods around. This involves two components. The first of these depends on the performance of the transport system, which is affected by where the person is and the timing and direction in which they wish to travel. The second component depends on the characteristics of the individual such as whether s/he has a bicycle or car available, can afford taxi, bus, or rail fares, is able to walk or use public transport, or has knowledge of the options available [Porter, 2001]. In other words, the first element is concerned with the effectiveness of the transport system in connecting spatially separated locations, and the second element is concerned with the extent to which a particular individual or type of person is able to make use of the transport system. Accessibility, or the perceived proximity of desired locational destinations, is heavily influenced by the transport mode being used. Accessibility is concerned not with behaviour but with the opportunity, or potential, provided by the transport and land-use system for different types of people to engage in activities. The two concepts of mobility and accessibility are clearly related but can be easily confused when they are not distinguished from the intervening facilitation of different modes of transport. In the transport literature accessibility is often defined as the ease with which one reaches a desired location. In fact taking a more social science perspective which traces agency and process, 'ease of movement' and 'ease of access' are attributes of the transport modality rather than a feature of the mobile agent or the locational destination per se. In this research an emphasis on mobility is preferred because it is concerned directly with behaviour. This is more in keeping with the decisions that must be made to ensure, enhance and sustain livelihoods. Moreover, mobility, activity systems, and welfare can be conceptually related. Any analysis of mobility must take account of all the motivational factors of individual agents. An agent's age, gender and income will heavily influence his/her choice of destinations as well as facilitating the possibility for individual movement. For example, women may be socially sanctioned from going to public bars to drink, or a young man's income may prevent him from having the money to travel to a distant sports event even though he may highly desire to do so. Physical mobility has to be distinguished at three levels: short-term daily or frequent regularised patterns of mobility, 'one's daily movement'; medium-term long-distance mobility, in other words, 'travel mobility'; and finally, long-term residential mobility. The three levels interact in a number of ways, but it would be highly misleading to lump them together. For example, one may state that a certain woman is highly mobile because she travels a great deal for pleasure seeing different parts of the world whereas she has lived in the same location all her life and commutes daily to her work just half a kilometre from her home. This can be contrasted with someone who has lived in many different places over the course of his/her life or has a job involving continual daily movement around a big city. Who is more mobile? Clearly, an individual's level of mobility has to be qualified to be meaningful. To isolate the influence of mobility levels and changes on livelihoods, our study attempted to hold accessibility constraints reasonably constant by excluding the sampling of remote communities. These are often dominated either by severe road access problems or major [long-distance] mobility constraints that preclude individual initiatives. They have, in any case, already been extensively studied [Barwell, 1996; Dennis, 1998; Hine and Rutter, 2000]. Our study concentrated on parts of the city where the range of transport modes, network density and transport access are comparatively high, which facilitates an understanding of the influence of income differentiation on mobility and the poor's relative mobility position. D Maunder TRL Limited ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ______________________________________________________ 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. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050314/0d28b262/attachment.html From richmond at alum.mit.edu Wed Mar 16 15:14:45 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 13:14:45 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Transport of Delight! New Book! Message-ID: I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now been published by the University of Akron Press. It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate any reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read it): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=1110952534/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated version of my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths which spur poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces behind their reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the insane," and suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all of us at some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond them. This is not just about transportation, but about thought and action as a whole. I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in use in LA (and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of transportation policy development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is also there, and should be of widespread interest. Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. The University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in suddenly cutting out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it had been painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. The press claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an offer to pay the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and had said would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press director to the provost of the University of Akron. Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say "almost" because the press refused to include a statement regarding the unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course like you to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to your students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a great many areas of human endavour. Best, --Jonathan ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From paulbarter at nus.edu.sg Wed Mar 16 16:22:22 2005 From: paulbarter at nus.edu.sg (Paul Barter) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 15:22:22 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: New World Bank report : "CONNECTING EAST ASIA: A NEW FRAMEWORK FORINFRASTRUCTURE" Message-ID: <0C270D0ABD2B8B44900A88DE0887F49A282AA7@MBOX01.stf.nus.edu.sg> Subject: New World Bank report : "CONNECTING EAST ASIA: A NEW FRAMEWORK FORINFRASTRUCTURE" East Asia needs $1 trillion in roads, water, communications, and power over next five years Developing countries in East Asia need to spend more than a trillion dollars over the next five years in roads, water, communications, power, and other infrastructure to cope with rapidly expanding cities, increasing populations, and the growing demands of the private sector, says a new study released in Tokyo today by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the World Bank. Government and private investment in infrastructure has been vital to growth in East Asia, providing the regional and international links for trade, and connecting rural and urban areas to help share the benefits of rapid growth. After the economic crisis of the late 1990s, private investment in infrastructure dropped off for countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, resulting in a serious infrastructure gap after years of little or no investment. Poorer countries in the region like Lao PDR and Cambodia continue to attract little or no private infrastructure funds. Now, developing countries in East Asia face a massive infrastructure funding challenge. The study estimates that the 21 countries covered will need more than US$200 billion per year to fund new investment and maintenance of roads, power plants, communications, and water and sanitation systems. China is expected to require 80 percent of the total investment. A more active citizenry across the region is also demanding better services, including rural roads and bridges to access markets, and clean water and sanitation services. "Connecting East Asia: A New Framework for Infrastructure," the first joint study by ADB, JBIC, and the World Bank, notes that companies investing in infrastructure, both inside and outside of the region, say they are keen to invest where government policies and regulations are predictable. The study is based on extensive regional consultations with government officials, private investors, NGOs, academics and development partners. In addition, in-depth interviews with officials from 48 companies from both inside and outside of the region were conducted to gauge the level of interest in infrastructure investment (power and gas, telecommunications, water and sanitation, and transportation) and to identify what criteria companies use when deciding where to invest. Among the constraints to investment, the companies cited the lack of enforcement of contracts, inconsistencies in regulations and in the courts, and corruption. "Governments clearly have significant incentives for improving their investment climates and making sure that reliable public policies are in place to attract the right kind of investment," said ADB Vice President Geert van der Linden. "In the past, infrastructure has been a key driver of economic growth and for reducing poverty. Getting the policies right is clearly going to be a priority for countries in the region to attract the private funds needed to promote economic growth and to share the benefits of that growth with poorer groups." This is particularly important as the region is increasingly interconnected through supply chain production networks and expanding cross-border trade, fueled by China which has served as a magnet for regional exports. "In order to continue the growth trend, East Asian countries must keep up with the demands of companies which need energy, reliable transportation links, and other services," said JBIC Governor Kyosuke Shinozawa. "Along with new investments, this will require a new kind of regional cooperation, both in infrastructure and logistics, to maximize the benefits, particularly, for the poorer countries." Although the private sector will provide a portion of the financing, and public-private partnerships will also be critical, the public sector itself also has an important role to play where private financing is insufficient, unavailable, or too expensive, particularly in the smaller countries. The emphasis must be on selecting the right investments and putting in place the right institutional and policy structures to make them worthwhile. The three institutions supporting this study intend to play a major role in supporting its findings and in helping countries meet their growing infrastructure ? and institutional needs. "Over the course of our consultations, people we talked with emphasized the long-term nature of infrastructure development, a process which requires dedicated and reliable partners," said Jemal-ud-din Kassum, the World Bank?s Regional Vice President for East Asia and Pacific. "Although official lenders and donors provide a small fraction of the financing in this sector, usually for more complex projects or new approaches, the organizations responsible for this study are contemplating stepping up our engagement, both in terms of the funds we provide and the scope of the projects we support. It is critical that we seize this opportunity to contribute to the region?s ability to reduce poverty, expand opportunities, and share the benefits of future growth." ### The study is available online at: http://www.worldbank.org/eap, http://www.jbic.go.jp, and http://www.adb.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050316/7e19da5d/attachment.html From litman at vtpi.org Wed Mar 16 23:09:28 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 06:09:28 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> Dear Jonathan, It is easy to criticize rail transit investments if they are evaluated using conventional transportation engineering metrics (e.g., cost per new transit trip), ignoring secondary effects such as leverage effects on per capita automobile mileage and desirable land use effects. I hope that this book contains balanced information on the unique benefits of rail transit and transit oriented development. Your thesis was completed years ago before much of this was published, but you had time to incorporate it into the book. See, for example: Hank Dittmar, "Is Rail Transit Right For Your Community? Asking the Right Questions; Measuring the Benefits," Surface Transportation Policy Project (www.transact.org/report.asp), 1997. Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best Practices In Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.org), 2004. Carmen Hass-Klau, et al., "Bus Or Light Rail : Making The Right Choice," Environment and Transport Planning, Brighton Press (Brighton), 2000 John Holtzclaw, "Does A Mile In A Car Equal A Mile On A Train? Exploring Public Transit's Effectiveness In Reducing Driving," The Sierra Club, (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/articles/reducedriving.asp), 2000. Todd Litman, "Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004. Glenn Pascall, "The Rail Transit Debate; An Assessment Of The Arguments," Discovery Institute (www.discovery.org), 2001. I see much more mythology and planning distortions related to automobile transportation (cars are often described as "sexy," see discussion in http://www.vtpi.org/autosex.htm and are a major status symbol as discussed in http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm91.htm), significant planning and modeling errors that favor highway building (see http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf and http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm76.htm), resulting in much greater economic resources wasted than occurs with rail investments. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 01:14 PM 3/16/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: >I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- >The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now been >published by the University of Akron Press. > >It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate any >reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read it): > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=1110952534/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 > >I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated version of >my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, >symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths which spur >poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger >system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, >planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected >to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces behind their >reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the insane," and >suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all of us at >some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect >on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond them. >This is not just about transportation, but about thought and >action as a whole. > >I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in use in LA >(and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of transportation policy >development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is also there, >and should be of widespread interest. > >Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. The >University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in suddenly cutting >out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it had been >painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this >decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. The press >claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an offer to pay >the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally >planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and had said >would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press >director to the provost of the University of Akron. > >Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say "almost" >because the press refused to include a statement regarding the >unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course like you >to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to your >students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a great many >areas of human endavour. > >Best, > > --Jonathan >----- > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 >Urban Environmental Management program, >School of Environment, Resources and Development >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 >PO Box 4 >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > Intl: 662 524-6132 >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ 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 richmond at alum.mit.edu Thu Mar 17 02:42:17 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:42:17 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> References: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: Dear Todd, The book contains a discussion of the "balance" metaphor, to which you appear to be subject, among other things. The book is about the workings of the mind, and why people make crazy decisions -- in the case of Los Angeles, to proceed with a rail system that made no sense. Perhaps you need to read it! --Jonathan On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > Dear Jonathan, > > It is easy to criticize rail transit investments if they are evaluated > using conventional transportation engineering metrics (e.g., cost per new > transit trip), ignoring secondary effects such as leverage effects on per > capita automobile mileage and desirable land use effects. I hope that this > book contains balanced information on the unique benefits of rail transit > and transit oriented development. Your thesis was completed years ago > before much of this was published, but you had time to incorporate it into > the book. See, for example: > > Hank Dittmar, "Is Rail Transit Right For Your Community? Asking the Right > Questions; Measuring the Benefits," Surface Transportation Policy Project > (www.transact.org/report.asp), 1997. > > Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best Practices In > Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.org), 2004. > > Carmen Hass-Klau, et al., "Bus Or Light Rail : Making The Right Choice," > Environment and Transport Planning, Brighton Press (Brighton), 2000 > > John Holtzclaw, "Does A Mile In A Car Equal A Mile On A Train? Exploring > Public Transit's Effectiveness In Reducing Driving," The Sierra Club, > (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/articles/reducedriving.asp), 2000. > > Todd Litman, "Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004. > > Glenn Pascall, "The Rail Transit Debate; An Assessment Of The Arguments," > Discovery Institute (www.discovery.org), 2001. > > > I see much more mythology and planning distortions related to automobile > transportation (cars are often described as "sexy," see discussion in > http://www.vtpi.org/autosex.htm and are a major status symbol as discussed > in http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm91.htm), significant planning and modeling > errors that favor highway building (see http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf and > http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm76.htm), resulting in much greater economic > resources wasted than occurs with rail investments. > > Best wishes, > -Todd Litman > > > At 01:14 PM 3/16/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > >I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- > >The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now been > >published by the University of Akron Press. > > > >It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate any > >reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read it): > > > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=1110952534/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 > > > >I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated version of > >my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, > >symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths which spur > >poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger > >system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, > >planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected > >to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces behind their > >reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the insane," and > >suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all of us at > >some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect > >on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond them. > >This is not just about transportation, but about thought and > >action as a whole. > > > >I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in use in LA > >(and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of transportation policy > >development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is also there, > >and should be of widespread interest. > > > >Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. The > >University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in suddenly cutting > >out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it had been > >painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this > >decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. The press > >claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an offer to pay > >the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally > >planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and had said > >would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press > >director to the provost of the University of Akron. > > > >Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say "almost" > >because the press refused to include a statement regarding the > >unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course like you > >to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to your > >students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a great many > >areas of human endavour. > > > >Best, > > > > --Jonathan > >----- > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > >Urban Environmental Management program, > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > >PO Box 4 > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > > Intl: 662 524-6132 > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > 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 > > ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From alan at ourpeagreenboat.co.uk Thu Mar 17 07:30:54 2005 From: alan at ourpeagreenboat.co.uk (Alan P Howes) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 22:30:54 +0000 Subject: [sustran] Mumbai and BEST Message-ID: <868h31971tem12t2vlu9tem4qciht4fo21@4ax.com> I will shortly be realising a long-held ambition, and paying my first visit to India. (Dubai, while containing many Indians, didn't really count.) I will be coming to Mumbai, to work on an "Institutional Development Study" for BEST, or at least its bus operating arm. The project will cover at least 12 months, and I expect to be in Mumbai for a few months within that period - first visit in April or May, I should think. I have not yet fully read the brief - it is mainly about increased efficiency within the organisation, but I hope to be able to address wider transport issues too. I have seen plenty of coverage of such things on this list in the past (from Kisan, Debi?). So - I would be very pleased to exchange opinions with "interested parties", and perhaps to meet any Mumbai/Bombay sustranners when I get there. Regards, Alan (PS: I was rather shocked to discover that Mumbai has a poorer ratio of buses to people than Edinburgh - never mind Shanghai, which is perhaps a better comparison.) -- Alan P Howes, Perthshire, Scotland alan@ourpeagreenboat.co.uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alanhowes/ [Needs Updating!] From litman at vtpi.org Thu Mar 17 15:16:15 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 22:16:15 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: References: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316211830.0254a818@mail.highspeedplus.com> Dear Jonathan Richmond, Perhaps I'll seem old-fashioned to you, but I'm afraid that I cannot accept the postmodern perspective that all reality is subjective, and all decisions reflect metaphors. That may be appropriate for literary criticism but not for public policy and planning decisions that have significant economic and social impacts. You present your book as an academic publication for use in college-level classes. Good scholarship requires that analysis be carefully described, conclusions explained, and that alternative perspectives and contrary data be given fair and thoughtful discussion - that is what distinguishes academic analysis from biased opinion and propaganda. Your book is based on the assumption that building rail transit in Los Angeles is "crazy" and makes no sense. If this is an academic book you should be able to describe the analysis that lead you to that conclusion, and identify factors which could affect that conclusion, such as alternative perspectives or data. Your previous publications on the subject ("A Whole-System Approach to Evaluating Urban Transit Investments," Transport Reviews. Vol. 21, No. 2, April-June 2001, 141-180; http://confusion.mit.edu/~richmond/professional/wholesys.pdf) compare rail and bus transit based on direct impacts (e.g., cost per passenger-mile), without much consideration of other factors which may justify additional support for rail, such as the potential for increased ridership by discretionary travelers (people who have the option of driving), and land use effects (creation of more compact, mixed, walkable communities), and their leverage effects (the tendency of each rail transit passenger-mile to reduce 2-7 automobile vehicle-miles). Research by myself ("Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004) and others indicates that cities with quality rail transit systems have less per capita congestion delays, lower traffic fatality rates, significant consumer cost savings, significant road and parking facility cost savings, improved mobility for non-drivers, lower transit service unit costs, higher land values, than cities that lack such systems. My analysis indicates that these benefits more than offset the additional costs of rail transit. You are certainly welcome to disagree with this conclusion and present alternative information, but it seems reasonable to ask whether these issues are mentioned in your book. I assume, from the ambiguity of your response that they are not. My concern here is not with a balanced transportation system, which you address as metaphor. It is with balance in information and perspectives provided in the book. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 12:42 AM 3/17/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: >Dear Todd, > >The book contains a discussion of the "balance" metaphor, to which you >appear to be subject, among other things. The book is about the workings >of the mind, and why people make crazy decisions -- in the case of Los >Angeles, to proceed with a rail system that made no sense. > >Perhaps you need to read it! > > --Jonathan > > > > >On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > > > > Dear Jonathan, > > > > It is easy to criticize rail transit investments if they are evaluated > > using conventional transportation engineering metrics (e.g., cost per new > > transit trip), ignoring secondary effects such as leverage effects on per > > capita automobile mileage and desirable land use effects. I hope that this > > book contains balanced information on the unique benefits of rail transit > > and transit oriented development. Your thesis was completed years ago > > before much of this was published, but you had time to incorporate it into > > the book. See, for example: > > > > Hank Dittmar, "Is Rail Transit Right For Your Community? Asking the Right > > Questions; Measuring the Benefits," Surface Transportation Policy Project > > (www.transact.org/report.asp), 1997. > > > > Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best Practices In > > Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.org), 2004. > > > > Carmen Hass-Klau, et al., "Bus Or Light Rail : Making The Right Choice," > > Environment and Transport Planning, Brighton Press (Brighton), 2000 > > > > John Holtzclaw, "Does A Mile In A Car Equal A Mile On A Train? Exploring > > Public Transit's Effectiveness In Reducing Driving," The Sierra Club, > > (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/articles/reducedriving.asp), 2000. > > > > Todd Litman, "Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of > > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004. > > > > Glenn Pascall, "The Rail Transit Debate; An Assessment Of The Arguments," > > Discovery Institute (www.discovery.org), 2001. > > > > > > I see much more mythology and planning distortions related to automobile > > transportation (cars are often described as "sexy," see discussion in > > http://www.vtpi.org/autosex.htm and are a major status symbol as discussed > > in http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm91.htm), significant planning and modeling > > errors that favor highway building (see http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf and > > http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm76.htm), resulting in much greater economic > > resources wasted than occurs with rail investments. > > > > Best wishes, > > -Todd Litman > > > > > > At 01:14 PM 3/16/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > > >I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- > > >The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now been > > >published by the University of Akron Press. > > > > > >It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate any > > >reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read it): > > > > > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=1110952534 > /sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 > > > > > >I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated version of > > >my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, > > >symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths which spur > > >poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger > > >system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, > > >planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected > > >to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces behind their > > >reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the insane," and > > >suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all of us at > > >some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect > > >on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond them. > > >This is not just about transportation, but about thought and > > >action as a whole. > > > > > >I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in use in LA > > >(and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of transportation policy > > >development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is also there, > > >and should be of widespread interest. > > > > > >Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. The > > >University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in suddenly cutting > > >out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it had been > > >painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this > > >decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. The press > > >claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an offer to pay > > >the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally > > >planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and had said > > >would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press > > >director to the provost of the University of Akron. > > > > > >Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say "almost" > > >because the press refused to include a statement regarding the > > >unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course like you > > >to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to your > > >students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a great many > > >areas of human endavour. > > > > > >Best, > > > > > > --Jonathan > > >----- > > > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) > > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > > >Urban Environmental Management program, > > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) > > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > > >PO Box 4 > > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) > > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana > Pattanakul > > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > > > Intl: 662 524-6132 > > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > > > > 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 > > > > > >----- > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 >Urban Environmental Management program, >School of Environment, Resources and Development >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 >PO Box 4 >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > Intl: 662 524-6132 >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ 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 richmond at alum.mit.edu Thu Mar 17 15:30:55 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 13:30:55 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316211830.0254a818@mail.highspeedplus.com> References: <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> <5.1.1.6.0.20050316054720.0259e960@mail.highspeedplus.com> <5.1.1.6.0.20050316211830.0254a818@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: Todd Litman, you have the nerve to raise issues about my book before you have even seen it, and all of what you have to say is a manifestation of your insecurity as an unscientific advocate of rail. My book does contain a very thorough analysis of the technical issues and, as always with my work, it is entirely impartial and has been reviewed by numerous of my academic peers. Your alleged findings are not supported by the facts. You really are one of the people my book talks about, someone who lives in a world of myth. Most importantly, you should note that the importance of my book is not in its findings of whether or not rail or bus systems are desirable. That is a sideline. The significance of the book is that it provides insight into how humans think and make decisions, so that we can muster powers of reflection to make better decisions. I suggest you read the book before you have anything further to say. --Jonathan On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > Dear Jonathan Richmond, > > Perhaps I'll seem old-fashioned to you, but I'm afraid that I cannot accept > the postmodern perspective that all reality is subjective, and all > decisions reflect metaphors. That may be appropriate for literary criticism > but not for public policy and planning decisions that have significant > economic and social impacts. > > You present your book as an academic publication for use in college-level > classes. Good scholarship requires that analysis be carefully described, > conclusions explained, and that alternative perspectives and contrary data > be given fair and thoughtful discussion - that is what distinguishes > academic analysis from biased opinion and propaganda. > > Your book is based on the assumption that building rail transit in Los > Angeles is "crazy" and makes no sense. If this is an academic book you > should be able to describe the analysis that lead you to that conclusion, > and identify factors which could affect that conclusion, such as > alternative perspectives or data. > > Your previous publications on the subject ("A Whole-System Approach to > Evaluating Urban Transit Investments," Transport Reviews. Vol. 21, No. 2, > April-June 2001, 141-180; > http://confusion.mit.edu/~richmond/professional/wholesys.pdf) compare rail > and bus transit based on direct impacts (e.g., cost per passenger-mile), > without much consideration of other factors which may justify additional > support for rail, such as the potential for increased ridership by > discretionary travelers (people who have the option of driving), and land > use effects (creation of more compact, mixed, walkable communities), and > their leverage effects (the tendency of each rail transit passenger-mile to > reduce 2-7 automobile vehicle-miles). > > Research by myself ("Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004) and others indicates that > cities with quality rail transit systems have less per capita congestion > delays, lower traffic fatality rates, significant consumer cost savings, > significant road and parking facility cost savings, improved mobility for > non-drivers, lower transit service unit costs, higher land values, than > cities that lack such systems. My analysis indicates that these benefits > more than offset the additional costs of rail transit. You are certainly > welcome to disagree with this conclusion and present alternative > information, but it seems reasonable to ask whether these issues are > mentioned in your book. I assume, from the ambiguity of your response that > they are not. > > My concern here is not with a balanced transportation system, which you > address as metaphor. It is with balance in information and perspectives > provided in the book. > > > Best wishes, > -Todd Litman > > > At 12:42 AM 3/17/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > >Dear Todd, > > > >The book contains a discussion of the "balance" metaphor, to which you > >appear to be subject, among other things. The book is about the workings > >of the mind, and why people make crazy decisions -- in the case of Los > >Angeles, to proceed with a rail system that made no sense. > > > >Perhaps you need to read it! > > > > --Jonathan > > > > > > > > > >On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear Jonathan, > > > > > > It is easy to criticize rail transit investments if they are evaluated > > > using conventional transportation engineering metrics (e.g., cost per new > > > transit trip), ignoring secondary effects such as leverage effects on per > > > capita automobile mileage and desirable land use effects. I hope that this > > > book contains balanced information on the unique benefits of rail transit > > > and transit oriented development. Your thesis was completed years ago > > > before much of this was published, but you had time to incorporate it into > > > the book. See, for example: > > > > > > Hank Dittmar, "Is Rail Transit Right For Your Community? Asking the Right > > > Questions; Measuring the Benefits," Surface Transportation Policy Project > > > (www.transact.org/report.asp), 1997. > > > > > > Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best Practices In > > > Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.org), 2004. > > > > > > Carmen Hass-Klau, et al., "Bus Or Light Rail : Making The Right Choice," > > > Environment and Transport Planning, Brighton Press (Brighton), 2000 > > > > > > John Holtzclaw, "Does A Mile In A Car Equal A Mile On A Train? Exploring > > > Public Transit's Effectiveness In Reducing Driving," The Sierra Club, > > > (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/articles/reducedriving.asp), 2000. > > > > > > Todd Litman, "Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of > > > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004. > > > > > > Glenn Pascall, "The Rail Transit Debate; An Assessment Of The Arguments," > > > Discovery Institute (www.discovery.org), 2001. > > > > > > > > > I see much more mythology and planning distortions related to automobile > > > transportation (cars are often described as "sexy," see discussion in > > > http://www.vtpi.org/autosex.htm and are a major status symbol as discussed > > > in http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm91.htm), significant planning and modeling > > > errors that favor highway building (see http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf and > > > http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm76.htm), resulting in much greater economic > > > resources wasted than occurs with rail investments. > > > > > > Best wishes, > > > -Todd Litman > > > > > > > > > At 01:14 PM 3/16/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > > > >I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- > > > >The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now been > > > >published by the University of Akron Press. > > > > > > > >It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate any > > > >reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read it): > > > > > > > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=1110952534 > > /sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 > > > > > > > >I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated version of > > > >my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, > > > >symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths which spur > > > >poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger > > > >system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, > > > >planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected > > > >to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces behind their > > > >reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the insane," and > > > >suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all of us at > > > >some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect > > > >on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond them. > > > >This is not just about transportation, but about thought and > > > >action as a whole. > > > > > > > >I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in use in LA > > > >(and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of transportation policy > > > >development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is also there, > > > >and should be of widespread interest. > > > > > > > >Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. The > > > >University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in suddenly cutting > > > >out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it had been > > > >painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this > > > >decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. The press > > > >claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an offer to pay > > > >the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally > > > >planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and had said > > > >would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press > > > >director to the provost of the University of Akron. > > > > > > > >Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say "almost" > > > >because the press refused to include a statement regarding the > > > >unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course like you > > > >to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to your > > > >students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a great many > > > >areas of human endavour. > > > > > > > >Best, > > > > > > > > --Jonathan > > > >----- > > > > > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) > > > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > > > >Urban Environmental Management program, > > > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > > > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) > > > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > > > >PO Box 4 > > > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) > > > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > > > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana > > Pattanakul > > > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > > > > Intl: 662 524-6132 > > > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > >----- > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > >Urban Environmental Management program, > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > >PO Box 4 > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > > Intl: 662 524-6132 > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > 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 > > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. > ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From paulbarter at nus.edu.sg Thu Mar 17 15:45:13 2005 From: paulbarter at nus.edu.sg (Paul Barter) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 14:45:13 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Message-ID: <0C270D0ABD2B8B44900A88DE0887F49A282AB4@MBOX01.stf.nus.edu.sg> Hi all Just a short note from one of the list managers to suggest that we all take a deep breath before responding further on this thread. I am not warning anyone specifically but it looks like this thread may be threatening to turn into a flame war. The old guideline, to sleep on it first if ever tempted to respond in anger, seems to me a good one. Email is a medium in which strong words have a habit of escalating very quickly. I do not wish to censor any discussions. This sustran-discuss community that we have built welcomes debate, including very vigorous debate. There is an interesting difference in perspective here which will explored more usefully with cool heads and temperate language. Best wishes and I am very much looking forward to seeing more vigorous but level-headed discussion on this isssue, which is of considerable interest for transport in developing countries. Paul (co-list-manager) From sujit at vsnl.com Thu Mar 17 17:16:20 2005 From: sujit at vsnl.com (Sujit Patwardhan) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 13:46:20 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: <0C270D0ABD2B8B44900A88DE0887F49A282AB4@MBOX01.stf.nus.edu.sg> References: <0C270D0ABD2B8B44900A88DE0887F49A282AB4@MBOX01.stf.nus.edu.sg> Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.0.20050317133706.03433020@mail.vsnl.com> 17 March 2005 Yes I agree with Paul. Being a member of this list I have great respect for many individuals who have broadened my own understanding of issues relating to transport and often going beyond it. It would be a pity if instead of a vigorous debate, which can be a learning experience for many of us, this becomes a platform for angry exchanges. Take a deep breath....count up to hundred... and if these don't work ...sleep on it. As a person known for blowing his top at the slightest provocation, I can promise it works!!! -- Sujit Patwardhan Pune India At 12:15 PM 3/17/2005, you wrote: >Hi all > >Just a short note from one of the list managers to suggest that we all >take a deep breath before responding further on this thread. I am not >warning anyone specifically but it looks like this thread may be >threatening to turn into a flame war. > >The old guideline, to sleep on it first if ever tempted to respond in >anger, seems to me a good one. Email is a medium in which strong words >have a habit of escalating very quickly. > >I do not wish to censor any discussions. This sustran-discuss community >that we have built welcomes debate, including very vigorous debate. >There is an interesting difference in perspective here which will >explored more usefully with cool heads and temperate language. > >Best wishes and I am very much looking forward to seeing more vigorous >but level-headed discussion on this isssue, which is of considerable >interest for transport in developing countries. > >Paul >(co-list-manager) > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. Sujit Patwardhan sujit@vsnl.com From cpardo at cable.net.co Thu Mar 17 17:36:49 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 15:36:49 +0700 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Message-ID: <0IDG008XOUTUMW80@epicac.cable.net.co> Dear all, I think this illustrates a very well known problem in epistemology. Different ideas of how the world works (or should work) develop into = strong arguments that may forget some issues of special relevance. As a psychologist, I have to agree that there are other points of view of = life such as postmodernism that may give us some insights about language as a builder of reality (by this, I think we all understand that a rock is a physical object and that when we say that language constructs reality in language itself). Also, there are other positivist views (in the sense = of Hume) that give more importance to verifiable objects than to cognitive events. As Mr Richmond has pointed out, I think his main interest is the first = topic I have described, and Mr Litman's view is more on the second side of the story. In order to view transport as a whole, maybe the two perspectives should be taken into account while going through the exercise of reading = the book. From the short (and a bit commercial) summary that appears in = Amazon, I think this is fundamentally a qualitative study (3,000 interviews, = etc), and it focuses on this kind of data (I presume, discourse analysis and = all that stuff). Obviously, results can be different from a purely = quantitative point of view and maybe they should be that way. Language doesn't necessarily respond to physical or statistical reality, and vice versa.=20 I find this discussion quite interesting... but I hope we can arrive at conclusions instead of hopeless criticisms. Does anyone else have an = opinion on this? *views expressed not necessarily those of any employer. Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -----Mensaje original----- De: sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org = [mailto:sustran- discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de Jonathan = E. D. Richmond Enviado el: Thursday, March 17, 2005 1:31 PM Para: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport CC: UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Asunto: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Todd Litman, you have the nerve to raise issues about my book before you have even seen it, and all of what you have to say is a manifestation of your insecurity as an unscientific advocate of rail. My book does contain a very thorough analysis of the technical issues = and, as always with my work, it is entirely impartial and has been reviewed = by numerous of my academic peers. Your alleged findings are not supported by the facts. You really are one of the people my book talks about, someone who lives in a world of myth. Most importantly, you should note that the importance of my book is not in its findings of whether or not rail or bus systems are desirable. = That is a sideline. The significance of the book is that it provides insight into how humans think and make decisions, so that we can muster powers = of reflection to make better decisions. I suggest you read the book before you have anything further to say. --Jonathan From cpardo at cable.net.co Thu Mar 17 17:34:54 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 15:34:54 +0700 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <0IDG008WAUQNMS50@epicac.cable.net.co> Dear all, I think this illustrates a very well known problem in epistemology. Different ideas of how the world works (or should work) develop into = strong arguments that may forget some issues of special relevance. As a psychologist, I have to agree that there are other points of view of = life such as postmodernism that may give us some insights about language as a builder of reality (by this, I think we all understand that a rock is a physical object and that when we say that language constructs reality in language itself). Also, there are other positivist views (in the sense = of Hume) that give more importance to verifiable objects than to cognitive events. As Mr Richmond has pointed out, I think his main interest is the first = topic I have described, and Mr Litman's view is more on the second side of the story. In order to view transport as a whole, maybe the two perspectives should be taken into account while going through the exercise of reading = the book. From the short (and a bit commercial) summary that appears in = Amazon, I think this is fundamentally a qualitative study (3,000 interviews, = etc), and it focuses on this kind of data (I presume, discourse analysis and = all that stuff). Obviously, results can be different from a purely = quantitative point of view and maybe they should be that way. Language doesn't necessarily respond to physical or statistical reality, and vice versa.=20 I find this discussion quite interesting... but I hope we can arrive at conclusions instead of hopeless criticisms. Does anyone else have an = opinion on this? *views expressed not necessarily those of any employer. Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -----Mensaje original----- De: sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org = [mailto:sustran- discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de Jonathan = E. D. Richmond Enviado el: Thursday, March 17, 2005 1:31 PM Para: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport CC: UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Asunto: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Todd Litman, you have the nerve to raise issues about my book before you have even seen it, and all of what you have to say is a manifestation of your insecurity as an unscientific advocate of rail. My book does contain a very thorough analysis of the technical issues = and, as always with my work, it is entirely impartial and has been reviewed = by numerous of my academic peers. Your alleged findings are not supported by the facts. You really are one of the people my book talks about, someone who lives in a world of myth. Most importantly, you should note that the importance of my book is not in its findings of whether or not rail or bus systems are desirable. = That is a sideline. The significance of the book is that it provides insight into how humans think and make decisions, so that we can muster powers = of reflection to make better decisions. I suggest you read the book before you have anything further to say. --Jonathan On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > Dear Jonathan Richmond, > > Perhaps I'll seem old-fashioned to you, but I'm afraid that I cannot accept > the postmodern perspective that all reality is subjective, and all > decisions reflect metaphors. That may be appropriate for literary criticism > but not for public policy and planning decisions that have significant > economic and social impacts. > > You present your book as an academic publication for use in = college-level > classes. Good scholarship requires that analysis be carefully = described, > conclusions explained, and that alternative perspectives and contrary = data > be given fair and thoughtful discussion - that is what distinguishes > academic analysis from biased opinion and propaganda. > > Your book is based on the assumption that building rail transit in Los > Angeles is "crazy" and makes no sense. If this is an academic book you > should be able to describe the analysis that lead you to that = conclusion, > and identify factors which could affect that conclusion, such as > alternative perspectives or data. > > Your previous publications on the subject ("A Whole-System Approach to > Evaluating Urban Transit Investments," Transport Reviews. Vol. 21, No. = 2, > April-June 2001, 141-180; > http://confusion.mit.edu/~richmond/professional/wholesys.pdf) compare = rail > and bus transit based on direct impacts (e.g., cost per = passenger-mile), > without much consideration of other factors which may justify = additional > support for rail, such as the potential for increased ridership by > discretionary travelers (people who have the option of driving), and = land > use effects (creation of more compact, mixed, walkable communities), = and > their leverage effects (the tendency of each rail transit = passenger-mile to > reduce 2-7 automobile vehicle-miles). > > Research by myself ("Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation = of > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004) and others indicates that > cities with quality rail transit systems have less per capita = congestion > delays, lower traffic fatality rates, significant consumer cost = savings, > significant road and parking facility cost savings, improved mobility = for > non-drivers, lower transit service unit costs, higher land values, = than > cities that lack such systems. My analysis indicates that these = benefits > more than offset the additional costs of rail transit. You are = certainly > welcome to disagree with this conclusion and present alternative > information, but it seems reasonable to ask whether these issues are > mentioned in your book. I assume, from the ambiguity of your response = that > they are not. > > My concern here is not with a balanced transportation system, which = you > address as metaphor. It is with balance in information and = perspectives > provided in the book. > > > Best wishes, > -Todd Litman > > > At 12:42 AM 3/17/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > >Dear Todd, > > > >The book contains a discussion of the "balance" metaphor, to which = you > >appear to be subject, among other things. The book is about the = workings > >of the mind, and why people make crazy decisions -- in the case of = Los > >Angeles, to proceed with a rail system that made no sense. > > > >Perhaps you need to read it! > > > > --Jonathan > > > > > > > > > >On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Todd Alexander Litman wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear Jonathan, > > > > > > It is easy to criticize rail transit investments if they are = evaluated > > > using conventional transportation engineering metrics (e.g., cost = per new > > > transit trip), ignoring secondary effects such as leverage effects = on per > > > capita automobile mileage and desirable land use effects. I hope = that this > > > book contains balanced information on the unique benefits of rail transit > > > and transit oriented development. Your thesis was completed years = ago > > > before much of this was published, but you had time to incorporate = it into > > > the book. See, for example: > > > > > > Hank Dittmar, "Is Rail Transit Right For Your Community? Asking = the Right > > > Questions; Measuring the Benefits," Surface Transportation Policy Project > > > (www.transact.org/report.asp), 1997. > > > > > > Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best = Practices In > > > Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.org), 2004. > > > > > > Carmen Hass-Klau, et al., "Bus Or Light Rail : Making The Right Choice," > > > Environment and Transport Planning, Brighton Press (Brighton), = 2000 > > > > > > John Holtzclaw, "Does A Mile In A Car Equal A Mile On A Train? Exploring > > > Public Transit's Effectiveness In Reducing Driving," The Sierra = Club, > > > (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/articles/reducedriving.asp), 2000. > > > > > > Todd Litman, "Rail Transit in America: Comprehensive Evaluation of > > > Benefits," VTPI (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf), 2004. > > > > > > Glenn Pascall, "The Rail Transit Debate; An Assessment Of The Arguments," > > > Discovery Institute (www.discovery.org), 2001. > > > > > > > > > I see much more mythology and planning distortions related to automobile > > > transportation (cars are often described as "sexy," see discussion = in > > > http://www.vtpi.org/autosex.htm and are a major status symbol as discussed > > > in http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm91.htm), significant planning and modeling > > > errors that favor highway building (see = http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf. pdf and > > > http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm76.htm), resulting in much greater = economic > > > resources wasted than occurs with rail investments. > > > > > > Best wishes, > > > -Todd Litman > > > > > > > > > At 01:14 PM 3/16/2005 +0700, Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote: > > > >I would like to let you know that my "new" book, "Transport of Delight -- > > > >The Mythical Conception of Rail Transit in Los Angeles," has now = been > > > >published by the University of Akron Press. > > > > > > > >It can be found here on Amazon (and I would certainly appreciate = any > > > >reader's comments on the Amazon site if you get a chance to read = it): > > > > > > > >http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188483695X/qid=3D 1110952534 > > = /sr=3D8-2/ref=3Dsr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-6230374-9224931?v=3Dglance&s=3Dbo= oks&n=3D 507846 > > > > > > > >I put "new" in quotes because the book is in fact an updated = version of > > > >my MIT doctoral dissertation. The book is about how a system of images, > > > >symbols and metaphors comes together to creat powerful myths = which spur > > > >poor planning decisions (in this case, the creation of a rail passenger > > > >system in Los Angeles). It is full of interviews of politicians, > > > >planners, community leaders and others, and their responses are subjected > > > >to a literary analysis to help understand the driving forces = behind their > > > >reasoning and actions. I find that there is a "logic of the = insane," and > > > >suggest that those of us subject to such a logic -- frankly all = of us at > > > >some time or another -- need to be able to learn to identify and reflect > > > >on the assumptions which constrain us if we are to move beyond = them. > > > >This is not just about transportation, but about thought and > > > >action as a whole. > > > > > > > >I also include a critique of technical modelling procedures in = use in LA > > > >(and typically used widely elsewhere). A history of = transportation policy > > > >development in the States (and specifically in Los Angeles) is = also there, > > > >and should be of widespread interest. > > > > > > > >Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with the production of the book. = The > > > >University of Akron Press behaved in a disgraceful way in = suddenly cutting > > > >out a large part of the essential illustrative material after it = had been > > > >painstakingly assembled and permissions paid. Arguments that this > > > >decision affected the integrity of the text fell on deaf ears. = The press > > > >claimed they were short of money, but would not respond to an = offer to pay > > > >the alleged additional costs of including all the materials originally > > > >planned (and which the press had received a year beforehand and = had said > > > >would be put into production). I have made a complaint about the press > > > >director to the provost of the University of Akron. > > > > > > > >Despite this lapse, almost all my words are there -- I say = "almost" > > > >because the press refused to include a statement regarding the > > > >unauthorized deletion of illustrations -- and I would of course = like you > > > >to have the chance to read them and perhaps recommend my book to = your > > > >students, since I think it has much to say of relevance to a = great many > > > >areas of human endavour. > > > > > > > >Best, > > > > > > > > --Jonathan > > > >----- > > > > > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 = ( office) > > > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > > > >Urban Environmental Management program, > > > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > > > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 = ( home) > > > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > > > >PO Box 4 > > > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 = ( fax) > > > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > > > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana > > Pattanakul > > > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 = 524-6368 > > > > Intl: 662 = 524-6132 > > > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > >----- > > > >Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 = (office ) > >Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 > >Urban Environmental Management program, > >School of Environment, Resources and Development > >Room N260B 02 524-8257 = (home) > >Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 > >PO Box 4 > >Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 = (fax) > >Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 > > > >e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul > > richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 > > Intl: 662 524-6132 > >http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > 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 > > > > > = =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries = ( the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus = is on urban transport policy in Asia. > ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 = (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana = Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries = ( the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus = is on urban transport policy in Asia. From dmaunder at trl.co.uk Thu Mar 17 18:09:44 2005 From: dmaunder at trl.co.uk (Maunder, Dave A C) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 09:09:44 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Message-ID: <9AB26CC262F1734EBB9A01B5AC48B4710649B841@w2-ex1.trllimited.co.uk> Sujit I think this is excellent advice ! Dave Maunder UK -----Original Message----- From: Sujit Patwardhan [mailto:sujit@vsnl.com] Sent: 17 March 2005 08:16 To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! 17 March 2005 Yes I agree with Paul. Being a member of this list I have great respect for many individuals who have broadened my own understanding of issues relating to transport and often going beyond it. It would be a pity if instead of a vigorous debate, which can be a learning experience for many of us, this becomes a platform for angry exchanges. Take a deep breath....count up to hundred... and if these don't work ...sleep on it. As a person known for blowing his top at the slightest provocation, I can promise it works!!! -- Sujit Patwardhan Pune India At 12:15 PM 3/17/2005, you wrote: >Hi all > >Just a short note from one of the list managers to suggest that we all >take a deep breath before responding further on this thread. I am not >warning anyone specifically but it looks like this thread may be >threatening to turn into a flame war. > >The old guideline, to sleep on it first if ever tempted to respond in >anger, seems to me a good one. Email is a medium in which strong words >have a habit of escalating very quickly. > >I do not wish to censor any discussions. This sustran-discuss community >that we have built welcomes debate, including very vigorous debate. >There is an interesting difference in perspective here which will >explored more usefully with cool heads and temperate language. > >Best wishes and I am very much looking forward to seeing more vigorous >but level-headed discussion on this isssue, which is of considerable >interest for transport in developing countries. > >Paul >(co-list-manager) > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. Sujit Patwardhan sujit@vsnl.com ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ______________________________________________________ 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 eric.britton at ecoplan.org Thu Mar 17 18:17:54 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 10:17:54 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Transport of Delight! Hard turn in another direction In-Reply-To: <6.1.0.6.0.20050317133706.03433020@mail.vsnl.com> Message-ID: <03ee01c52ad2$34f5cd30$6401a8c0@jazz> Plet2 The Kyoto World Cities Challenge: 2005-2007 * Latest program background at http://kyotocities.org International Advisory Panel: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/panel.htm Kyoto Resources Inventory: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/resources.htm Thursday, March 17, 2005, Paris, France, Europe Paul, Sujit, Todd, Jonathan, Carlos, etc. etc. I always enjoy an good hair pulling contest (as long as it's not my hear of course), but let's see if we can find a topic on which we all creatively agree - and that could make a difference (and save our hair). Here's a ten point program for creative consensus: 1. City transport is pretty much of a mess just about everywhere. a. There are two kinds of messes in fact: the ones you can clearly see and those which are hidden but hey! nonetheless really there. 2. And we could do better. 3. And we should do better. 4. We on this forum, the hundred of us who have joined for no reason other than this . . . we do care. 5. So let's get together and show that it can be done. 6. What about putting our brains together and trying to figure out what we could possibly help to make happen in our own cities within a very short period of time, short enough so that people and politicians (who are also often people) can see that there is indeed good reason to put our imaginations and energies together to do better. 7. One concrete near term proposal that some of you have already climbed aboard to support (and thank you once again for that) is the Kyoto World Cities Challenge. 8. The Challenge suggests that if a city were to invest the equivalent of a single meter of urban freeway into thinking about what can be done in a radical plan to reduce CO2 and traffic (20% we suggest) in a short period (20 months we suggest), and do this with the help of the top people in their own community and perhaps taking advantage of leading edge experience in other places around the world, they could rally make a difference. 9. If you turn to http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/panel.htm you will see a list of closing in on a first hundred leading international experts and practitioners who say that this is worth a try. What about your ideas on and support for this? * First step, http://kyotocities.org . * Second steps your views to this form or directly to our team here via Kyoto@ecoplan.org. * Third step: Let's start to organize a 20/20 project in your city. Eric Britton P.S. By the way, talking about the potential for creative disagreement (we call it cognitive dissonance). If you look at the variety of backgrounds and orientations of the people on our panel, you will see there are plenty of people on it who may have some creative differences in views with whatever any one else comes up with. But it's a positive process. Hence fun. Hence worth doing. T2 The Kyoto World Cities Challenge: 2005-2007 * Latest program background at http://kyotocities.org International Advisory Panel: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/panel.htm Kyoto Resources Inventory: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/resources.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- Kyoto World Cities Challenge - Abstract Despite the fact that the transport sector is responsible for at least half, often more, of all CO2 production in most cities, there is no provision under the Kyoto Protocols to provide guidelines, mechanisms or incentives to attack these problems. Transport in cities was the "Empty Chair in Kyoto ". The Kyoto World Cities Challenge Initiative has been created to provide an open platform of expert guidance and international peer support for groups and cities anywhere in the world wishing to attack these problems, and in the process move toward being "Kyoto Compliant". That said, for each city taking these steps it is clear that the main incentive and benefits will accrue directly to the city and its inhabitants as a result of a better performing transportation system, itself an indispensable key for Kyoto Compliance. The main pillars of this independent peer initiative include: 1. An aggressive Outline Program Proposal and Strategy for practical, high impact, short term, explicitly targeted remedial action at the level of the city starting in 2005, supported by . . . 2. A distinguished International Advisory Panel: a high level group of recognized experts and leaders in the wide range of fields that need to be brought in to the solution process, and 3. Direct continuing contact and exchanges with a World Wide Inventory of Programs and Sources active in related areas with coverage and competences that are needed to meet the challenges. 4. A state-of-the-art multi-level Information and IP Communications Platform bringing together low cost high quality internet tools that can be used to knit the network and the interested cities together. For further information and background: http://kyotocities.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050317/541a4ee5/attachment.html From richmond at alum.mit.edu Thu Mar 17 19:02:49 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:02:49 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: <0IDG008XOUTUMW80@epicac.cable.net.co> References: <0IDG008XOUTUMW80@epicac.cable.net.co> Message-ID: Just to clarify that my account uses both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Before I develop a theory of myth, I present an extensive review of both the processes of analyses used in Los Angeles and their outcomes. I examine systems of forecasting in use both as conceived (a critique of the UTPS system is included) and as applied, and conclude that an alternative method of assessment is needed which starts from a basis of social needs rather than what Alan Altshuler has labeled "preselected solutions." One thing which those outside the States may not appreciate is that there has been quite a shift in public opinion in LA following the opening of rail, with protests at the damage done to bus services used by the urban poor as a result of the rail program, and a new focus on projects such as bus rapid transit. The support for rail in evidence when I did my research is now very much weaker. HOWEVER... not only is there a story about the mythology of rail transit, but it can also be about bus transit and, indeed, highway building. While I am still in the process of getting a precise understanding, my feeling in Bangkok is that BRT will be implemented as a middle-class project, with buses designed to be both smart and expensive, so as to exclude the urban poor. The imagery is of extending the middle-class world. Of course, we all know about the foolish belief that building highways will "solve" congestion problems, but such is the popular perception. If we can understand why people come up with such ideas, we can find ways to better edicate the public and to build a more reflective planning system. I would prefer readers not to focus on the technical arguments of the "rail versus bus" debate when they read my book, but instead see what they might find of interest in terms of learning about how all of us perceive the world and make decisions. I do hope many of you might be interested in reading the book -- perhaps this little exchange has in fact helped my marketing efforts and I should in fact thank Todd Litman! -- and I will welcome your comments when you have done so. Regards, --Jonathan On Thu, 17 Mar 2005, Carlos F. Pardo wrote: > > Dear all, > > I think this illustrates a very well known problem in epistemology. > Different ideas of how the world works (or should work) develop into stro= ng > arguments that may forget some issues of special relevance. As a > psychologist, I have to agree that there are other points of view of life > such as postmodernism that may give us some insights about language as a > builder of reality (by this, I think we all understand that a rock is a > physical object and that when we say that language constructs reality in > language itself). Also, there are other positivist views (in the sense of > Hume) that give more importance to verifiable objects than to cognitive > events. > > As Mr Richmond has pointed out, I think his main interest is the first to= pic > I have described, and Mr Litman's view is more on the second side of the > story. In order to view transport as a whole, maybe the two perspectives > should be taken into account while going through the exercise of reading = the > book. From the short (and a bit commercial) summary that appears in Amazo= n, > I think this is fundamentally a qualitative study (3,000 interviews, etc)= , > and it focuses on this kind of data (I presume, discourse analysis and al= l > that stuff). Obviously, results can be different from a purely quantitati= ve > point of view and maybe they should be that way. Language doesn't > necessarily respond to physical or statistical reality, and vice versa. > > I find this discussion quite interesting... but I hope we can arrive at > conclusions instead of hopeless criticisms. Does anyone else have an opin= ion > on this? > > > *views expressed not necessarily those of any employer. > > Best regards, > > Carlos F. Pardo > Project Coordinator > GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) > Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP > ESCAP UN Building > Rajadamnern Nok Rd. > Bangkok 10200, Thailand > Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 > Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 > Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 > e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org > Website: www.sutp.org > > -----Mensaje original----- > De: sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sust= ran- > discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de Jonathan E= =2E D. > Richmond > Enviado el: Thursday, March 17, 2005 1:31 PM > Para: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport > CC: UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK > Asunto: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! > > > Todd Litman, you have the nerve to raise issues about my book before you > have even seen it, and all of what you have to say is a manifestation of > your insecurity as an unscientific advocate of rail. > > My book does contain a very thorough analysis of the technical issues and= , > as always with my work, it is entirely impartial and has been reviewed by > numerous of my academic peers. > > Your alleged findings are not supported by the facts. You really are one > of the people my book talks about, someone who lives in a world of myth. > > Most importantly, you should note that the importance of my book is not > in its findings of whether or not rail or bus systems are desirable. That > is a sideline. The significance of the book is that it provides insight > into how humans think and make decisions, so that we can muster powers of > reflection to make better decisions. > > I suggest you read the book before you have anything further to say. > > --Jonathan > > > ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanaku= l richmond@alum.mit.edu=09=09 02 524-6368 =09=09=09=09=09 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From cpardo at cable.net.co Thu Mar 17 19:53:53 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:53:53 +0700 Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <0IDH00I6516A5C30@epicac.cable.net.co> Just a remark on your comment about the Bangkok BRT: As our project is = based in Bangkok, we have been closely following its progress. Up to now, I = think we can't say that there is a priority of the middle class over the urban poor, since we don't even know where the BRT will go! The first two = lines compose a "pilot" project and should be ready by October (how they'll manage, nobody knows). Anyway, I think we can't say anything about it, = since few people have a fair understanding of how it's all going to work. They haven't arrived at a fare structure and they do not know much about the = rest of the components of the system. In summary, the only thing that the = Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has very clear is that they want to have a = BRT by October this year, and they have everybody following this deadline. However, talking with the Governor last week has been fruitful in the = sense that he has agreed to develop a "full BRT system" for the remaining = lines until 2007 or so. Let's see what happens and what conclusions we can = derive from this experience.=20 Getting back to the point, I think this is too much Foucault today for = me ( maybe tomorrow I can have some more). I agree with Dr Richmond's idea = that we should try and solve problems concerning the decision (political or personal) to choose one or the other transport system, but there has to = be an explanation from all sides (engineering, economics, psychology, urban planning, etc). Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -----Mensaje original----- De: Jonathan E. D. Richmond [mailto:richmond@alum.mit.edu]=20 Enviado el: Thursday, March 17, 2005 5:03 PM Para: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport CC: 'Carlos F. Pardo'; UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Asunto: Re: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! Just to clarify that my account uses both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Before I develop a theory of myth, I present an extensive = review of both the processes of analyses used in Los Angeles and their = outcomes. I examine systems of forecasting in use both as conceived (a critique of the UTPS system is included) and as applied, and conclude that an alternative method of assessment is needed which starts from a basis of social needs rather than what Alan Altshuler has labeled "preselected solutions." One thing which those outside the States may not appreciate is that = there has been quite a shift in public opinion in LA following the opening of rail, with protests at the damage done to bus services used by the urban poor as a result of the rail program, and a new focus on projects such = as bus rapid transit. The support for rail in evidence when I did my = research is now very much weaker. HOWEVER... not only is there a story about the mythology of rail = transit, but it can also be about bus transit and, indeed, highway building. = While I am still in the process of getting a precise understanding, my feeling in Bangkok is that BRT will be implemented as a middle-class project, = with buses designed to be both smart and expensive, so as to exclude the = urban poor. The imagery is of extending the middle-class world. Of course, we all know about the foolish belief that building highways will "solve" congestion problems, but such is the popular perception. If we can understand why people come up with such ideas, we can find ways to = better edicate the public and to build a more reflective planning system. I would prefer readers not to focus on the technical arguments of the "rail versus bus" debate when they read my book, but instead see what they might find of interest in terms of learning about how all of us perceive the world and make decisions. I do hope many of you might be interested in reading the book -- perhaps this little exchange has in fact helped my marketing efforts and I = should in fact thank Todd Litman! -- and I will welcome your comments when you have done so. Regards, --Jonathan On Thu, 17 Mar 2005, Carlos F. Pardo wrote: > > Dear all, > > I think this illustrates a very well known problem in epistemology. > Different ideas of how the world works (or should work) develop into strong > arguments that may forget some issues of special relevance. As a > psychologist, I have to agree that there are other points of view of = life > such as postmodernism that may give us some insights about language as = a > builder of reality (by this, I think we all understand that a rock is = a > physical object and that when we say that language constructs reality = in > language itself). Also, there are other positivist views (in the sense = of > Hume) that give more importance to verifiable objects than to = cognitive > events. > > As Mr Richmond has pointed out, I think his main interest is the first topic > I have described, and Mr Litman's view is more on the second side of = the > story. In order to view transport as a whole, maybe the two = perspectives > should be taken into account while going through the exercise of = reading the > book. From the short (and a bit commercial) summary that appears in Amazon, > I think this is fundamentally a qualitative study (3,000 interviews, = etc), > and it focuses on this kind of data (I presume, discourse analysis and = all > that stuff). Obviously, results can be different from a purely quantitative > point of view and maybe they should be that way. Language doesn't > necessarily respond to physical or statistical reality, and vice = versa. > > I find this discussion quite interesting... but I hope we can arrive = at > conclusions instead of hopeless criticisms. Does anyone else have an opinion > on this? > > > *views expressed not necessarily those of any employer. > > Best regards, > > Carlos F. Pardo > Project Coordinator > GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) > Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP > ESCAP UN Building > Rajadamnern Nok Rd. > Bangkok 10200, Thailand > Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 > Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 > Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 > e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org > Website: www.sutp.org > > -----Mensaje original----- > De: sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org = [mailto:sustran - > discuss-bounces+sutp=3Dsutp.org@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de = Jonathan E. D . > Richmond > Enviado el: Thursday, March 17, 2005 1:31 PM > Para: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport > CC: UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK > Asunto: [sustran] Re: Transport of Delight! New Book! > > > Todd Litman, you have the nerve to raise issues about my book before = you > have even seen it, and all of what you have to say is a manifestation = of > your insecurity as an unscientific advocate of rail. > > My book does contain a very thorough analysis of the technical issues = and, > as always with my work, it is entirely impartial and has been reviewed = by > numerous of my academic peers. > > Your alleged findings are not supported by the facts. You really are = one > of the people my book talks about, someone who lives in a world of = myth. > > Most importantly, you should note that the importance of my book is = not > in its findings of whether or not rail or bus systems are desirable. = That > is a sideline. The significance of the book is that it provides = insight > into how humans think and make decisions, so that we can muster powers = of > reflection to make better decisions. > > I suggest you read the book before you have anything further to say. > > --Jonathan > > > ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 = (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana = Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Mar 18 01:21:06 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 17:21:06 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Principal Voices, New Mobility and Kyoto In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <04ab01c52b0d$6e04ba60$6401a8c0@jazz> Plet2 The Kyoto World Cities Challenge: 2005-2007 * Latest program background at http://kyotocities.org International Advisory Panel: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/panel.htm Kyoto Resources Inventory: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/resources.htm Thursday, March 17, 2005, Paris, France, Europe Mr. Stan Stalnaker, Marketing Director Fortune Group, London Dear Stan, Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly on this. I appreciate that. But the nature of what I have to communicate, to propose to you is perhaps a bit more complicated than that kind offer of a free ticket. But before I dig in here, let me do everything I can to emphasize the point that what follows is intended in the most positive, creative spirit. I am not carping in this or trying to get on your case. Rather I am very very enthusiastic as to what you can do with this terrific timely challenge if you get your sites fully on it. And there we can help. Based on what I have seen thus far - and indeed I have a pretty comprehensive daily Google alert for everything that breaks in your program, so I am following progress pretty well from here - I have to assume (sorry) that you got into this transportation component without delving too awfully deep into the current state of play in the field. In fact things are changing very rapidly now in our sector and it is hard to follow the speed of the action. That happens all the time of course but in this particular case it carries with it quite some risk (i.e., the danger of a largely wasted effort). But let me hope that there is some flex on your end and that you may indeed be interested in making a genuine splash with the transport portion of the program. You could and my colleagues and I can help you with this. So since time is short on both sides let me handle this next note as efficiently as I can from here. In this note I wish to address specifically the transportation component, an area in which my international colleagues and I have quite some experience. Since I am not sure how deeply you yourself are into what is going on in this troubled sector world wide - and which in fact is one of the reasons why your Voices initiative is, potentially, so very timely - I have to give you a bit of quick background on the state of play: (If you already know this, apologies for my heavy-handedness, but I prefer to err on the conservative side since this is a matter of some importance to all who will be tuned in to your activity). If all you want to do is talk about metros in Mexico City in your November session - as the site now seems to suggest -- then you are only going to dig in well explored terrain and it will be hard for anyone (other than the suppliers of course and their usual acolytes) to get excited. I don't thing this is the level of public interest that you, CNN, Fortune, Time, etc. can be satisfied with. But there is real terrain here for a very high profile series of discussions. The trick is to find out how to get at it. I should add that before getting this to you, we have engaged in a fairly extensive brainstorming which has brought in a good number of the main shakers and movers of the field since your reporter first got in touch with me late last autumn for the article of the topic which appears on your site. Thus, everything that follows has been shaped by these exchanges. I am further copying this note to several of the networks so that we can se what they might have to add to this. Voices Background in the World of Transportation Today: We note that of the four areas that you have targeted for simulating discussion, transport alone has been targeted with a single voice. This is a major oversight since the sector is as it happens being shaped today through the interactions between no less than three major voices. Which are: (1) Transportation Voice 1: The long established defining Voice of Transportation expertise in design, engineering, construction, operation, finance, etc., which essentially dominated and defined the transportation systems of the 20th century, still remains the main operational paradigm in most places (and in any event a critical central component of the next generation transportation paradigm that must be able to call in these skills and experience). This Voice is at present most ably represented by Mr. Ellatuvalapil Sreedharan one of India's greatest civil engineers, the architect of the supposedly unbuildable Konkan Railway linking Mumbai and Mangalore, and, more recently, designer of the Delhi Metro system (See http://www.principalvoices.com/voices/elattuvalapil-sreedharan-bio.html for more) (2) Second Voice? No conversation concerning the future of the transportation sector would be complete without the vigorous participation of this important second voice. A parallel but in many ways separate but very powerful in its own right financial, institutional, political, and industrial lobby "Voice", a good example of whose thinking can be seen with the recent WBCSD's "Meeting the Challenges to Sustainability" report (see http://www.ecoplan.org/wtpp/general/wbcsd.htm for report and some context) that has been actively supported by this currently formidable element of the transportation establishment. (3) The Third Voice? These are the growing number of international experts and groups who are working together to open up and define what we call the Sustainable Transportation or New Mobility Agenda. This approach to understanding and deciding about mobility matters is altogether on another plane from the older supply-oriented, specific, circumscribed problem-solving approach that has long been the dominant mode of thinking, policy and investment in the past, a time incidentally when the 'problematique' of transportation was vastly different from that which we face today (See Todd Litman's recent piece "The Future Isn't What It Used To Be" at http://www.vtpi.org/future.pdf for a good overview on this). This new and far broader, more inclusive approach to planning, decision making and even on down to implementation and operation is the next step in a cumulative long run process of intellectual, economic, social, environmental and political evolution. It is, no more no less, the world transport policy and practice paradigm of the 21st century. * * * So this, as we say in French, is your problematique. And if you decide to engage it head on, you will be assured of a healthy international audience and of making a real contribution. We have some ideas about how to factor in those other two voices efficiently, and if you want to talk about it we'll be more than pleased to do just that. In the meantime, let me in closing invite you to have a look at the just ginning up Kyoto World Cities Challenge program, at http://kyotocities.org . And if you want to see what those Principle Voices that are increasingly shaping the transport sector in the future look like, you have no farther to look than at the distinguished International Advisory Panel. These are the people and approaches that are going to shape the main bulk of transportation decisions in the future. I look forward to hearing from you Stan, and hope that you will take up the gauntlet on this. Together we can do a lot with it. With all good wishes, Eric The New Mobility Agenda is at http://newmobility.org Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France T: +331 4326 1323 Via Skype.com Click here (callto://ericbritton) E: postmaster@newmobility.org Backup E: fekbritton@gmail.com Technology, Economy, Society Francis Eric Knight Britton Innovation consultancy/advisory EcoPlan International 8/10, rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France eric.britton@ecoplan.org IM: Skype - ericbritton www.ericbritton.org tel: mobile: +331 4326 1323 +336 7321 5868 T2 The Kyoto World Cities Challenge: 2005-2007 * Latest program background at http://kyotocities.org International Advisory Panel: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/panel.htm Kyoto Resources Inventory: http://ecoplan.org/kyoto/challenge/resources.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- Kyoto World Cities Challenge - Abstract Despite the fact that the transport sector is responsible for at least half, often more, of all CO2 production in most cities, there is no provision under the Kyoto Protocols to provide guidelines, mechanisms or incentives to attack these problems. Transport in cities was the "Empty Chair in Kyoto ". The Kyoto World Cities Challenge Initiative has been created to provide an open platform of expert guidance and international peer support for groups and cities anywhere in the world wishing to attack these problems, and in the process move toward being "Kyoto Compliant". That said, for each city taking these steps it is clear that the main incentive and benefits will accrue directly to the city and its inhabitants as a result of a better performing transportation system, itself an indispensable key for Kyoto Compliance. The main pillars of this independent peer initiative include: 1. An aggressive Outline Program Proposal and Strategy for practical, high impact, short term, explicitly targeted remedial action at the level of the city starting in 2005, supported by . . . 2. A distinguished International Advisory Panel: a high level group of recognized experts and leaders in the wide range of fields that need to be brought in to the solution process, and 3. Direct continuing contact and exchanges with a World Wide Inventory of Programs and Sources active in related areas with coverage and competences that are needed to meet the challenges. 4. A state-of-the-art multi-level Information and IP Communications Platform bringing together low cost high quality internet tools that can be used to knit the network and the interested cities together. For further information and background: http://kyotocities.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050317/58b316f2/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/octet-stream Size: 4679 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050317/58b316f2/attachment.bin From vineetthodge at iitb.ac.in Fri Mar 18 02:48:05 2005 From: vineetthodge at iitb.ac.in (Vineet Vilas Thodge.) Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 23:18:05 +0530 (IST) Subject: [sustran] Summer Internship Message-ID: <4330.10.9.3.92.1111081685.squirrel@gpo.iitb.ac.in> Hello all, I am a undergraduate student of Civil Engineering department at IIT-Bombay. I am quite interested in the field of Transportation Engineering and I have my research interests in the same. I am quite a new member of this group but I have been following it quite regularly since then. I wish to do a 2-3 months summer training in the field related to transportation engineering in an industry or a research institute of repute.If anyone could help me in this matter I would be highly obliged. If any one has any opportunities for students working as interns please do let me know. Hope that people on this group help me out. Regards, Vineet Thodge ************************************************* ************************************************* Vineet Thodge Hostel-9 Room No:392 Dept of Civil Engineering I.I.T. Bombay Mumbai-400076. Alternate Email:vineetthodge@yahoo.com Phone No: +91-9869349411 From richmond at alum.mit.edu Mon Mar 21 00:04:30 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 22:04:30 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Lectures Message-ID: If any of you are in the Bangkok area, you would be most welcome to attend any of the public lectures I will be giving over the next few weeks. Details attached. --Jonathan ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: churchmanlecs.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 24374 bytes Desc: Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050320/f1994f64/churchmanlecs-0001.pdf From et3 at et3.com Tue Mar 22 18:59:26 2005 From: et3 at et3.com (Daryl Oster) Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 04:59:26 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Has oil production peaked????????? Message-ID: <20050322100637.AE4F32BD79@mx-list.jca.ne.jp> Considering the high prices, is the "reserves replacement ratio" (RRR)<< 1.00 from 3 major companies an indication that oil production has peaked? Daryl Oster FROM: A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The EERE Network News is also available on the Web at: www.eere.energy.gov/news/ March 16, 2005 Major Oil Companies Report Low Reserve Replacement Ratios The latest annual reports from the world's major international petroleum companies indicate that the companies struggled to find enough new petroleum reserves in 2004 to replace the oil they produced. One measure of oil company performance is the "reserves replacement ratio" (RRR), the ratio of new reserves to oil produced, which ideally should be greater than 100 percent. In 2004, however, using reporting rules set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ConocoPhillips reported an RRR of 65 percent (excluding sales and acquisitions), BP reported an RRR of 89 percent, and ExxonMobil reported an RRR of 83 percent. ChevronTexaco did not explicitly state its RRR, but its net proved reserves of crude oil, condensate, and natural gas liquids (not counting sales or purchases, but including affiliated companies) decreased by 5 percent (449 million barrels) in 2004. All the companies noted that the SEC requires the use of year-end prices, which they believe distorted the reserves reporting, and noted that the net reserve changes in recent years are not necessarily indicative of future trends. ConocoPhilips and ChevronTexaco also noted that the SEC does not consider Canadian oil sands as proved reserves. See the press releases from Co nocoPhilips and ExxonMobil, page 5 of BP's "Fourth quarter and full year 2004 results" (PDF 137 KB), and pages FS-63 to FS-65 of ChevronTexaco's 10-K (annual report) filing to the SEC. Download Acrobat Reader. A report released on Monday by DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) examines the performance profiles of the major U.S. energy companies for 2003. The report finds that the companies added more oil and natural gas reserves in 2003 than they extracted through production, achieving an RRR of 104 percent, up from 96 percent in 2002 but considerably below the replacement levels achieved in 2000 and 2001. See the EIA report. This newsletter is funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and is also available on the EERE news page. You can subscribe to the EERE Network News using our simple online form, and you can also update your email address or unsubscribe online. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact the editor. [] Daryl Oster (c) 2004? all rights reserved.? ETT, et3, MoPod, "space travel on earth" e-tube, e-tubes, and the logos thereof are trademarks and or service marks of et3.com Inc.? For licensing information contact:??? et3@et3.com , www.et3.com? POB 1423, Crystal River FL 34423-1423? (352)257-1310 From ciclored at rcp.net.pe Wed Mar 23 10:54:31 2005 From: ciclored at rcp.net.pe (ciclored) Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 20:54:31 -0500 Subject: [sustran] abril a escala humana Message-ID: <000901c52f4b$d471af00$36b601c8@pentiumiii> CICLORED El bolet?n del transporte a escala humana Marzo - abril, 05 Los peque?os personajes Est?n all?, a la vista, expuestos, pero nadie los mira, como si no tuvieran ojos. Abren las silenciosas puertas, conducen los invisibles autos, trasladan los maletines cargados, contestan las l?neas privadas, estampan sellos en las sigilosas cartas. Nadie los nota porque son invisibles en un mundo donde el rango importa. Pero un d?a salen a la luz. Cuentan la historia peque?a, la del concili?bulo y la cofrad?a corrupta. La de ayer y la de hoy. Tienen copias de las cartas, conocen los itinerarios secretos, graban las conversaciones, toman los videos de las cajas fuertes. De pronto est?n en las planas de los diarios, en los noticieros, descritos en las columnas de opini?n; mostrando la ropa sucia, contando las relaciones oscuras de su jefes. Adquieren importancia y dejan de ser ignorados para ser negados, denigrados, perseguidos y amenazados; ocultados y vueltos a encontrar. Les ofrecen el dinero que nunca antes les quisieron pagar, les hablan con la misma boca sucia de los negocios que presenciaron durante a?os. Y en ese momento, los que antes los despreciaron se dan cuenta, tard?a y extempor?neamente, pero entienden. En un rapto de lucidez in?til, como un amor que no se supo valorar, comprenden esa mirada antigua y constante que nunca pudieron descifrar. &&& La felicidad a los noventa Por esa ?poca tuve la rara impresi?n de que se estaba volviendo mayor antes de tiempo. Se lo coment? a Rosa Cabarcas, y a ella le pareci? natural. Cumple quince a?os el cinco de diciembre, me dijo. Una Sagitario perfecta. Me inquiet? que fuera tan real como para cumplir a?os. ?Qu? podr?a regalarle? Una bicicleta, dijo Rosa Cabarcas. Tiene que atravesar la ciudad dos veces al d?a para ir a pegar botones. Me mostr? en la trastienda la bicicleta que usaba, y de verdad me pareci? una cacharro indigno de una mujer tan bien amada. Sin embargo me conmovi? como la prueba tangible de que Delgadina exist?a en la vida real. Cuando fui a comprar la mejor bicicleta para ella no puede resistir la tentaci?n de probarla y di algunas vueltas casuales en la rampa del almac?n. Al vendedor que me pregunt? la edad le contest? con la coqueter?a de la vejez: Voy a cumplir noventa y uno. El empleado dijo justo lo que yo quer?a: pues representa veinte menos. Yo mismo no entend?a c?mo conservaba la pr?ctica del colegio, y me sent? colmado por un gozo radiante. Empec? a cantar. Primero para m? mismo, en voz baja, y despu?s a todo pecho con ?nfulas del gran Caruso, por entre los bazares abigarrados y el tr?fico demente del mercado p?blico. La gente me miraba divertida, me gritaban, me incitaban a participar en la vuelta a Colombia en silla de ruedas. Yo les hac?a con la mano un saludo de navegante feliz sin interrumpir la canci?n. Esa semana, en homenaje a diciembre, escrib? otra nota atrevida: C?mo ser feliz en bicicleta a los noventa a?os. (Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez, Memoria de mis putas tristes, Ed. Norma, 2004) &&& Manejar sin se?alizaci?n De paseo por Friesland , uno se topa con ciertas peculiaridades. El lugar no solo es casi llano, sin sem?foros, c?rteles ni se?alizaciones sino que no tiene una divisi?n entre la calle y la vereda. Se trataba, b?sicamente, de una plaza lisa pavimentada. Pero el tr?nsito - un paso constante de camiones, autos, colectivos, motos, bicicletas y peatones - se desplazaba fluidamente, como si estuviese dirigido por un inspector invisible. Cuando Monderman, ingeniero vial y dise?ador de la intersecci?n, cruz? la cale sin mirar, los conductores frenaron para darle paso. Nadie le toc? la bocina ni lo insult? por la ventana. "?qui?n tiene prioridad de paso? " , pregunt?. "No importa. Aqu? las personas tienen que encontrar la soluci?n entre s?, y usar la cabeza", se respondi?. Utilizada por 20,000 conductores de veh?culos por d?a, la intersecci?n forma parte de una revoluci?n del trazado vial que encabeza Monderman, de 59 a?os. Su obra en Friesland, el distrito del norte de Holanda que incluye a Drachten, es considerada como el tr?nsito del futuro en Europa. Espa?a , Dinamarca, Austria , Suecia y Gran Breta?a est?n haciendo pruebas con diversas variantes de lo que se ha llamado "espacio compartido" y la Uni?n Europea ha designado una comisi?n de especialistas para desarrollar un estudio en toda Europa. La filosof?a de Monderman es sencilla: manejar se vuelve m?s seguro s?lo cuando hay m?s peligro en el tr?nsito y los conductores dejan de mirar los carteles y comienzan a mirarse entre s?. &&& El Proyecto Combi 'Radio Inca es un programador urbano en Lima, pues constituye uno de los mecanismos de generaci?n y modelaci?n urbana." Radio Inka promueve el folklore - eventos urbanos - logrando congregar multitudes, generando un fuerte impacto, que sirve como un punto de inserci?n para las diferentes din?micas en muchos puntos de la ciudad - estos eventos propician la aparici?n "espont?nea" de actividades conjuntas - como comercio ambulatorio, restaurantes, bares, hoteles, farmacias ... etc - que tambi?n causa la aparici?n de nuevas rutas de transporte, congesti?n del tr?fico, cambios en el precio del suelo, etc... El "Proyecto Combi' trata sobre la "modelaci?n" de Lima Metropolitana , los 'dj-arquitectos' estar?n a cargo de esta tarea, adoptando los mecanismos generados por Radio Inca como procesador urbano - la caja negra - donde se llevan a cabo abiertas convocatorias a la poblaci?n. V?a l?nea telef?nica , ellos ser?n capaces de explicar las necesidades urbanas y arquitect?nicas (in-put), a trav?s del Cuerpo de Arquitectos Voluntarios'. El CAV ir? a los lugares escogidos en la ciudad, atendiendo las demandas requeridas, generando din?micas para insertar "c?digos de informaci?n' en la estructura de la ciudad y para estimular un desarrollo regenerativo (out-put). &&& Dulce pedaleo en la alfombra blanca Como cada d?a, sal? esta ma?ana enroscado en mi bufanda y calz?ndome los guantes dispuesto a coger mi bicicleta para ir a la estaci?n de tren de Azuqueca. Es un viaje de ocho minutos (2,5 Km.), de noche, pero despejad?simo de tr?fico, por calles tranquilas y llanas, exceptuando una sola bajada. Suelo salir con tiempo suficiente, para tom?rmelo sin prisas, pedaleando suavemente cuando los m?sculos est?n a?n desesperez?ndose. Cuando abr? la puerta, justo en ese momento, un copo de nieve que se solt? del tejado cay? frente a m?, y tras ?l, la visi?n de la parte delantera de mi jard?n, totalmente inundada por la nieve. No hab?a visto tanta nieve junta desde aquella excursi?n de Pedalibre por el Puerto de la Quesera, cerca de Majaelrayo. Me entr? una mezcla de alegr?a por tanta belleza y desasosiego por el miedo a llegar tarde a coger el tren (salen cada quince minutos, y si pierdo el de las 6,55, llego tarde al trabajo). Lo primero que pens? fue en ponerme la capa de lluvia, pues estaba nevando todav?a, suave, pero nevando. Pero me dije que no, que la capa me quita algo de visibilidad y yo quer?a verlo todo, todo tan diferente, como si fuera un camino nuevo, intuyendo por donde debo ir. Cog? mi bicicleta, que estaba debajo del techado, y la llev? a la calle. All? se me llen? el pecho de una tremenda ilusi?n. La calle estaba totalmente cubierta de algo m?s de cinco cent?metros de nieve, y la ?nica huella que hab?a era la de mi vecino que tambi?n va en bici y que sale quince minutos antes que yo, pero incluso ?sa se estaba borrando, debido a la nieve que ca?a encima. Estaba deseando lanzarme a pisar la nieve con las ruedas de mi bicicleta, as? que la lanc? hacia adelante y comenc? a pedalear. O?a el ahogado sonido del contacto de la rueda con la nieve, como peque?os crujidos y, al mismo tiempo, un trasfondo que se asemeja a un susurro. Comenc? a hacer eses por el camino. Mir? para atr?s: la huella de la bicicleta hab?a dejado una bonita estela que zigzagueaba de un lado a otro de la calle. Me imaginaba las personas que pasaran al cabo de un rato por ah? y vieran esas huellas... se iban a preguntar muchas cosas ;-) Por la vereda de Vallehermoso me puse a gritar de alegr?a, seguro de que no me oir?a nadie. M?s adelante, una muchacha iba andando en la misma direcci?n que yo, oy? el sonido de mi bicicleta y se apart?. Me mir? un poco sorprendida. Mientras me sonre?a, me salud? con la mano, sintiendo que algo nos un?a, que ?ramos dos afortunados compartiendo el mismo momento m?gico. Yo le dediqu? la m?s enorme de mis sonrisas. La nieve segu?a cayendo, y el cristal de las gafas se me iba llenando de nieve que me imped?a ver, por lo que ten?a que hacer con un dedo el gesto de un limpiaparabrisas. En la cuesta abajo de la calle de la Noguera tocaba ir muy despacio, porque la nieve y los frenazos no son muy buenos amigos. Al llegar a la estaci?n decid? que no iba a aparcar la bicicleta en el mismo sitio de siempre, fuera, en una farola, sino dentro, en la barandilla de unas escaleras en el mismo and?n. Seg?n estaba nevando, ten?a la sensaci?n de que, si la dejaba fuera, por la tarde quiz?s no la encontrar?a, cubierta por la nieve como podr?a estar. Pas? el vest?bulo, hacia el and?n. La gente estaba all? esperando al tren, huyendo del fr?o y de la nieve. Todo el mundo se me quedaba mirando muy sorprendidos, algunos algo divertidos, casi todos sonre?an. Yo me imaginaba que era por la locura de ir en bici con esta nieve. La gente se apartaba y me hac?an un pasillo. Al llegar a la puerta, y antes de abrirla para salir fuera, me vi reflejado: Era todo un n?mero, parec?a el hombre de las nieves. La ropa, los guantes, el pelo, la bufanda, parte de las gafas, todo blanco. Hasta el manillar de la bici, en las partes que no hab?a fijado mis manos, estaban cubiertas por una ligera capa de nieve. Mir? hacia atr?s, hacia la gente. Todos me miraban y ten?an una enorme sonrisa. Seguro que alguno se apunta a coger la bici en la pr?xima nevada, aunque s?lo sea para recibir tantas sonrisas juntas. &&& La descarga cultural del Barrio Venecia Empezamos a pensar en el t?rmino descarga cultural a partir del primer peri?dico en El Cerro. La forma en la que se hace un peri?dico es puro toma y daca. La analog?a es simple: m?sicos que improvisan sobre una base com?n y que se van contestando unos a otros, enriqueciendo un tema mel?dico y jugando con el ritmo. Vimos que con la gente suced?a una cosa parecida, aport?bamos los instrumentos, la gente los utilizaba y les sacaba sonidos que nunca pensamos se les pod?a sacar. El uso del esc?ner por ejemplo, nunca pensamos que iba a servir para escanear comida o ropa o brazos y partes del cuerpo. Por ah? a descarga tambi?n funciona en la manera en c?mo tiramos del hilo a la gente. Hay quien nos dice: no ahora no, que tengo prisa, y nosotros: pues cu?ntanos de la prisa que t? tienes. Ese es el asunto. Lo de la descarga se entiende mejor si contamos del Barrio Venecia de Bogot? y de Alirio y la pancarta. En aquella ocasi?n participamos en la bienal que tienen en el barrio y que como gancho remeda en el nombre de la italiana. Resulta que mandamos a hacer una pancarta, con tipograf?as de esas bajadas de Internet, la cual explicaba de manera demasiado sint?tica, nuestro proyecto. Dec?a Bienvenidos, lleg? la Descarga Cultural, Estaci?n M?vil Barrio Venecia, Siga. La pancarta qued? colgada en la fachada del garaje de la casa de Alirio que era donde est?bamos trabajando. Al principio, los primeros d?as, no llegaba nadie. Siempre pasa eso al principio. Est?s solo, no llega nadie, estas pensando que te has equivocado , que qui?n te mandaba a la otra parte del mundo a hacer eso que no le importa a nadie. Abrimos un jueves, no vino nadie, tampoco el viernes, y el s?bado Alirio que es profesor de ense?anza primaria y ese d?a no trabajaba lleg? y dijo que el problema era la pancarta, que era muy bonita pero que no se entend?a nada. Entonces lo que ?l hizo fue redactar una pancarta a mano, explicando todo lo que la nuestra no dec?a: gratis, entre y cuente una historia, h?gase un retrato, t?mese un caf? y que ?ramos artistas peruanos.- espa?oles. Eso tambi?n es parte de lo que aprendemos, ejemplifica lo de la descarga cultural y el intercambio. Al final decidimos incluir las dos pancartas. (Raimond Chaves y Gilda Mantilla. Hangeando, Peri?dico de Cordel. Estaci?n M?vil ed. Lima 2004) &&& Invitaci?n (a prop?sito del texto anterior) Ma?ana mi?rcoles a las 7:30 pm en la Sala Mir? Quesada Garland de la Municipalidad de Miraflores, y como clausura de la exposici?n Radio-Barrio-Combi presentaci?n de la charla musicalizada: "El Toque Criollo" un proyecto del artista visual colombo-catal?n Raimond Chaves. Chaves (Bogot?, 1963) presenta un relato de im?genes, m?sica y palabras a caballo entre la lecci?n de historia, la narraci?n del viajero y el pase de diapositivas. Un proyecto articulado a partir de las cubiertas de viejos long-plays comprados en mercados de pulgas de Colombia, Per?, Puerto Rico y el Caribe. &&& El cholo y el mar DOS Desde las tribunas del estadio Nou Camp se ve el antiguo cementerio de Barcelona. Para los hinchas debe ser una comprobaci?n f?ctica de la vida eterna. Est? terminando la visita a este templo deportivo y la mayor certeza que ha ofrecido conocerlo es que en el Per? se juega cualquier cosa menos f?tbol. Fue sin embargo el nombre de un peruano el que ha generado esta visita. Nombre que ha sido ol?mpicamente ignorado en los 45 minutos que dura el tour: Hugo Sotil. En el museo anexo, sin embargo, s? exist?a Sotil. Hab?a dos fotos de la hist?rica formaci?n que hizo campeonar al Barcelona despu?s de 25 a?os -Cruyff, Sotil, Neeskens- y un mazo de naipes donde el peruano sale retratado con arco, flecha y pluma. La visita no hab?a sido en vano. En Barcelona provoca caminar, que es lo que una ciudad debiera provocar. Y calle que tomes, bien orientado, conduce al mar. Vagando frente a la playa de la Barceloneta reaparece Sotil. Esta vez en un taller en La Victoria, contando la improbable historia de c?mo malogr? su Ferrari amarillo porque no lo pod?a hacer correr por las callejuelas de Barcelona, en d?as que era rey de la cancha y pr?ncipe de los puticlubs catalanes. Tiempos en que Serrat lo iba a saludar al camar?n. Ahora Serrat pelea con el c?ncer, los jugadores de f?tbol son franquicias que patean y el Cholo no se pelea con nadie, ni siquiera con su pasado. Miles de compatriotas en Espa?a que buscan sobrevivir como mano de obra barata, jam?s lo vieron jugar. Sus antiguos empleadores, los del Barza FC, lo recuerdan emplumado. Por eso solo aparece por Barcelona cuando se le invoca, segunda cerveza mediante, frente al mar. Manos a la cintura, mirando sin decir nada. All? los que se arrepientan de haber vivido. (Jaime Bedoya, Revista Caretas) Carlos Cordero Vel?squez CICLORED - Centro de Asesor?a y Capacitaci?n para el Transporte y Ambiente Pasaje Lavalle 110 - Lima 04 Per? telf: (51 1) 4671322 ciclored@rcp.net.pe From richmond at alum.mit.edu Wed Mar 23 17:47:31 2005 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan E. D. Richmond) Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:47:31 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: abril a escala humana In-Reply-To: <000901c52f4b$d471af00$36b601c8@pentiumiii> References: <000901c52f4b$d471af00$36b601c8@pentiumiii> Message-ID: This message looks intensely interesting but, alas, I don't understand Spanish. Could someone possibly volunteer to give a little summary of the more piquant points? Thanks --Jonathan! ----- Jonathan E. D. Richmond 02 524-5510 (office) Visiting Fellow Intl.: 662 524-5510 Urban Environmental Management program, School of Environment, Resources and Development Room N260B 02 524-8257 (home) Asian Institute of Technology Intl.: 662 524-8257 PO Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 02 524-5509 (fax) Thailand Intl: 662 524-5509 e-mail: richmond@ait.ac.th Secretary: Kuhn Vantana Pattanakul richmond@alum.mit.edu 02 524-6368 Intl: 662 524-6132 http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From debi at beag.net Thu Mar 24 12:35:54 2005 From: debi at beag.net (Debi Goenka) Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:05:54 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Re: Mumbai and BEST References: <868h31971tem12t2vlu9tem4qciht4fo21@4ax.com> Message-ID: <000001c53025$50b30580$229944ca@DEBI> Hi Alan I will be happy to welcome you to Mumbai, and I am sure we can do a lot to improve public transport in Mumbai. Cheers Debi PS One of the issues that we can discuss - "Do we want Mumbai to be Shanghaied?" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan P Howes" To: Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 4:00 AM Subject: [sustran] Mumbai and BEST I will shortly be realising a long-held ambition, and paying my first visit to India. (Dubai, while containing many Indians, didn't really count.) I will be coming to Mumbai, to work on an "Institutional Development Study" for BEST, or at least its bus operating arm. The project will cover at least 12 months, and I expect to be in Mumbai for a few months within that period - first visit in April or May, I should think. I have not yet fully read the brief - it is mainly about increased efficiency within the organisation, but I hope to be able to address wider transport issues too. I have seen plenty of coverage of such things on this list in the past (from Kisan, Debi?). So - I would be very pleased to exchange opinions with "interested parties", and perhaps to meet any Mumbai/Bombay sustranners when I get there. Regards, Alan (PS: I was rather shocked to discover that Mumbai has a poorer ratio of buses to people than Edinburgh - never mind Shanghai, which is perhaps a better comparison.) -- Alan P Howes, Perthshire, Scotland alan@ourpeagreenboat.co.uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alanhowes/ [Needs Updating!] ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. From ciclored at rcp.net.pe Wed Mar 23 11:15:10 2005 From: ciclored at rcp.net.pe (ciclored) Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:15:10 -0500 Subject: [sustran] abril a escala humana Message-ID: <001201c52f4e$4fecca00$5db601c8@pentiumiii> CICLORED El bolet?n del transporte a escala humana Marzo - abril, 05 Los peque?os personajes Est?n all?, a la vista, expuestos, pero nadie los mira, como si no tuvieran ojos. Abren las silenciosas puertas, conducen los invisibles autos, trasladan los maletines cargados, contestan las l?neas privadas, estampan sellos en las sigilosas cartas. Nadie los nota porque son invisibles en un mundo donde el rango importa. Pero un d?a salen a la luz. Cuentan la historia peque?a, la del concili?bulo y la cofrad?a corrupta. La de ayer y la de hoy. Tienen copias de las cartas, conocen los itinerarios secretos, graban las conversaciones, toman los videos de las cajas fuertes. De pronto est?n en las planas de los diarios, en los noticieros, descritos en las columnas de opini?n; mostrando la ropa sucia, contando las relaciones oscuras de su jefes. Adquieren importancia y dejan de ser ignorados para ser negados, denigrados, perseguidos y amenazados; ocultados y vueltos a encontrar. Les ofrecen el dinero que nunca antes les quisieron pagar, les hablan con la misma boca sucia de los negocios que presenciaron durante a?os. Y en ese momento, los que antes los despreciaron se dan cuenta, tard?a y extempor?neamente, pero entienden. En un rapto de lucidez in?til, como un amor que no se supo valorar, comprenden esa mirada antigua y constante que nunca pudieron descifrar. &&& La felicidad a los noventa Por esa ?poca tuve la rara impresi?n de que se estaba volviendo mayor antes de tiempo. Se lo coment? a Rosa Cabarcas, y a ella le pareci? natural. Cumple quince a?os el cinco de diciembre, me dijo. Una Sagitario perfecta. Me inquiet? que fuera tan real como para cumplir a?os. ?Qu? podr?a regalarle? Una bicicleta, dijo Rosa Cabarcas. Tiene que atravesar la ciudad dos veces al d?a para ir a pegar botones. Me mostr? en la trastienda la bicicleta que usaba, y de verdad me pareci? una cacharro indigno de una mujer tan bien amada. Sin embargo me conmovi? como la prueba tangible de que Delgadina exist?a en la vida real. Cuando fui a comprar la mejor bicicleta para ella no puede resistir la tentaci?n de probarla y di algunas vueltas casuales en la rampa del almac?n. Al vendedor que me pregunt? la edad le contest? con la coqueter?a de la vejez: Voy a cumplir noventa y uno. El empleado dijo justo lo que yo quer?a: pues representa veinte menos. Yo mismo no entend?a c?mo conservaba la pr?ctica del colegio, y me sent? colmado por un gozo radiante. Empec? a cantar. Primero para m? mismo, en voz baja, y despu?s a todo pecho con ?nfulas del gran Caruso, por entre los bazares abigarrados y el tr?fico demente del mercado p?blico. La gente me miraba divertida, me gritaban, me incitaban a participar en la vuelta a Colombia en silla de ruedas. Yo les hac?a con la mano un saludo de navegante feliz sin interrumpir la canci?n. Esa semana, en homenaje a diciembre, escrib? otra nota atrevida: C?mo ser feliz en bicicleta a los noventa a?os. (Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez, Memoria de mis putas tristes, Ed. Norma, 2004) &&& Manejar sin se?alizaci?n De paseo por Friesland , uno se topa con ciertas peculiaridades. El lugar no solo es casi llano, sin sem?foros, c?rteles ni se?alizaciones sino que no tiene una divisi?n entre la calle y la vereda. Se trataba, b?sicamente, de una plaza lisa pavimentada. Pero el tr?nsito - un paso constante de camiones, autos, colectivos, motos, bicicletas y peatones - se desplazaba fluidamente, como si estuviese dirigido por un inspector invisible. Cuando Monderman, ingeniero vial y dise?ador de la intersecci?n, cruz? la cale sin mirar, los conductores frenaron para darle paso. Nadie le toc? la bocina ni lo insult? por la ventana. "?qui?n tiene prioridad de paso? " , pregunt?. "No importa. Aqu? las personas tienen que encontrar la soluci?n entre s?, y usar la cabeza", se respondi?. Utilizada por 20,000 conductores de veh?culos por d?a, la intersecci?n forma parte de una revoluci?n del trazado vial que encabeza Monderman, de 59 a?os. Su obra en Friesland, el distrito del norte de Holanda que incluye a Drachten, es considerada como el tr?nsito del futuro en Europa. Espa?a , Dinamarca, Austria , Suecia y Gran Breta?a est?n haciendo pruebas con diversas variantes de lo que se ha llamado "espacio compartido" y la Uni?n Europea ha designado una comisi?n de especialistas para desarrollar un estudio en toda Europa. La filosof?a de Monderman es sencilla: manejar se vuelve m?s seguro s?lo cuando hay m?s peligro en el tr?nsito y los conductores dejan de mirar los carteles y comienzan a mirarse entre s?. &&& El Proyecto Combi 'Radio Inca es un programador urbano en Lima, pues constituye uno de los mecanismos de generaci?n y modelaci?n urbana." Radio Inka promueve el folklore - eventos urbanos - logrando congregar multitudes, generando un fuerte impacto, que sirve como un punto de inserci?n para las diferentes din?micas en muchos puntos de la ciudad - estos eventos propician la aparici?n "espont?nea" de actividades conjuntas - como comercio ambulatorio, restaurantes, bares, hoteles, farmacias ... etc - que tambi?n causa la aparici?n de nuevas rutas de transporte, congesti?n del tr?fico, cambios en el precio del suelo, etc... El "Proyecto Combi' trata sobre la "modelaci?n" de Lima Metropolitana , los 'dj-arquitectos' estar?n a cargo de esta tarea, adoptando los mecanismos generados por Radio Inca como procesador urbano - la caja negra - donde se llevan a cabo abiertas convocatorias a la poblaci?n. V?a l?nea telef?nica , ellos ser?n capaces de explicar las necesidades urbanas y arquitect?nicas (in-put), a trav?s del Cuerpo de arquitectos voluntarios'. El CAV ir? a los lugares escogidos en la ciudad, atendiendo las demandas requeridas, generando din?micas para insertar "c?digos de informaci?n' en la estructura de la ciudad y para estimular un desarrollo regenerativo (out-put). &&& Dulce pedaleo en la alfombra blanca Como cada d?a, sal? esta ma?ana enroscado en mi bufanda y calz?ndome los guantes dispuesto a coger mi bicicleta para ir a la estaci?n de tren de Azuqueca. Es un viaje de ocho minutos (2,5 Km.), de noche, pero despejad?simo de tr?fico, por calles tranquilas y llanas, exceptuando una sola bajada. Suelo salir con tiempo suficiente, para tom?rmelo sin prisas, pedaleando suavemente cuando los m?sculos est?n a?n desesperez?ndose. Cuando abr? la puerta, justo en ese momento, un copo de nieve que se solt? del tejado cay? frente a m?, y tras ?l, la visi?n de la parte delantera de mi jard?n, totalmente inundada por la nieve. No hab?a visto tanta nieve junta desde aquella excursi?n de Pedalibre por el Puerto de la Quesera, cerca de Majaelrayo. Me entr? una mezcla de alegr?a por tanta belleza y desasosiego por el miedo a llegar tarde a coger el tren (salen cada quince minutos, y si pierdo el de las 6,55, llego tarde al trabajo). Lo primero que pens? fue en ponerme la capa de lluvia, pues estaba nevando todav?a, suave, pero nevando. Pero me dije que no, que la capa me quita algo de visibilidad y yo quer?a verlo todo, todo tan diferente, como si fuera un camino nuevo, intuyendo por donde debo ir. Cog? mi bicicleta, que estaba debajo del techado, y la llev? a la calle. All? se me llen? el pecho de una tremenda ilusi?n. La calle estaba totalmente cubierta de algo m?s de cinco cent?metros de nieve, y la ?nica huella que hab?a era la de mi vecino que tambi?n va en bici y que sale quince minutos antes que yo, pero incluso ?sa se estaba borrando, debido a la nieve que ca?a encima. Estaba deseando lanzarme a pisar la nieve con las ruedas de mi bicicleta, as? que la lanc? hacia adelante y comenc? a pedalear. O?a el ahogado sonido del contacto de la rueda con la nieve, como peque?os crujidos y, al mismo tiempo, un trasfondo que se asemeja a un susurro. Comenc? a hacer eses por el camino. Mir? para atr?s: la huella de la bicicleta hab?a dejado una bonita estela que zigzagueaba de un lado a otro de la calle. Me imaginaba las personas que pasaran al cabo de un rato por ah? y vieran esas huellas... se iban a preguntar muchas cosas ;-) Por la vereda de Vallehermoso me puse a gritar de alegr?a, seguro de que no me oir?a nadie. M?s adelante, una muchacha iba andando en la misma direcci?n que yo, oy? el sonido de mi bicicleta y se apart?. Me mir? un poco sorprendida. Mientras me sonre?a, me salud? con la mano, sintiendo que algo nos un?a, que ?ramos dos afortunados compartiendo el mismo momento m?gico. Yo le dediqu? la m?s enorme de mis sonrisas. La nieve segu?a cayendo, y el cristal de las gafas se me iba llenando de nieve que me imped?a ver, por lo que ten?a que hacer con un dedo el gesto de un limpiaparabrisas. En la cuesta abajo de la calle de la Noguera tocaba ir muy despacio, porque la nieve y los frenazos no son muy buenos amigos. Al llegar a la estaci?n decid? que no iba a aparcar la bicicleta en el mismo sitio de siempre, fuera, en una farola, sino dentro, en la barandilla de unas escaleras en el mismo and?n. Seg?n estaba nevando, ten?a la sensaci?n de que, si la dejaba fuera, por la tarde quiz?s no la encontrar?a, cubierta por la nieve como podr?a estar. Pas? el vest?bulo, hacia el and?n. La gente estaba all? esperando al tren, huyendo del fr?o y de la nieve. Todo el mundo se me quedaba mirando muy sorprendidos, algunos algo divertidos, casi todos sonre?an. Yo me imaginaba que era por la locura de ir en bici con esta nieve. La gente se apartaba y me hac?an un pasillo. Al llegar a la puerta, y antes de abrirla para salir fuera, me vi reflejado: Era todo un n?mero, parec?a el hombre de las nieves. La ropa, los guantes, el pelo, la bufanda, parte de las gafas, todo blanco. Hasta el manillar de la bici, en las partes que no hab?a fijado mis manos, estaban cubiertas por una ligera capa de nieve. Mir? hacia atr?s, hacia la gente. Todos me miraban y ten?an una enorme sonrisa. Seguro que alguno se apunta a coger la bici en la pr?xima nevada, aunque s?lo sea para recibir tantas sonrisas juntas. &&& La descarga cultural del Barrio Venecia Empezamos a pensar en el t?rmino descarga cultural a partir del primer peri?dico en El Cerro. La forma en la que se hace un peri?dico es puro toma y daca. La analog?a es simple: m?sicos que improvisan sobre una base com?n y que se van contestando unos a otros, enriqueciendo un tema mel?dico y jugando con el ritmo. Vimos que con la gente suced?a una cosa parecida, aport?bamos los instrumentos, la gente los utilizaba y les sacaba sonidos que nunca pensamos se les pod?a sacar. El uso del esc?ner por ejemplo, nunca pensamos que iba a servir para escanear comida o ropa o brazos y partes del cuerpo. Por ah? a descarga tambi?n funciona en la manera en c?mo tiramos del hilo a la gente. Hay quien nos dice: no ahora no, que tengo prisa, y nosotros: pues cu?ntanos de la prisa que t? tienes. Ese es el asunto. Lo de la descarga se entiende mejor si contamos del Barrio Venecia de Bogot? y de Alirio y la pancarta. En aquella ocasi?n participamos en la bienal que tienen en el barrio y que como gancho remeda en el nombre de la italiana. Resulta que mandamos a hacer una pancarta, con tipograf?as de esas bajadas de Internet, la cual explicaba de manera demasiado sint?tica, nuestro proyecto. Dec?a Bienvenidos, lleg? la Descarga Cultural, Estaci?n M?vil Barrio Venecia, Siga. La pancarta qued? colgada en la fachada del garaje de la casa de Alirio que era donde est?bamos trabajando. Al principio, los primeros d?as, no llegaba nadie. Siempre pasa eso al principio. Est?s solo, no llega nadie, estas pensando que te has equivocado , que qui?n te mandaba a la otra parte del mundo a hacer eso que no le importa a nadie. Abrimos un jueves, no vino nadie, tampoco el viernes, y el s?bado Alirio que es profesor de ense?anza primaria y ese d?a no trabajaba lleg? y dijo que el problema era la pancarta, que era muy bonita pero que no se entend?a nada. Entonces lo que ?l hizo fue redactar una pancarta a mano, explicando todo lo que la nuestra no dec?a: gratis, entre y cuente una historia, h?gase un retrato, t?mese un caf? y que ?ramos artistas peruanos.- espa?oles. Eso tambi?n es parte de lo que aprendemos, ejemplifica lo de la descarga cultural y el intercambio. Al final decidimos incluir las dos pancartas. (Raimond Chaves y Gilda Mantilla. Hangeando, Peri?dico de Cordel. Estaci?n M?vil ed. Lima 2004) &&& Invitaci?n (a prop?sito del texto anterior) Ma?ana mi?rcoles a las 7:30 pm en la Sala Mir? Quesada Garland de la Municipalidad de Miraflores, y como clausura de la exposici?n Radio-Barrio-Combi presentaci?n de la charla musicalizada: "El Toque Criollo" un proyecto del artista visual colombo-catal?n Raimond Chaves. Chaves (Bogot?, 1963) presenta un relato de im?genes, m?sica y palabras a caballo entre la lecci?n de historia, la narraci?n del viajero y el pase de diapositivas. Un proyecto articulado a partir de las cubiertas de viejos long-plays comprados en mercados de pulgas de Colombia, Per?, Puerto Rico y el Caribe. &&& El cholo y el mar DOS Desde las tribunas del estadio Nou Camp se ve el antiguo cementerio de Barcelona. Para los hinchas debe ser una comprobaci?n f?ctica de la vida eterna. Est? terminando la visita a este templo deportivo y la mayor certeza que ha ofrecido conocerlo es que en el Per? se juega cualquier cosa menos f?tbol. Fue sin embargo el nombre de un peruano el que ha generado esta visita. Nombre que ha sido ol?mpicamente ignorado en los 45 minutos que dura el tour: Hugo Sotil. En el museo anexo, sin embargo, s? exist?a Sotil. Hab?a dos fotos de la hist?rica formaci?n que hizo campeonar al Barcelona despu?s de 25 a?os -Cruyff, Sotil, Neeskens- y un mazo de naipes donde el peruano sale retratado con arco, flecha y pluma. La visita no hab?a sido en vano. En Barcelona provoca caminar, que es lo que una ciudad debiera provocar. Y calle que tomes, bien orientado, conduce al mar. Vagando frente a la playa de la Barceloneta reaparece Sotil. Esta vez en un taller en La Victoria, contando la improbable historia de c?mo malogr? su Ferrari amarillo porque no lo pod?a hacer correr por las callejuelas de Barcelona, en d?as que era rey de la cancha y pr?ncipe de los puticlubs catalanes. Tiempos en que Serrat lo iba a saludar al camar?n. Ahora Serrat pelea con el c?ncer, los jugadores de f?tbol son franquicias que patean y el Cholo no se pelea con nadie, ni siquiera con su pasado. Miles de compatriotas en Espa?a que buscan sobrevivir como mano de obra barata, jam?s lo vieron jugar. Sus antiguos empleadores, los del Barza FC, lo recuerdan emplumado. Por eso solo aparece por Barcelona cuando se le invoca, segunda cerveza mediante, frente al mar. Manos a la cintura, mirando sin decir nada. All? los que se arrepientan de haber vivido. (Jaime Bedoya, Revista Caretas) Carlos Cordero Vel?squez CICLORED - Centro de Asesor?a y Capacitaci?n para el Transporte y Ambiente Pasaje Lavalle 110 - Lima 04 Per? telf: (51 1) 4671322 From et3 at et3.com Fri Mar 25 02:20:26 2005 From: et3 at et3.com (Daryl Oster) Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 12:20:26 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: abril a escala humana In-Reply-To: <001201c52f4e$4fecca00$5db601c8@pentiumiii> Message-ID: <20050324172057.518E42C22E@mx-list.jca.ne.jp> The language of this forum is listed as English. Daryl Oster (c) 2004? all rights reserved.? ETT, et3, MoPod, "space travel on earth" e-tube, e-tubes, and the logos thereof are trademarks and or service marks of et3.com Inc.? For licensing information contact:??? et3@et3.com , www.et3.com? POB 1423, Crystal River FL 34423-1423? (352)257-1310 > -----Original Message----- > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+et3=et3.com@list.jca.apc.org > [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+et3=et3.com@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of > ciclored > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:15 PM > To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@mx0.jca.ne.jp > Subject: [sustran] abril a escala humana > > CICLORED > El bolet?n del transporte a escala humana > Marzo - abril, 05 > > > Los peque?os personajes > > Est?n all?, a la vista, expuestos, pero nadie los mira, como si no > tuvieran > ojos. Abren las silenciosas puertas, conducen los invisibles autos, > trasladan los maletines cargados, contestan las l?neas privadas, estampan > sellos en las sigilosas cartas. Nadie los nota porque son invisibles en un > mundo donde el rango importa. > > Pero un d?a salen a la luz. Cuentan la historia peque?a, la del > concili?bulo > y la cofrad?a corrupta. La de ayer y la de hoy. Tienen copias de las > cartas, conocen los itinerarios secretos, graban las conversaciones, toman > los videos de las cajas fuertes. De pronto est?n en las planas de los > diarios, en los noticieros, descritos en las columnas de opini?n; > mostrando > la ropa sucia, contando las relaciones oscuras de su jefes. Adquieren > importancia y dejan de ser ignorados para ser negados, denigrados, > perseguidos y amenazados; ocultados y vueltos a encontrar. Les ofrecen el > dinero que nunca antes les quisieron pagar, les hablan con la misma boca > sucia de los negocios que presenciaron durante a?os. Y en ese momento, los > que antes los despreciaron se dan cuenta, tard?a y extempor?neamente, > pero > entienden. En un rapto de lucidez in?til, como un amor que no se supo > valorar, comprenden esa mirada antigua y constante que nunca pudieron > descifrar. > > &&& > > La felicidad a los noventa > > Por esa ?poca tuve la rara impresi?n de que se estaba volviendo mayor > antes > de tiempo. Se lo coment? a Rosa Cabarcas, y a ella le pareci? natural. > Cumple quince a?os el cinco de diciembre, me dijo. Una Sagitario > perfecta. > Me inquiet? que fuera tan real como para cumplir a?os. ?Qu? podr?a > regalarle? Una bicicleta, dijo Rosa Cabarcas. Tiene que atravesar la > ciudad > dos veces al d?a para ir a pegar botones. Me mostr? en la trastienda la > bicicleta que usaba, y de verdad me pareci? una cacharro indigno de una > mujer tan bien amada. Sin embargo me conmovi? como la prueba tangible de > que > Delgadina exist?a en la vida real. > > Cuando fui a comprar la mejor bicicleta para ella no puede resistir la > tentaci?n de probarla y di algunas vueltas casuales en la rampa del > almac?n. > Al vendedor que me pregunt? la edad le contest? con la coqueter?a de la > vejez: Voy a cumplir noventa y uno. El empleado dijo justo lo que yo > quer?a: pues representa veinte menos. Yo mismo no entend?a c?mo conservaba > la pr?ctica del colegio, y me sent? colmado por un gozo radiante. Empec? a > cantar. Primero para m? mismo, en voz baja, y despu?s a todo pecho con > ?nfulas del gran Caruso, por entre los bazares abigarrados y el tr?fico > demente del mercado p?blico. La gente me miraba divertida, me gritaban, me > incitaban a participar en la vuelta a Colombia en silla de ruedas. Yo les > hac?a con la mano un saludo de navegante feliz sin interrumpir la canci?n. > Esa semana, en homenaje a diciembre, escrib? otra nota atrevida: C?mo ser > feliz en bicicleta a los noventa a?os. (Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez, Memoria > de > mis putas tristes, Ed. Norma, 2004) > > &&& > > Manejar sin se?alizaci?n > > De paseo por Friesland , uno se topa con ciertas peculiaridades. El lugar > no > solo es casi llano, sin sem?foros, c?rteles ni se?alizaciones sino que no > tiene una divisi?n entre la calle y la vereda. Se trataba, b?sicamente, de > una plaza lisa pavimentada. Pero el tr?nsito - un paso constante de > camiones, autos, colectivos, motos, bicicletas y peatones - se desplazaba > fluidamente, como si estuviese dirigido por un inspector invisible. > > Cuando Monderman, ingeniero vial y dise?ador de la intersecci?n, cruz? la > cale sin mirar, los conductores frenaron para darle paso. Nadie le toc? la > bocina ni lo insult? por la ventana. "?qui?n tiene prioridad de paso? " , > pregunt?. "No importa. Aqu? las personas tienen que encontrar la soluci?n > entre s?, y usar la cabeza", se respondi?. > > Utilizada por 20,000 conductores de veh?culos por d?a, la intersecci?n > forma > parte de una revoluci?n del trazado vial que encabeza Monderman, de 59 > a?os. > Su obra en Friesland, el distrito del norte de Holanda que incluye a > Drachten, es considerada como el tr?nsito del futuro en Europa. > Espa?a , Dinamarca, Austria , Suecia y Gran Breta?a est?n haciendo pruebas > con diversas variantes de lo que se ha llamado "espacio compartido" y > la > Uni?n Europea ha designado una comisi?n de especialistas para desarrollar > un > estudio en toda Europa. > La filosof?a de Monderman es sencilla: manejar se vuelve m?s seguro s?lo > cuando hay m?s peligro en el tr?nsito y los conductores dejan de mirar > los > carteles y comienzan a mirarse entre s?. > &&& > > > > El Proyecto Combi > > 'Radio Inca es un programador urbano en Lima, pues constituye uno de los > mecanismos de generaci?n y modelaci?n urbana." Radio Inka promueve el > folklore - eventos urbanos - logrando congregar multitudes, generando un > fuerte impacto, que sirve como un punto de inserci?n para las diferentes > din?micas en muchos puntos de la ciudad - estos eventos propician la > aparici?n "espont?nea" de actividades conjuntas - como comercio > ambulatorio, > restaurantes, bares, hoteles, farmacias ... etc - que tambi?n causa la > aparici?n de nuevas rutas de transporte, congesti?n del tr?fico, cambios > en > el precio del suelo, etc... > > > El "Proyecto Combi' trata sobre la "modelaci?n" de Lima Metropolitana , > los > 'dj-arquitectos' estar?n a cargo de esta tarea, adoptando los mecanismos > generados por Radio Inca como procesador urbano - la caja negra - donde se > llevan a cabo abiertas convocatorias a la poblaci?n. V?a l?nea telef?nica > , > ellos ser?n capaces de explicar las necesidades urbanas y arquitect?nicas > (in-put), a trav?s del Cuerpo de arquitectos voluntarios'. El CAV ir? a > los > lugares escogidos en la ciudad, atendiendo las demandas requeridas, > generando din?micas para insertar "c?digos de informaci?n' en la > estructura > de la ciudad y para estimular un desarrollo regenerativo (out-put). > > &&& > > Dulce pedaleo en la alfombra blanca > > Como cada d?a, sal? esta ma?ana enroscado en mi bufanda y calz?ndome los > guantes dispuesto a coger mi bicicleta para ir a la estaci?n de tren de > Azuqueca. Es un viaje de ocho minutos (2,5 Km.), de noche, pero > despejad?simo de tr?fico, por calles tranquilas y llanas, exceptuando una > sola bajada. Suelo salir con tiempo suficiente, para tom?rmelo sin prisas, > pedaleando suavemente cuando los m?sculos est?n a?n desesperez?ndose. > Cuando > abr? la puerta, justo en ese momento, un copo de nieve que se solt? del > tejado cay? frente a m?, y tras ?l, la visi?n de la parte delantera de mi > jard?n, totalmente inundada por la nieve. No hab?a visto tanta nieve junta > desde aquella excursi?n de Pedalibre por el Puerto de la Quesera, cerca de > Majaelrayo. Me entr? una mezcla de alegr?a por tanta belleza y desasosiego > por el miedo a llegar tarde a coger el tren (salen cada quince minutos, y > si > pierdo el de las 6,55, llego tarde al trabajo). Lo primero que pens? fue > en > ponerme la capa de lluvia, pues estaba nevando todav?a, suave, pero > nevando. > Pero me dije que no, que la capa me quita algo de visibilidad y yo quer?a > verlo todo, todo tan diferente, como si fuera un camino nuevo, intuyendo > por > donde debo ir. > > Cog? mi bicicleta, que estaba debajo del techado, y la llev? a la calle. > All? se me llen? el pecho de una tremenda ilusi?n. La calle estaba > totalmente cubierta de algo m?s de cinco cent?metros de nieve, y la ?nica > huella que hab?a era la de mi vecino que tambi?n va en bici y que sale > quince minutos antes que yo, pero incluso ?sa se estaba borrando, debido a > la nieve que ca?a encima. Estaba deseando lanzarme a pisar la nieve con > las > ruedas de mi bicicleta, as? que la lanc? hacia adelante y comenc? a > pedalear. O?a el ahogado sonido del contacto de la rueda con la nieve, > como > peque?os crujidos y, al mismo tiempo, un trasfondo que se asemeja a un > susurro. Comenc? a hacer eses por el camino. Mir? para atr?s: la huella de > la bicicleta hab?a dejado una bonita estela que zigzagueaba de un lado a > otro de la calle. Me imaginaba las personas que pasaran al cabo de un rato > por ah? y vieran esas huellas... se iban a preguntar muchas cosas ;-) Por > la > vereda de Vallehermoso me puse a gritar de alegr?a, seguro de que no me > oir?a nadie. M?s adelante, una muchacha iba andando en la misma direcci?n > que yo, oy? el sonido de mi bicicleta y se apart?. Me mir? un poco > sorprendida. Mientras me sonre?a, me salud? con la mano, sintiendo que > algo > nos un?a, que ?ramos dos afortunados compartiendo el mismo momento m?gico. > Yo le dediqu? la m?s enorme de mis sonrisas. > > La nieve segu?a cayendo, y el cristal de las gafas se me iba llenando de > nieve que me imped?a ver, por lo que ten?a que hacer con un dedo el gesto > de > un limpiaparabrisas. En la cuesta abajo de la calle de la Noguera tocaba > ir > muy despacio, porque la nieve y los frenazos no son muy buenos amigos. Al > llegar a la estaci?n decid? que no iba a aparcar la bicicleta en el mismo > sitio de siempre, fuera, en una farola, sino dentro, en la barandilla de > unas escaleras en el mismo and?n. Seg?n estaba nevando, ten?a la sensaci?n > de que, si la dejaba fuera, por la tarde quiz?s no la encontrar?a, > cubierta > por la nieve como podr?a estar. Pas? el vest?bulo, hacia el and?n. La > gente > estaba all? esperando al tren, huyendo del fr?o y de la nieve. Todo el > mundo > se me quedaba mirando muy sorprendidos, algunos algo divertidos, casi > todos > sonre?an. Yo me imaginaba que era por la locura de ir en bici con esta > nieve. La gente se apartaba y me hac?an un pasillo. Al llegar a la puerta, > y > antes de abrirla para salir fuera, me vi reflejado: Era todo un n?mero, > parec?a el hombre de las nieves. La ropa, los guantes, el pelo, la > bufanda, > parte de las gafas, todo blanco. Hasta el manillar de la bici, en las > partes > que no hab?a fijado mis manos, estaban cubiertas por una ligera capa de > nieve. Mir? hacia atr?s, hacia la gente. Todos me miraban y ten?an una > enorme sonrisa. Seguro que alguno se apunta a coger la bici en la pr?xima > nevada, aunque s?lo sea para recibir tantas sonrisas juntas. > > &&& > > La descarga cultural del Barrio Venecia > > Empezamos a pensar en el t?rmino descarga cultural a partir del primer > peri?dico en El Cerro. La forma en la que se hace un peri?dico es puro > toma > y daca. La analog?a es simple: m?sicos que improvisan sobre una base com?n > y > que se van contestando unos a otros, enriqueciendo un tema mel?dico y > jugando con el ritmo. Vimos que con la gente suced?a una cosa parecida, > aport?bamos los instrumentos, la gente los utilizaba y les sacaba sonidos > que nunca pensamos se les pod?a sacar. El uso del esc?ner por ejemplo, > nunca > pensamos que iba a servir para escanear comida o ropa o brazos y partes > del > cuerpo. Por ah? a descarga tambi?n funciona en la manera en c?mo tiramos > del > hilo a la gente. Hay quien nos dice: no ahora no, que tengo prisa, y > nosotros: pues cu?ntanos de la prisa que t? tienes. Ese es el asunto. > Lo de la descarga se entiende mejor si contamos del Barrio Venecia de > Bogot? > y de Alirio y la pancarta. En aquella ocasi?n participamos en la bienal > que > tienen en el barrio y que como gancho remeda en el nombre de la italiana. > Resulta que mandamos a hacer una pancarta, con tipograf?as de esas bajadas > de Internet, la cual explicaba de manera demasiado sint?tica, nuestro > proyecto. Dec?a Bienvenidos, lleg? la Descarga Cultural, Estaci?n M?vil > Barrio Venecia, Siga. La pancarta qued? colgada en la fachada del garaje > de > la casa de Alirio que era donde est?bamos trabajando. Al principio, los > primeros d?as, no llegaba nadie. Siempre pasa eso al principio. Est?s > solo, > no llega nadie, estas pensando que te has equivocado , que qui?n te > mandaba > a la otra parte del mundo a hacer eso que no le importa a nadie. > Abrimos un jueves, no vino nadie, tampoco el viernes, y el s?bado Alirio > que > es profesor de ense?anza primaria y ese d?a no trabajaba lleg? y dijo que > el > problema era la pancarta, que era muy bonita pero que no se entend?a nada. > Entonces lo que ?l hizo fue redactar una pancarta a mano, explicando todo > lo > que la nuestra no dec?a: gratis, entre y cuente una historia, h?gase un > retrato, t?mese un caf? y que ?ramos artistas peruanos.- espa?oles. Eso > tambi?n es parte de lo que aprendemos, ejemplifica lo de la descarga > cultural y el intercambio. Al final decidimos incluir las dos pancartas. > (Raimond Chaves y Gilda Mantilla. Hangeando, Peri?dico de Cordel. Estaci?n > M?vil ed. Lima 2004) > > > &&& > Invitaci?n (a prop?sito del texto anterior) > > Ma?ana mi?rcoles a las 7:30 pm en la Sala Mir? Quesada Garland de la > Municipalidad de Miraflores, y como clausura de la exposici?n > Radio-Barrio-Combi presentaci?n de la charla musicalizada: "El Toque > Criollo" un proyecto del artista visual colombo-catal?n Raimond Chaves. > > Chaves (Bogot?, 1963) presenta un relato de im?genes, m?sica y palabras a > caballo entre la lecci?n de historia, la narraci?n del viajero y el pase > de > diapositivas. Un proyecto articulado a partir de las cubiertas de viejos > long-plays comprados en mercados de pulgas de Colombia, Per?, Puerto Rico > y > el Caribe. > > &&& > > El cholo y el mar > > DOS > > Desde las tribunas del estadio Nou Camp se ve el antiguo cementerio de > Barcelona. Para los hinchas debe ser una comprobaci?n f?ctica de la vida > eterna. Est? terminando la visita a este templo deportivo y la mayor > certeza > que ha ofrecido conocerlo es que en el Per? se juega cualquier cosa menos > f?tbol. Fue sin embargo el nombre de un peruano el que ha generado esta > visita. Nombre que ha sido ol?mpicamente ignorado en los 45 minutos que > dura > el tour: Hugo Sotil. > En el museo anexo, sin embargo, s? exist?a Sotil. Hab?a dos fotos de la > hist?rica formaci?n que hizo campeonar al Barcelona despu?s de 25 > a?os -Cruyff, Sotil, Neeskens- y un mazo de naipes donde el peruano sale > retratado con arco, flecha y pluma. La visita no hab?a sido en vano. > En Barcelona provoca caminar, que es lo que una ciudad debiera provocar. Y > calle que tomes, bien orientado, conduce al mar. Vagando frente a la playa > de la Barceloneta reaparece Sotil. Esta vez en un taller en La Victoria, > contando la improbable historia de c?mo malogr? su Ferrari amarillo porque > no lo pod?a hacer correr por las callejuelas de Barcelona, en d?as que era > rey de la cancha y pr?ncipe de los puticlubs catalanes. Tiempos en que > Serrat lo iba a saludar al camar?n. > Ahora Serrat pelea con el c?ncer, los jugadores de f?tbol son franquicias > que patean y el Cholo no se pelea con nadie, ni siquiera con su pasado. > Miles de compatriotas en Espa?a que buscan sobrevivir como mano de obra > barata, jam?s lo vieron jugar. Sus antiguos empleadores, los del Barza FC, > lo recuerdan emplumado. > Por eso solo aparece por Barcelona cuando se le invoca, segunda cerveza > mediante, frente al mar. Manos a la cintura, mirando sin decir nada. All? > los que se arrepientan de haber vivido. (Jaime Bedoya, Revista Caretas) > > > Carlos Cordero Vel?squez > CICLORED - Centro de Asesor?a > y Capacitaci?n para el Transporte > y Ambiente > > Pasaje Lavalle 110 - > Lima 04 > Per? > > telf: (51 1) 4671322 > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus > is on urban transport policy in Asia. From litman at vtpi.org Sat Mar 26 04:42:14 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 11:42:14 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Sustainable Transportation Indicators Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050325112750.037edc18@mail.highspeedplus.com> Dear Colleagues, As some of you know, earlier this year I became chair of the TRB Sustainable Transportation Indicators Subcommittee [ADD40T(1)], which is working to develop guidance on the use of sustainability indicators for transport planning. Please let me know if you would like to included on a special email list to be kept informed about this committee's work, and feel free to pass these messages on to anybody who has a special interest in sustainable transportation indicators. Also, please let me know of any related projects that you know of. At our January 11 meeting we discussed the Subcommittee's overall vision and goals. Here are key results: 1. Become a clearinghouse for sustainable transportation indicators information, and track efforts throughout the world to develop and apply indicators. 2. Explore the general issues and principles that affect the selection of indicators, and develop guidance for transportation professionals on the selection and application of indices. 3. Work to establish some sort of officially-endorsed sustainable transportation indicators best practices guidelines and evaluation framework. I am just completing a new report, "Well Measured: Developing Indicators for Comprehensive and Sustainable Transport Planning" (http://www.vtpi.org/wellmeas.pdf). I would greatly appreciate feedback on it. I should also mention an excellent new article on this subject: Christy Mihyeon Jeon and Adjo Amekudzi (2005), "Addressing Sustainability in Transportation Systems: Definitions, Indicators, and Metrics," Journal Of Infrastructure Systems, Vol. 11, No. 1, American Society of Civil Engineers (www.pubs.asce.org), March 2005, pp. 31-51; available at www.ce.gatech.edu/research/infrasustainability/Relevant%20Publications.htm 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 chuwasg at yahoo.com Sun Mar 27 01:55:09 2005 From: chuwasg at yahoo.com (chuwa) Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 08:55:09 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore goverment feedback unit Message-ID: <20050326165509.58456.qmail@web51106.mail.yahoo.com> Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past few years. If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's hear your views. ------------------------------------- to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050326/bdaf63d0/attachment-0001.html From roland at actrix.gen.nz Sun Mar 27 16:14:58 2005 From: roland at actrix.gen.nz (roland@actrix.gen.nz) Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 19:14:58 +1200 (NZST) Subject: [sustran] Re: Sustainable Transportation Indicators In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20050325112750.037edc18@mail.highspeedplus.com> References: <5.1.1.6.0.20050325112750.037edc18@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: <20917.202.22.18.1.1111907698.squirrel@202.22.18.1> Hi Todd and others For those interested in this topic, last year the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment published "Monitoring and Data Management Protocol: Environmental Indicators for Transport" which can be found at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/monitoring-data-protocol-transport-may04/html/ The set of indicators is quite narrow by some measures. However, there are also separate sets of indicators for air and water quality and urban indicators - these can be found on the same website www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser Thanks also for the reference which was very timely. New Zealand legislation has now made promoting sustainability a key function of the national land transport funding body - putting that into practice is proving interesting! A little information can be found at the website of Land Transport New Zealand - www.ltnz.govt.nz but please ask me offline if you are interested in more detail. Best wishes Roland Sapsford > > Dear Colleagues, > > As some of you know, earlier this year I became chair of the TRB > Sustainable Transportation Indicators Subcommittee [ADD40T(1)], which is > working to develop guidance on the use of sustainability indicators for > transport planning. Please let me know if you would like to included on a > special email list to be kept informed about this committee's work, and > feel free to pass these messages on to anybody who has a special interest > in sustainable transportation indicators. Also, please let me know of any > related projects that you know of. > > > At our January 11 meeting we discussed the Subcommittee's overall vision > and goals. Here are key results: > > 1. Become a clearinghouse for sustainable transportation indicators > information, and track efforts throughout the world to develop and apply > indicators. > > 2. Explore the general issues and principles that affect the selection of > indicators, and develop guidance for transportation professionals on the > selection and application of indices. > > 3. Work to establish some sort of officially-endorsed sustainable > transportation indicators best practices guidelines and evaluation > framework. > > > I am just completing a new report, "Well Measured: Developing Indicators > for Comprehensive and Sustainable Transport Planning" > (http://www.vtpi.org/wellmeas.pdf). I would greatly appreciate feedback on > it. > > I should also mention an excellent new article on this subject: Christy > Mihyeon Jeon and Adjo Amekudzi (2005), "Addressing Sustainability in > Transportation Systems: Definitions, Indicators, and Metrics," Journal Of > Infrastructure Systems, Vol. 11, No. 1, American Society of Civil > Engineers > (www.pubs.asce.org), March 2005, pp. 31-51; available at > www.ce.gatech.edu/research/infrasustainability/Relevant%20Publications.htm > > > > 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 > > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus > is on urban transport policy in Asia. > From ericbruun at earthlink.net Mon Mar 28 01:38:01 2005 From: ericbruun at earthlink.net (Eric Bruun) Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 11:38:01 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Article on India and public transport References: <868h31971tem12t2vlu9tem4qciht4fo21@4ax.com> <000001c53025$50b30580$229944ca@DEBI> Message-ID: <00a301c532f3$6a5c4200$7ef845cf@earthlink.net> The most recent issue of Journal of Public Transportation (Vol. 7 No. 4) has an article by John Pucher, et.al entitled "The Crisis of Public Transport in India: Overwhelming Needs but Limited Resources" Eric Bruun ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debi Goenka" To: ; "Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport" Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:35 PM Subject: [sustran] Re: Mumbai and BEST > Hi Alan > I will be happy to welcome you to Mumbai, and I am sure we can do a lot to > improve public transport in Mumbai. > Cheers > Debi > PS One of the issues that we can discuss - "Do we want Mumbai to be > Shanghaied?" > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alan P Howes" > To: > Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 4:00 AM > Subject: [sustran] Mumbai and BEST > > > I will shortly be realising a long-held ambition, and paying my first > visit to India. (Dubai, while containing many Indians, didn't really > count.) I will be coming to Mumbai, to work on an "Institutional > Development Study" for BEST, or at least its bus operating arm. > > The project will cover at least 12 months, and I expect to be in > Mumbai for a few months within that period - first visit in April or > May, I should think. I have not yet fully read the brief - it is > mainly about increased efficiency within the organisation, but I hope > to be able to address wider transport issues too. I have seen plenty > of coverage of such things on this list in the past (from Kisan, > Debi?). > > So - I would be very pleased to exchange opinions with "interested > parties", and perhaps to meet any Mumbai/Bombay sustranners when I get > there. > > Regards, Alan > > (PS: I was rather shocked to discover that Mumbai has a poorer ratio > of buses to people than Edinburgh - never mind Shanghai, which is > perhaps a better comparison.) > -- > Alan P Howes, Perthshire, Scotland > alan@ourpeagreenboat.co.uk > http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alanhowes/ [Needs Updating!] > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is > on urban transport policy in Asia. > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. From sujit at vsnl.com Mon Mar 28 05:00:22 2005 From: sujit at vsnl.com (Sujit Patwardhan) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:30:22 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Re: Article on India and public transport In-Reply-To: <00a301c532f3$6a5c4200$7ef845cf@earthlink.net> References: <868h31971tem12t2vlu9tem4qciht4fo21@4ax.com> <"000001c53025$50b305 80$229944ca"@DEBI> <00a301c532f3$6a5c4200$7ef845cf@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.0.20050328012802.02e84500@mail.vsnl.com> 27 March 2005 Dear Sustraners, For the benefit of those interested here is a link to the article mentioned by Eric Bruun http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT%207-4%20Pucher.pdf -- Sujit Patwardhan Parisar, Pune, India At 10:08 PM 3/27/2005, you wrote: >The most recent issue of Journal of Public Transportation (Vol. 7 No. 4) has >an article by John Pucher, et.al entitled "The Crisis of Public Transport in >India: Overwhelming Needs but Limited Resources" > >Eric Bruun > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sujit Patwardhan PARISAR "Yamuna", ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411007 Telephone: +91 20 255 37955 Email: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From etts at indigo.ie Mon Mar 28 22:18:32 2005 From: etts at indigo.ie (Brendan Finn) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 14:18:32 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore govermentfeedback unit In-Reply-To: <20050326165509.58456.qmail@web51106.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: I cannot see how "the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised" by allowing cycling on the pavements. I think the solution lies in a three-way response : a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing road space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by belong on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent to busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the mobility network. b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both motorists and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists need to understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their behaviour. Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as well. (In my opinion, many 'professional' cyclists have even worse attitudes than SUV drivers) c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who offend against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour by motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social aspect should be highlighted. Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes their life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, Singapore needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public transport. This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health and cost advantages. However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do not think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right solution. With best wishes, Brendan Finn. ____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________ Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts@indigo.ie -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org]On Behalf Of chuwa Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55 To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore govermentfeedback unit Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past few years. If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's hear your views. ------------------------------------- to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050328/a025252f/attachment.html From czegras at MIT.EDU Tue Mar 29 00:00:51 2005 From: czegras at MIT.EDU (P. Christopher Zegras) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 10:00:51 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Walk Speed functions Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20050325102639.02877d40@po9.mit.edu> Dear Sustraners, Does anyone know of a good reference for walk speed functions; ideally, I am looking to estimate, if empirically-defensible, walk speed as a function of age and other characteristics of the individual. Thanks, Chris From itdpasia at adelphia.net Mon Mar 28 11:15:05 2005 From: itdpasia at adelphia.net (John Ernst) Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 19:15:05 -0700 Subject: [sustran] Jakarta City council supports road pricing!... Message-ID: <6.2.0.14.0.20050327190904.01c6e0d8@pop.abs.adelphia.net> Some interesting news from Jakarta... on road pricing, and the monorail: from the Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailcity.asp?fileid=20050304.G01&irec=0 "During a hearing with executives of PT Jakarta Monorail on Thursday, the [City Council's Development commission D] supported the company's controversial demand for electronic road pricing (ERP) along the roads paralleling the planned 27 kilometers of monorail line. Under the ERP system, all motorists passing along these roads would be required to pay a fee to the city administration. ...ERP enforcement was expected to boost passenger numbers on the monorails, which will consist of the planned 14.3 kilometer green line and the 13.5-kilometer blue line. ...the ERP system would allow the city to collect some US$100 million per year, based on the assumption that each motorist would have to pay Rp 5,000 per trip along the monorail corridors. ...[Monorail developer] Sukmawaty also sought support from the commission for the company's proposal for a subvention from the city administration up to $20 million per year for the first seven years of the monorail's planned operation from early 2007. She said that her company now wants the city to take a stake in the company of up to $60 million, or 30 percent of the firm's total equity. ... A number of councillors, however, opposed the request for a subsidy for monorail system for its first seven years From ralphbu at eden.rutgers.edu Tue Mar 29 00:57:02 2005 From: ralphbu at eden.rutgers.edu (Ralph Buehler) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 10:57:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: [sustran] India Article by Prof Pucher In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20050325112750.037edc18@mail.highspeedplus.com> References: <5.1.1.6.0.20050325112750.037edc18@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: <2847.165.230.149.240.1112025422.squirrel@webmail.eden.rutgers.edu> Dear all, In a recent Sustran communication, there was mention of the March 2005 article about India in the Journal of Public Transportation by Prof. Pucher and his Indian colleagues. Prof. Pucher would like to call your attention to a more recent and greatly expanded version of that article which will appear in the September 2005 issue of the journal Transport Policy, edited out of Oxford University, England. It includes discussion of all modes of transport (not just public transport, as in the JPT article), and also includes detailed discussion of a range of transport problems and policies not dealt with at all in the JPT article. Although longer, broader, and more detailed article will not appear in final form until September 2005 in Transport Policy, an unedited pre-print version (working paper) is temporarily posted on the following Rutgers University website for those of you interested in the broader, updated version: http://policy.rutgers.edu/papers/26.pdf Prof. Pucher kindly requests that any reference to the article, even in this pre-print form, mention the September 2005 issue of Transport Policy (vol. 12, no. 3), as the eventual published version of the article. He would appreciate that citation as opposed to just the working paper citation. THANKS and enjoy reading it. Ralph Buehler ******************************************** Ralph Buehler PhD Student Planning and Public Policy Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy 33 Livingston Avenue, Room 357 New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1987 ralphbu@eden.rutgers.edu ******************************************** working papers available at: http://policy.rutgers.edu/workingpapers.html From whook at itdp.org Tue Mar 29 01:18:47 2005 From: whook at itdp.org (Walter Hook) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 11:18:47 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore govermentfeedback unit References: <20050326165509.58456.qmail@web51106.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <021101c533b1$d2cc27b0$6501a8c0@WALTER> a fine of $1000 seems excessive. I think you could de-criminalize cycling use on sidewalks without any major problems. most cyclists will chose to stay in the road because it is very slow to struggle along between pedestrians. certainly what you want to avoid is forcing adult cyclists to use pavements, and clearly the aim should be to make bicycle travel on the road safer. if pavements are specially designed to be mixed use facilities then that is ok also. ----- Original Message ----- From: chuwa To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2005 11:55 AM Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore govermentfeedback unit Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past few years. If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's hear your views. ------------------------------------- to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050328/13303086/attachment.html From litman at vtpi.org Tue Mar 29 01:47:55 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:47:55 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore government feedback unit In-Reply-To: References: <20050326165509.58456.qmail@web51106.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050328084439.03e3d790@mail.highspeedplus.com> You may find useful information in our paper "Managing Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) On Nonmotorized Facilities" (http://www.vtpi.org/man_nmt_fac.pdf). In this context bicycles are defined as Personal Mobility Devices. Please let me know if you have feedback on it. I'm planning to update that paper soon. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 02:18 PM 3/28/2005 +0100, Brendan Finn wrote: >I cannot see how the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised by >allowing cycling on the pavements. > >I think the solution lies in a three-way response : > >a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing road >space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by belong >on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent to >busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle >paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has >countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the >mobility network. > >b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both motorists >and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists need to >understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their behaviour. >Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as well. >(In my opinion, many professional cyclists have even worse attitudes than >SUV drivers) > >c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who offend >against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the >case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable >behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour by >motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social >aspect should be highlighted. > >Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes their >life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, Singapore >needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public transport. >This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health and >cost advantages. > >However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do not >think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right solution. > >With best wishes, > > > > > >Brendan Finn. > >___________________________________________________________________________________________________ > >Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts@indigo.ie > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org >[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org]On Behalf >Of chuwa >Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55 >To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore >govermentfeedback unit > > > >Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders >can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. >However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this >rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. > >The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the >cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular >rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. > >The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face >in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The >number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past >few years. > >If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians >would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other >appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". > >What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's >hear your views. > >------------------------------------- >to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: > >http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 Mar 29 02:10:26 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 09:10:26 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Walk Speed functions In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20050325102639.02877d40@po9.mit.edu> Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050328090741.02ccde60@mail.highspeedplus.com> See: "Field Studies of Pedestrian Walking Speed and Start-Up Time" (http://www.usroads.com/journals/p/rej/9710/re971001.htm) Goh, P K, Lam, William H K, "Pedestrian Flows and Walking Speed: A Problem at Signalized Crosswalks" ITE Journal, Jan 2004 (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3734/is_200401/ai_n9381619). "Evaluating Nonmotorized Transportation," Online TDM Encyclopedia (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm63.htm). Please let me know if you turn up anything else. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 10:00 AM 3/28/2005 -0500, P. Christopher Zegras wrote: >Dear Sustraners, > >Does anyone know of a good reference for walk speed functions; ideally, I >am looking to estimate, if empirically-defensible, walk speed as a function >of age and other characteristics of the individual. > >Thanks, > >Chris > > > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 ciclored at rcp.net.pe Tue Mar 29 03:17:44 2005 From: ciclored at rcp.net.pe (ciclored) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 13:17:44 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: Walk Speed functions References: <5.2.1.1.2.20050325102639.02877d40@po9.mit.edu> Message-ID: <001701c533e5$c7aa95e0$1eb601c8@pentiumiii> Chris, There is one good text, unfortunately in German: "Fussgeher und Fahrradverkehr -Plannungsprinzipien by Hermann Knoflacher Just for checking in case there is english translation, regards, C. ----- Original Message ----- From: "P. Christopher Zegras" To: Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 10:00 AM Subject: [sustran] Walk Speed functions > Dear Sustraners, > > Does anyone know of a good reference for walk speed functions; ideally, I > am looking to estimate, if empirically-defensible, walk speed as a function > of age and other characteristics of the individual. > > Thanks, > > Chris > > > > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. From reginamanzo at hotmail.com Tue Mar 29 11:23:54 2005 From: reginamanzo at hotmail.com (Regina Manzo) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 02:23:54 +0000 Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernment feedback unit In-Reply-To: <5.1.1.6.0.20050328084439.03e3d790@mail.highspeedplus.com> Message-ID: Hello All. Regarding bicycles on pavements in Singapore I cycled to work frequently over a 2 year period here in Singapore, and continue to cycle for many daily need trips. Just some additional information. There are two types of adults who cycle here: more affluent cyclists with mountain or road bikes and proper headgear, etc., and older people who pedal slowly, always on the roads, on old black bikes often with packs of goods with them. The latter use this mode as their major form of transport. Adults in the first category use the sidewalks where the roadways are too dangerous. Bicycling is low-prestige behaviour in Singapore, as is typical in many developing countries (though Singapore is no longer a developing country). Driver behaviour is poor - many of you may be aware of the Sunday cycling group that lost an avid member about four months back because a tour bus would not shift in its lane when overtaking the group. Bicycling for children is not safe in most areas, and there is no effort to make school zones bike-able or walk-friendly. As in the US, obesity rates are beginning to rise alarmingly here and so it is a pity that no Safe-Routes-to-School efforts are taking place. While there are bicycling lanes on the East Coast Park, and more being planned in Tampines and other places, getting to these bike lanes requires a trip in a car or cycling through miles of roadways. (This is related to the effort to develop a few large regional parks and less neighborhood open space facilities.) My husband and I bike to the East Coast and then around the island on Sundays, choosing that day because traffic is lightest although it is already difficult by 8am. So, bicycling on the pavements - the few times that it happens does not pose a real problem for pedestrians, and the $1000 fine should be lifted. Changing the mindset of planning for transportation is required, which would include what Brendan Finn mentions (providing bike space on roadways, etc.), and other things like providing cycle parking at homes/offices/shopping, providing changing/shower facilities at offices, incentivizing cycle behavior through commuting incentives, incentivizing bicycling at the school level through children- and school-led programs, and more... There's lots of scope for improvement. best regards, Gina Manzo Anderson, AICP Singapore 257720 ph +65 6476-7604 mobile +65 9733-1006 From: Todd Alexander Litman Reply-To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport , Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernment feedback unit Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:47:55 -0800 You may find useful information in our paper "Managing Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) On Nonmotorized Facilities" (http://www.vtpi.org/man_nmt_fac.pdf). In this context bicycles are defined as Personal Mobility Devices. Please let me know if you have feedback on it. I'm planning to update that paper soon. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 02:18 PM 3/28/2005 +0100, Brendan Finn wrote: >I cannot see how the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised by >allowing cycling on the pavements. > >I think the solution lies in a three-way response : > >a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing road >space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by belong >on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent to >busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle >paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has >countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the >mobility network. > >b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both motorists >and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists need to >understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their behaviour. >Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as well. >(In my opinion, many professional cyclists have even worse attitudes than >SUV drivers) > >c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who offend >against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the >case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable >behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour by >motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social >aspect should be highlighted. > >Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes their >life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, Singapore >needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public transport. >This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health and >cost advantages. > >However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do not >think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right solution. > >With best wishes, > > > > > >Brendan Finn. > >___________________________________________________________________________________________________ > >Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts@indigo.ie > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org >[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org]On Behalf >Of chuwa >Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55 >To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore >govermentfeedback unit > > > >Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders >can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. >However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this >rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. > >The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the >cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular >rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. > >The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face >in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The >number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past >few years. > >If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians >would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other >appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". > >What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's >hear your views. > >------------------------------------- >to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: > >http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. From cpardo at cable.net.co Tue Mar 29 13:06:13 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 11:06:13 +0700 Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <0IE200D8JQAZYF10@nexus.cable.net.co> You can also read our module on non motorised module (3d: "Preserving = and expanding the role of non-motorised transport" by Walter Hook) from the following address: www.sutp.org/download/sourcebookhome.php (you may need to give your name = and email, but that is a short process). There will also be a training course available shortly. Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel:=A0 +66 (0) 2 - 288=A0 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280=A0 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -----Mensaje original----- De: sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=3Dcable.net.co@list.jca.apc.org = [mailto: sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=3Dcable.net.co@list.jca.apc.org] En = nombre de Regina Manzo Enviado el: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 9:24 AM Para: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org Asunto: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit Hello All. Regarding bicycles on pavements in Singapore I cycled to work frequently over a 2 year period here in Singapore, and=20 continue to cycle for many daily need trips. Just some additional=20 information. There are two types of adults who cycle here: more affluent cyclists = with=20 mountain or road bikes and proper headgear, etc., and older people who = pedal slowly, always on the roads, on old black bikes often with packs of = goods=20 with them. The latter use this mode as their major form of transport. =20 Adults in the first category use the sidewalks where the roadways are = too=20 dangerous. Bicycling is low-prestige behaviour in Singapore, as is typical in many=20 developing countries (though Singapore is no longer a developing = country). =20 Driver behaviour is poor - many of you may be aware of the Sunday = cycling=20 group that lost an avid member about four months back because a tour bus = would not shift in its lane when overtaking the group. Bicycling for=20 children is not safe in most areas, and there is no effort to make = school=20 zones bike-able or walk-friendly. As in the US, obesity rates are = beginning to rise alarmingly here and so it is a pity that no = Safe-Routes-to-School=20 efforts are taking place. While there are bicycling lanes on the East Coast Park, and more being=20 planned in Tampines and other places, getting to these bike lanes = requires a trip in a car or cycling through miles of roadways. (This is related to = the effort to develop a few large regional parks and less neighborhood open=20 space facilities.) My husband and I bike to the East Coast and then = around=20 the island on Sundays, choosing that day because traffic is lightest=20 although it is already difficult by 8am. So, bicycling on the pavements - the few times that it happens does not = pose a real problem for pedestrians, and the $1000 fine should be lifted. =20 Changing the mindset of planning for transportation is required, which = would include what Brendan Finn mentions (providing bike space on roadways, = etc.), and other things like providing cycle parking at homes/offices/shopping, = providing changing/shower facilities at offices, incentivizing cycle=20 behavior through commuting incentives, incentivizing bicycling at the = school level through children- and school-led programs, and more... There's = lots=20 of scope for improvement. best regards, Gina Manzo Anderson, AICP Singapore 257720 ph +65 6476-7604 mobile +65 9733-1006 From: Todd Alexander Litman Reply-To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport=20 To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport=20 , Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on=20 Singaporegovernment feedback unit Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:47:55 -0800 You may find useful information in our paper "Managing Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) On Nonmotorized Facilities" (http://www.vtpi.org/man_nmt_fac.pdf). In this context bicycles are = defined as Personal Mobility Devices. Please let me know if you have feedback on it. I'm planning to update that paper soon. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 02:18 PM 3/28/2005 +0100, Brendan Finn wrote: >I cannot see how the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised by >allowing cycling on the pavements. > >I think the solution lies in a three-way response : > >a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing = road >space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by = belong >on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent = to >busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle >paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has >countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the >mobility network. > >b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both = motorists >and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists = need to >understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their = behaviour. >Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as = well. >(In my opinion, many professional cyclists have even worse attitudes = than >SUV drivers) > >c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who = offend >against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the >case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable >behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour = by >motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social >aspect should be highlighted. > >Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes = their >life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, = Singapore >needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public = transport. >This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health = and >cost advantages. > >However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do = not >think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right=20 solution. > >With best wishes, > > > > > >Brendan Finn. > = >________________________________________________________________________= __ _________________________ > >Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts@indigo.ie > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=3Dindigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org >[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=3Dindigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org]On = Behalf >Of chuwa >Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55 >To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore >govermentfeedback unit > > > >Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. = Offenders >can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. >However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing = this >rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng = Kee. > >The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the >cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this = particular >rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. > >The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists = face >in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. = The >number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the = past >few years. > >If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians >would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other >appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's=20 safety". > >What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? = Let's >hear your views. > >------------------------------------- >to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: > = >http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=3D1881&catId=3D92= 1 > > = >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing = countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main = focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,=20 equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries = (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus = is=20 on urban transport policy in Asia. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries = ( the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus = is on urban transport policy in Asia. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Mar 29 16:34:43 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 09:34:43 +0200 Subject: [sustran] Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Message-ID: <008301c53431$c90c8550$6501a8c0@jazz> Dear Colleagues, I have the job next week of chairing two sessions at EVS21 - the 21st Worldwide International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium which this year that are to address the announced theme for 2005: "Act now for sustainable mobility". My job in both the "Ministerial Round Table: How Can We Promote Sustainable Mobility In Our Towns? And the session on "Best Practices In Cities" is to do my best to act as an honest broker between two rather different visions of how you go about making more sustainable cities and transportation. (See http://evs21.org/ for details.) To this end, I have prepared a short statement for the various speakers in which I attempt to set out the changing ground rules in a few short paragraphs, as follows. My goal is to give the clean vehicle folks a fair shot at getting on board the New Mobility Agenda, but also to sound a warning that things may be a bit different in the future. I share this with you for your information and eventual comments. Eric Britton Opening statement of moderator: Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Planning and Policy In the past most EV (electric vehicle) and other clean vehicle deployments in cities have been carried out as limited pilot or demonstration projects, with the main sources of support in most cases coming from national and other energy agencies. Behind these programs is a process of reasoning which is opens with the understanding that we need badly to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from our city transport systems; that clean (or cleaner) technologies do exist to do the job; but that the technologies behind cleaner vehicles are still too early in their development and costly to make their way unassisted in the marketplace. Based on these premises, it is concluded that these technologies need to be supported by publicly funded demonstration projects with the justification that they can (a) bring some immediate environmental relief to the city; (b) help all involved better understand and benefit both from their potential contributions, as well as (c) improve our understanding of what else is needed in order to bring these technologies to the market place in more competitive ways. That said, these vehicles and the projects behind them have thus far not been fully integrated into a larger and more complete framework of integrated sustainable transportation strategies at the level of the city in most places -- not least because in most parts of the world such strategies and planning structures simply do not yet exist in fully mature and operational forms. Indeed to now instead of an integrated overall strategy as is clearly needed, what we can see in those places where sustainability is at least an announced goal, is a two step process: The first step in this process opens with more or less ambitious goal setting, most often stated in general and qualitative terms, rather than strictly quantitative and targeted with specific and explicit tests for success or failure. These are then rounded out by more or less long lists of projects, measures and tools, each of which with its own stated environmental justifications and which are to be brought on when possible. But a list is, of course, not quite a strategy, or at least an integrated testable strategy. As more integrated, sophisticated and effective approaches to sustainable transport policy and practice take hold, this is going to bring with it a whole new series of performance and cost-effectiveness criteria, which is going to provide the new framework for clean vehicle projects in the future. A rather different future which it will be best to start to take into consideration now. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050329/3d66eb20/attachment.html From cpardo at cable.net.co Tue Mar 29 16:48:42 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 14:48:42 +0700 Subject: [sustran] Re: Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation In-Reply-To: <008301c53431$c90c8550$6501a8c0@jazz> Message-ID: <0IE300D710LZQ320@nexus.cable.net.co> Eric, I would also add that there are more issues to sustainable transport than the emissions problem. Space, for instance, should be taken as another big problem that is solved to a greater extent by bicycles and buses than by cars. Shifting to cleaner fuel technology is just one step towards a sustainable transport policy. If we were to give the EV21 people support on their projects as have been stated, maybe what we'll get in the future is another problem of "clean congestion", and we'll have to go over the process of convincing people that there is more to sustainable than smoke. For all the rest, I find it of great importance to know that these people are interested in the idea (or at least the name) of sustainable transport. But I would be cautious with their goals (for instance, they have events that include a Ride across the Monaco Formula one circuit. another topic: road safety). Hope it helps. Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2 - 288 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org _____ De: sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=sutp.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+sutp=sutp.org@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de Eric Britton Enviado el: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 2:35 PM Para: Sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org Asunto: [sustran] Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Dear Colleagues, I have the job next week of chairing two sessions at EVS21 - the 21st Worldwide International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium which this year that are to address the announced theme for 2005: "Act now for sustainable mobility". My job in both the "Ministerial Round Table: How Can We Promote Sustainable Mobility In Our Towns? And the session on "Best Practices In Cities" is to do my best to act as an honest broker between two rather different visions of how you go about making more sustainable cities and transportation. (See http://evs21.org/ for details.) To this end, I have prepared a short statement for the various speakers in which I attempt to set out the changing ground rules in a few short paragraphs, as follows. My goal is to give the clean vehicle folks a fair shot at getting on board the New Mobility Agenda, but also to sound a warning that things may be a bit different in the future. I share this with you for your information and eventual comments. Eric Britton Opening statement of moderator: Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Planning and Policy In the past most EV (electric vehicle) and other clean vehicle deployments in cities have been carried out as limited pilot or demonstration projects, with the main sources of support in most cases coming from national and other energy agencies. Behind these programs is a process of reasoning which is opens with the understanding that we need badly to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from our city transport systems; that clean (or cleaner) technologies do exist to do the job; but that the technologies behind cleaner vehicles are still too early in their development and costly to make their way unassisted in the marketplace. Based on these premises, it is concluded that these technologies need to be supported by publicly funded demonstration projects with the justification that they can (a) bring some immediate environmental relief to the city; (b) help all involved better understand and benefit both from their potential contributions, as well as (c) improve our understanding of what else is needed in order to bring these technologies to the market place in more competitive ways. That said, these vehicles and the projects behind them have thus far not been fully integrated into a larger and more complete framework of integrated sustainable transportation strategies at the level of the city in most places -- not least because in most parts of the world such strategies and planning structures simply do not yet exist in fully mature and operational forms. Indeed to now instead of an integrated overall strategy as is clearly needed, what we can see in those places where sustainability is at least an announced goal, is a two step process: The first step in this process opens with more or less ambitious goal setting, most often stated in general and qualitative terms, rather than strictly quantitative and targeted with specific and explicit tests for success or failure. These are then rounded out by more or less long lists of projects, measures and tools, each of which with its own stated environmental justifications and which are to be brought on when possible. But a list is, of course, not quite a strategy, or at least an integrated testable strategy. As more integrated, sophisticated and effective approaches to sustainable transport policy and practice take hold, this is going to bring with it a whole new series of performance and cost-effectiveness criteria, which is going to provide the new framework for clean vehicle projects in the future. A rather different future which it will be best to start to take into consideration now. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050329/6ad13477/attachment.html From papon at inrets.fr Tue Mar 29 17:53:19 2005 From: papon at inrets.fr (Francis Papon) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 10:53:19 +0200 Subject: [sustran] Re: Walk Speed functions In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20050325102639.02877d40@po9.mit.edu> References: <5.2.1.1.2.20050325102639.02877d40@po9.mit.edu> Message-ID: Here are two references: Carr? J.R., Julien A. (2000). " Pr?sentation d'une m?thode d'analyse de s?quences pi?tonni?res au cours des d?placements quotidiens des citadins et mesure de l'exposition au risque des pi?tons". Rapport INRETS n?221. Mai. 110 p . Virkler M.R. (1998). "Prediction and Measurement of Travel Time Along Pedestrian Routes". Transportation Research Record 1636, Bicycle and Pedestrian Research 1998, TRB, Washington, DC, pp. 37-42. I have written one paragraph on pedestrian speed in French. I can forward it if needed. Regards, ? (At) 10:00 -0500 28/03/05, P. Christopher Zegras ?crivait (wrote) : >Dear Sustraners, > >Does anyone know of a good reference for walk speed functions; ideally, I >am looking to estimate, if empirically-defensible, walk speed as a function >of age and other characteristics of the individual. > >Thanks, > >Chris > > > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing >countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, >the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. -- Francis Papon, mailto:francis.papon@inrets.fr tel +33147407270 Ingenieur en Chef des Ponts et Chaussees, chercheur @ INRETS/DEST/EEM, 2, av. du General Malleret-Joinville, F-94114 Arcueil France -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050329/b6f58bf6/attachment.html From Manfred.Breithaupt at gtz.DE Tue Mar 29 19:50:34 2005 From: Manfred.Breithaupt at gtz.DE (Breithaupt Manfred GTZ 4413) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 12:50:34 +0200 Subject: [sustran] AW: Sustainable Transportation Indicators Message-ID: dear todd, thk you for yr update. wd you kindly set me on the distribution list for to be further informed about the committees work? Best regards, Manfred ***************************************************************************** Manfred Breithaupt Deutsche Gesellschaft f?r Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation) Transport and Mobility Division 44 - Environment and Infrastructure P.O. Box 5180 65726 Eschborn Tel. + 49 6196 79-1357 Fax + 49 6196 79-7194 E-Mail: manfred.breithaupt@gtz.de http://www.gtz.de/transport gtz ***************************************************************************** -----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht----- Von: sustran-discuss-bounces+manfred.breithaupt=gtz.de@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+manfred.breithaupt=gtz.de@list.jca.apc.o rg]Im Auftrag von Todd Alexander Litman Gesendet: Freitag, 25. M?rz 2005 20:42 An: Sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org; UTSG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Betreff: [sustran] Sustainable Transportation Indicators Dear Colleagues, As some of you know, earlier this year I became chair of the TRB Sustainable Transportation Indicators Subcommittee [ADD40T(1)], which is working to develop guidance on the use of sustainability indicators for transport planning. Please let me know if you would like to included on a special email list to be kept informed about this committee's work, and feel free to pass these messages on to anybody who has a special interest in sustainable transportation indicators. Also, please let me know of any related projects that you know of. At our January 11 meeting we discussed the Subcommittee's overall vision and goals. Here are key results: 1. Become a clearinghouse for sustainable transportation indicators information, and track efforts throughout the world to develop and apply indicators. 2. Explore the general issues and principles that affect the selection of indicators, and develop guidance for transportation professionals on the selection and application of indices. 3. Work to establish some sort of officially-endorsed sustainable transportation indicators best practices guidelines and evaluation framework. I am just completing a new report, "Well Measured: Developing Indicators for Comprehensive and Sustainable Transport Planning" (http://www.vtpi.org/wellmeas.pdf). I would greatly appreciate feedback on it. I should also mention an excellent new article on this subject: Christy Mihyeon Jeon and Adjo Amekudzi (2005), "Addressing Sustainability in Transportation Systems: Definitions, Indicators, and Metrics," Journal Of Infrastructure Systems, Vol. 11, No. 1, American Society of Civil Engineers (www.pubs.asce.org), March 2005, pp. 31-51; available at www.ce.gatech.edu/research/infrasustainability/Relevant%20Publications.htm 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 ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ________________________________________________________ 30 Years GTZ. Partner for the Future. Worldwide. GTZ Spotlight 2005: Focus - Fascination - Future: Designing tomorrow's cities. http://www.gtz.de/spotlight From litman at vtpi.org Tue Mar 29 23:21:01 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 06:21:01 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation In-Reply-To: <008301c53431$c90c8550$6501a8c0@jazz> Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050329061832.03c67c10@mail.highspeedplus.com> One problem with more efficient and alternative fuel vehicles is that they are cheaper to drive per kilometer, which leads to more total mileage, increasing mileage-related external costs such as congestion, facility costs, accidents, sprawl and some types of pollution. For discussion see my paper "Efficient Vehicles Versus Efficient Transportation: Comparing Transportation Energy Conservation Strategies" (file:http://www.vtpi.org/cafe.pdf), which is forthcoming in Transport Policy. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 09:34 AM 3/29/2005 +0200, Eric Britton wrote: >Dear Colleagues, > > > >I have the job next week of chairing two sessions at EVS21 the 21st >Worldwide International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle >Symposium which this year that are to address the announced theme for >2005: Act now for sustainable mobility . My job in both the Ministerial >Round Table: How Can We Promote Sustainable Mobility In Our Towns? And the >session on Best Practices In Cities is to do my best to act as an honest >broker between two rather different visions of how you go about making >more sustainable cities and transportation. (See >http://evs21.org/ for details.) > > To this end, I have prepared a short statement for the various speakers > in which I attempt to set out the changing ground rules in a few short > paragraphs, as follows. My goal is to give the clean vehicle folks a > fair shot at getting on board the New Mobility Agenda, but also to sound > a warning that things may be a bit different in the future. > >I share this with you for your information and eventual comments. > > >Eric Britton > > >Opening statement of moderator: >Clean Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Planning and Policy > >In the past most EV (electric vehicle) and other clean vehicle deployments >in cities have been carried out as limited pilot or demonstration >projects, with the main sources of support in most cases coming from >national and other energy agencies. Behind these programs is a process of >reasoning which is opens with the understanding that we need badly to >reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from our city transport >systems; that clean (or cleaner) technologies do exist to do the job; but >that the technologies behind cleaner vehicles are still too early in their >development and costly to make their way unassisted in the marketplace. > >Based on these premises, it is concluded that these technologies need to >be supported by publicly funded demonstration projects with the >justification that they can (a) bring some immediate environmental relief >to the city; (b) help all involved better understand and benefit both from >their potential contributions, as well as (c) improve our understanding of >what else is needed in order to bring these technologies to the market >place in more competitive ways. > >That said, these vehicles and the projects behind them have thus far not >been fully integrated into a larger and more complete framework of >integrated sustainable transportation strategies at the level of the >city in most places -- not least because in most parts of the world such >strategies and planning structures simply do not yet exist in fully mature >and operational forms. > >Indeed to now instead of an integrated overall strategy as is clearly >needed, what we can see in those places where sustainability is at least >an announced goal, is a two step process: The first step in this process >opens with more or less ambitious goal setting, most often stated in >general and qualitative terms, rather than strictly quantitative and >targeted with specific and explicit tests for success or failure. These >are then rounded out by more or less long lists of projects, measures and >tools, each of which with its own stated environmental justifications and >which are to be brought on when possible. > >But a list is, of course, not quite a strategy, or at least an integrated >testable strategy. > >As more integrated, sophisticated and effective approaches to sustainable >transport policy and practice take hold, this is going to bring with it a >whole new series of performance and cost-effectiveness criteria, which is >going to provide the new framework for clean vehicle projects in the >future. A rather different future which it will be best to start to take >into consideration now. > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 chuwasg at yahoo.com Wed Mar 30 00:56:34 2005 From: chuwasg at yahoo.com (chuwa) Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 07:56:34 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit In-Reply-To: <0IE200D8JQAZYF10@nexus.cable.net.co> Message-ID: <20050329155634.15898.qmail@web51108.mail.yahoo.com> Hi all, It is heart warming to receive such an active response to the original post. I am not an expert in transportation, but intuitively, I feel that Singapore has a significant role to play in (indirectly) motivating other Asian countries to move in a more sustainable direction. To quote from "Preserving and expanding the role of non-motorised transport" by Walter Hook *************************** "Many developing cities have implemented policies which reduce the appeal of cycling, encouraging people to travel by motorised means even for short trips. However, an increasing number of city governments in developed and developing cities have recently begun actively promoting bicycling and walking" *************************** Many developing cities take the face-value of developed cities as a role model; they want to be part of those "achieved". Having many cars moving along busy roads seems to have a symbolic value to those cities which are not "there" yet. Singapore is very progressive in many respects. It is only natural for the less developed cities to view Singapore as a role model. If Singapore adopts a pro-cycling policy, I expect it will set many other Asian cities to pause and think deeper regarding their own transport policy. However, it seems to me that the Land Transport Authority (e.g. LTA) is lacking the will to move towards non-motorized transport and does not feel the need to link transportation to the impact of health. This is partly reflected in the policy statement (www.gov.sg) *************************** "Singapore's land transport policy strives to provide a world-class land transport system - one that is integrated, efficient, affordable, with smooth-flowing traffic and which will meet the people's needs and support economic and environmental goals.” *************************** Such attitude of seeing use of bicycle as a sign of the under-developed is explicitly expressed by Mr Khaw Boon Wa, the Ministry of Transport in a 2003 Parliament debate: http://www.parliament.gov.sg/Publication/Htdocs/20030315.pdf *************************** “.... When we manage mass transport policies to move large number of commuters in the most efficient way, we have to give priority, not to bicycles, but to MRT and buses. ....... LTA only take charge of about 12% of Singapore island, .....we have to manage this 12% very carefully. ....... Yes, in cities, like Beijing, Hanoi, you will see on TV thousands of cyclists and, because of that, they set aside special bicycle lanes. That is because they are at a stage of economic development where, for the masses, bicycles, in most cases, are still the most affordable. I do not think Singapore is in that situation. We have already gone past that stage. If you look at Beijing, which I visit quite frequently, as the middle class expands and the standard of living goes up, they are now rapidly putting in MRTs, upgrading their buses and expanding their roads. It is a matter of time when they will also be taking away the bicycle lanes. So this progressive switch from bicycles to buses and MRTs for the masses, you can see it all over the world and is closely correlated with GDP growth.” *************************** Posts in the Government feedback forum are read by the public and the relevant authorities. Although the target participants of the feedback unit are mainly Singaporean, in this case, it may be useful to share your view there, as an alternative view point. Here is the link again: http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 Chu Wa Senior Consultant (Design and Innovation) Philips Electronic Singapore Pte. Ltd. "Carlos F. Pardo" wrote: You can also read our module on non motorised module (3d: "Preserving and expanding the role of non-motorised transport" by Walter Hook) from the following address: www.sutp.org/download/sourcebookhome.php (you may need to give your name and email, but that is a short process). There will also be a training course available shortly. Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2 - 288 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -----Mensaje original----- De: sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=cable.net.co@list.jca.apc.org [mailto: sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=cable.net.co@list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de Regina Manzo Enviado el: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 9:24 AM Para: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org Asunto: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit Hello All. Regarding bicycles on pavements in Singapore I cycled to work frequently over a 2 year period here in Singapore, and continue to cycle for many daily need trips. Just some additional information. There are two types of adults who cycle here: more affluent cyclists with mountain or road bikes and proper headgear, etc., and older people who pedal slowly, always on the roads, on old black bikes often with packs of goods with them. The latter use this mode as their major form of transport. Adults in the first category use the sidewalks where the roadways are too dangerous. Bicycling is low-prestige behaviour in Singapore, as is typical in many developing countries (though Singapore is no longer a developing country). Driver behaviour is poor - many of you may be aware of the Sunday cycling group that lost an avid member about four months back because a tour bus would not shift in its lane when overtaking the group. Bicycling for children is not safe in most areas, and there is no effort to make school zones bike-able or walk-friendly. As in the US, obesity rates are beginning to rise alarmingly here and so it is a pity that no Safe-Routes-to-School efforts are taking place. While there are bicycling lanes on the East Coast Park, and more being planned in Tampines and other places, getting to these bike lanes requires a trip in a car or cycling through miles of roadways. (This is related to the effort to develop a few large regional parks and less neighborhood open space facilities.) My husband and I bike to the East Coast and then around the island on Sundays, choosing that day because traffic is lightest although it is already difficult by 8am. So, bicycling on the pavements - the few times that it happens does not pose a real problem for pedestrians, and the $1000 fine should be lifted. Changing the mindset of planning for transportation is required, which would include what Brendan Finn mentions (providing bike space on roadways, etc.), and other things like providing cycle parking at homes/offices/shopping, providing changing/shower facilities at offices, incentivizing cycle behavior through commuting incentives, incentivizing bicycling at the school level through children- and school-led programs, and more... There's lots of scope for improvement. best regards, Gina Manzo Anderson, AICP Singapore 257720 ph +65 6476-7604 mobile +65 9733-1006 From: Todd Alexander Litman Reply-To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport , Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernment feedback unit Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:47:55 -0800 You may find useful information in our paper "Managing Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) On Nonmotorized Facilities" (http://www.vtpi.org/man_nmt_fac.pdf). In this context bicycles are defined as Personal Mobility Devices. Please let me know if you have feedback on it. I'm planning to update that paper soon. Best wishes, -Todd Litman At 02:18 PM 3/28/2005 +0100, Brendan Finn wrote: >I cannot see how the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised by >allowing cycling on the pavements. > >I think the solution lies in a three-way response : > >a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing road >space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by belong >on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent to >busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle >paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has >countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the >mobility network. > >b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both motorists >and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists need to >understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their behaviour. >Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as well. >(In my opinion, many professional cyclists have even worse attitudes than >SUV drivers) > >c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who offend >against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the >case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable >behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour by >motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social >aspect should be highlighted. > >Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes their >life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, Singapore >needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public transport. >This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health and >cost advantages. > >However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do not >think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right solution. > >With best wishes, > > > > > >Brendan Finn. > >__________________________________________________________________________ _________________________ > >Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts@indigo.ie > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org >[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie@list.jca.apc.org]On Behalf >Of chuwa >Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55 >To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore >govermentfeedback unit > > > >Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders >can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months. >However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this >rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee. > >The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the >cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular >rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng. > >The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face >in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The >number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past >few years. > >If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians >would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other >appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's safety". > >What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's >hear your views. > >------------------------------------- >to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link: > >>http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921 > > >================================================================ >SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, >equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries >(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus >is on urban transport policy in Asia. 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 ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries ( the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050329/12c838dd/attachment.html From cpardo at cable.net.co Thu Mar 31 17:35:13 2005 From: cpardo at cable.net.co (Carlos F. Pardo) Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 15:35:13 +0700 Subject: [sustran] New module on Intelligent Transport Systems Message-ID: <0IE600EDAS31QW20@nexus.cable.net.co> As part of the Sourcebook on Sustainable Urban Transport from the SUTP project, a new Module on Intelligent Transport Systems has just been released. It has been written by Mr Phil Sayeg and addresses topics such as descriptions of the available technologies, their applications in developing cities, as well as its planning, strategies and challenges. This module is available from our download section at www.sutp.org/download/sourcebookhome.php . Any comments or suggestions on this and other documents can be directed to us at sutp@sutp.org or directly through our feedback section at www.sutp.org/download/feedback.php . Best regards, Carlos F. Pardo Project Coordinator GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2 - 288 2576 Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280 6042 Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727 e-mail: carlos.pardo@sutp.org Website: www.sutp.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050331/3de70e8f/attachment.html From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Thu Mar 31 18:43:36 2005 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:43:36 +0200 Subject: [sustran] (1) 'working partnership' between SUTP and Kyoto Cities. (2) And why is Kyoto Compliance an issue in 3rd world cities? In-Reply-To: <0IE600EDAS31QW20@nexus.cable.net.co> Message-ID: <010901c535d6$1d7c8360$6401a8c0@jazz> Dear Carlos (and Manfred and Axel and Lloyd and and .), I would like to propose that we set up an informal 'working partnership' between SUTP and Kyoto Cities. Now as it happens, this part of our site and program is still in its very earliest stages of development, so for now we are not as yet announcing it to the world and for now working only with groups that know us well and/or have a deep understanding of how and why such partnership work. But it strikes me that the fit in our case is potentially excellent, and that what we have to propose fits very nicely into the partnership frame which you yourselves have already developed. (I attach here a note in which we try to set out how we see our potential contribution from this end . . . what we are trying to do is just one focused thing. You can see our working draft and the first partnerships entries if you go to the left menu, clicking Pattern Break, Gearing for Action, Working Partnerships. As you will see, the idea for now is simply to describe each partner in a few lines, and then in a few more explain, if useful and agreeable, how we see the partnerships as working. The basic idea, as you already well understand it and as we are already beginning to see in a first handful of cities, is to do what we can to build up and support a strong local 'consortium' in their city that is ready to support and work with the idea that something along the lines of a 20/20 program can make an important contribution. Both for what it can do in itself, but also as a pattern break that can open up new ways of informing and making policy on these important matters in each city. Indeed if we get it right, the lessons can be useful in a lot of domains of lie in the city beyond just transportation. But that at least is our point of departure. I very much hope that your team will agree to this as a next step. Indeed, it is surely going to be a critical building block for all that we are (both) trying to do. Thanks for letting me know when you have time. Regards, Eric PS. There is an as yet unresolved "problem" with the Kyoto Cities program that probably needs to be dealt with better in our site and various materials, and concerning which I would appreciate your counsel and ideas. And this concerns those cities in the world (the majority in fact) where the Kyoto Protocol is not really an issue. Let's take any city in Thailand, for example, and of course for the rest of your Asian area - where "Kyoto Compliance" per se is simply not an issue, or at least not a priority issue. Of course we understand that a 20% decrease in CO2 (or whatever indicator is taken as a target) is going to have huge benefits for the city. But if the announced objective of our program is Kyoto, maybe this is something that busy mayors and policy makers will just put onto the "nice but not critical" pile on their desk, and then move on to other things. Any thoughts for us on this? Kyoto World Cities Challenge - How we fit in As you will see if you click to the World Resources pages being prepared in support of this program, we have already identified more than five hundred groups and programs working in this or at least related areas world wide. In which case, it's a fair question: why should we be thinking about adding one more to all that? Might it not be preferable for us to get out of the way let all these other people simply get on with the business at hand? Hmm. This is a question which we are at times asked, not least by people and groups with projects and programs of their own in areas we are trying to address here. They of course have their own ideas and priorities. All to the good in an area of technology and society that desperately requires many different effort and approaches. As you are aware there is a great deal that is going on in this broad area today. And if you require a reminder we can point you to our World Resource Inventory here which already identifies more than five hundred groups, projects and programs that are working on it, each in their own way, in their own target area, with their own time focus, with their own tools and goals. And resources to do the job. Certainly no one thing is unique about the Kyoto World Cities Challenge -- but perhaps the combination of a certain number of explicit goals and particular methods which together give this program a certain originality which permit it to be evaluate and judged as a useful effort worthy of your support and contributions. Here are the main "defining factors" that in our view combine to make Kyoto Cities a possible winner and certainly different from the rest. In fact, this is how we define the background to our partnership agreements with others working on these problems in their places and ways: 1. Extreme focus: (a) CO2; (b) transport in cities; (c) very sharp targeted decreases (20%) in (d) a very short period of time (20 months) 2. World coverage: World wide focus -- but ready to work on it with one city at a time. The world wide reach provides the base for the powerful International Advisory Panel and its peer support network. 3. City action focus: This is above all a city decision, a city action. It does not depend on international treaties, other levels of government to foot the bill; it works within the city, its existing asset base, quality of leadership and degree of public support. In that city! 4. Explicit targeting: You do your homework and then set your targets - and then you either succeed or you fail. And all that firmly in the public eye. (No place to hide.) 5. Strong female leadership and participation. In large part motivated by dissatisfaction with traditional male dominance and the values that appear to go with it. 6. Car-like mobility: This may surprise, but quite frankly we do not see democratic pluralistic societies agreeing to accept large downgrading of their mobility arrangements. Which gives us our target: as good or better conditions of transit than they are getting our of their cars under present arrangements. 7. International peer support network: Personal engagement, high quality and great variety of the supporting International Advisory Panel. Members have both international role, and also available to "cluster" to support discussions and initiatives in their own city. 8. Eclectic and expansive sectoral coverage: Huge diversity of disciplines, backgrounds, geographies and competences, going way outside of the 'normal' transport or even environment groups enriches the perspectives, and the support network in each city and for the program overall. 9. Comfort Zones (lack thereof): Many programs and almost all committees seek to achieve "Comfort Zones" in which all interests present of lurking in the background come to a general agreement as to priorities, what needs to be done, how to do it, etc. Kyoto Cities seeks quite the reverse: a large number of competing ideas and points of view, plenty of room for internal contradictions and conflicts, and a good and continuing dose of cognitive dissonance as a means for accommodating all this necessary variety. 10. Supporting context of intensive technology-based IP networking: The state of the art, practical, user friendly Communications Bridge holds the underlying key to making the whole thing work. * * * The Kyoto World Cities Challenge is one program that cities can, if they wish, start to engage immediately. It is not the only thing that they or the rest of the world should be doing before the challenges of environment and costly dysfunctional transport that hinder almost all of them in their life quality and economic viability. It may not even be the best one. But it may be one good place to start. (Or should we keep on waiting and hope for the best?) Technology, Economy, Society Francis Eric Knight Britton Innovation consultancy/advisory EcoPlan International 8/10, rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France eric.britton@ecoplan.org IM: Skype - ericbritton www.ericbritton.org tel: mobile: +331 4326 1323 +336 7321 5868 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050331/49a5496b/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/octet-stream Size: 4679 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/sustran-discuss/attachments/20050331/49a5496b/attachment-0001.bin From litman at vtpi.org Thu Mar 31 21:40:36 2005 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 04:40:36 -0800 Subject: [sustran] VTPI News - Spring 2005 Message-ID: <5.1.1.6.0.20050331044005.03bb9c88@mail.highspeedplus.com> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------ Spring 2005 Vol. 8, No. 1 ---------------------------------- The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation problems. The VTPI website (http://www.vtpi.org) has many resources addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides consulting services. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ONLINE TDM ENCYCLOPEDIA ======================== "This is a remarkable, well-documented and referenced resource. The title belies its depth of information and usefulness for transportation and transit planners, land use planners, even far-thinking engineers, designers, and financial planners. Worth a look, as is the entire website.It's a 'first stop' for most research and information inquiries." - 'Essential Transportation Publications,' January 21, 2005 edition of the "Urban Transportation Monitor" (www.urban-transportation-monitor.com), a leading publication for transportation professionals. Thank you for the accolades! The VTPI "Online TDM Encyclopedia" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm) is the most comprehensive resource available to help identify and evaluate innovative management solutions to transport problems. We continually update and expand the Encyclopedia. During the last two months we added the following two new chapters, and updated many other chapters with new information. "Bus Rapid Transit" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm120.htm). This chapter describes bus system design features that significantly improve service quality and cost efficiency. "Funding Options" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm119.htm). This chapter describes various ways to fund transportation programs, and evaluates the degree to which they support TDM objectives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW DOCUMENTS ============== We recently added the following documents to our website: "Evaluating Transportation Equity: Methods For Incorporating Distributional Impacts Into Transport Planning" (http://www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf) This paper defines different types of transportation equity, discusses various equity issues, and describes ways of incorporating equity into transportation planning. "Well Measured: Developing Indicators for Comprehensive and Sustainable Transport Planning" (http://www.vtpi.org/wellmeas.pdf). This paper provides guidance on the selection of indicators for comprehensive and sustainable transportation planning. It discusses the concept of sustainability and the role of indicators in planning, describes factors to consider when selecting indicators, identifies potential problems with conventional indicators, describes examples of indicators and indicator sets, and provides recommendations for selecting indicators for use in a particular situation. "Evaluating Public Transit Accessibility: 'Inclusive Design' Performance Indicators For Public Transportation In Developing Countries" (http://www.vtpi.org/tranacc.pdf), by Todd Litman and Tom Rickert. This paper describes indicators for evaluating the quality of public transport services provided to people with disabilities and other special needs, suitable for use in developing countries. It discusses the concept of 'inclusive design,' identifies suitable indicators, discusses factors to consider when selecting indicators, describes examples of indicators currently in use, and provides recommendations for selecting and using indicators. Coauthor Tom Rickert is Executive Director of Access Exchange International (www.globalride-sf.org) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION INDICATORS SUBCOMMITTEE ================================================== The Transportation Research Board appointed VTPI Executive Director Todd Litman as Chair of the Sustainable Transportation Indicators Subcommittee [ADD40T(1)]. This Subcommittee has established the following goals and objectives: 1. Become a clearinghouse for sustainable transportation indicators information. 2. Explore the general issues and principles that affect the selection of indicators. 3. Work to establish an officially-endorsed sustainable transportation indicators best practices guidelines and evaluation framework. This can include various sets of indicators and their data requirements, and standardized practices for their collection and analysis. Contact Todd Litman (litman@vtpi.org) for more information about the Subcommittee, or to have your name added to a special email news list about the committee?s activities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE ==================== A version of the VTPI website is available at the website of TRANBBS (http://www.tranbbs.com/vtpi/tdm), a nonprofit organization of Chinese transportation professionals with more than 20,000 members. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPCOMING EVENTS ================ VTPI Executive Director Todd Litman is scheduled to participate in the following events this spring: "Communities In Motion" (http://www.communitiesinmotion.org) workshop on nonmotorized transportation, May 5-6, Boise, Idaho. Plenary presentation and workshops on evaluating and planning nonmotorized transportation. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference (http://www.pnrec.org), May 19-20, Bellingham, Washington. Presentations on economic evaluation of transit and mobility management strategies. "Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers 2005 Annual Conference," (http://www.cite7.org), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, June 5-8. Keynote Speech on future transportation trends and their implications for transport planning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BEEN THERE - DONE THAT ======================= The last few months have involved considerable travel to several wonderful places: Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. This was a busy event: Not only did we organize a session on sustainable transportation indicators, present five papers, chair a subcommittee, and participate in a special workshop on transportation equity, we also brought our 12- and 15-year-old children to Washington DC to enjoy a week exploring museums and urban life. A good time was had by all! "Community Challenges," Transportation Planning Workshop Friday, January 28, Orlando, Florida. Scandinavian Speaking Tour. During a twelve-day trip Todd Litman spoke at a variety of seminars and workshops at Lund University (Sweden), the Institute for Transportation Economics (Norway), TriVector (Sweden) and a Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance workshop in The Netherlands. A special thank you to our gracious hosts in many countries. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PAY-AS-YOU-DRIVE PRICING ========================= Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) refers to converting pricing vehicle insurance and registration into distance-based fees, so motorists pay based on their annual mileage (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm79.htm). We consider this one of the most best pricing reforms for improving transportation system efficiency and equity. We have been working to support this concept for several years. Here is news regarding PAYD implementation. Aryeh (www.aryeh.co.il) Aryeh offers PAYD insurance in Israel, billed monthly using mileage data collected by small wireless transmitters in vehicles and receivers at fuel pumps, offered by PAZ (www.pazomat.co.il), the country?s largest petroleum company. About 200,000 vehicles (about 15% of all vehicles, and a larger portion of company and government agency cars) already have the device installed for automatic payment. Polis Direct Kilometre Policy (www.kilometerpolis.nl) Polis Direct (www.polisdirect.nl), a major Dutch insurance company, began offering their 'Kilometre Policy' in November 2004. Per-kilometer premiums are calculated by dividing current premiums by the current policy?s maximum annual kilometers, so a motorist who currently pays ?500 for up to 20,000 kilometers would pay ?0.025. At the end of the policy term motorists can receive a rebate of up to 50% of their premium for lower mileage, or pay up to 50% higher premiums if they drive more than the current maximum. Mileage data is collected during annual vehicle inspections. Norwich-Union PAYD Pilot Project (www.norwichunion.com/pay_as_you_drive/index.htm?plp_ci_payd) In 2003, Norwich-Union, the largest insurance group in the UK, began a two-year pilot project of Pay-As-You-Drive insurance pricing involving about 5,000 vehicles. Each participating vehicle is fitted with a small data recorder which measures vehicle usage and automatically reports mileage using mobile telephone technology. General Motors and On-Star Offers PAYD Rates Since mid-2004 the General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) Insurance has offered mileage-based discounts to OnStar subscribers located in certain states. The system automatically reports vehicle odometer reading at the beginning and end of the policy term to verify vehicle mileage. Motorist who drive less than specified annual mileage receive insurance premium discounts of up to 40%. NEDBANK PAY-PER-K Coverage (http://www.nedcor.co.za/press_payperK.asp). Nedbank, a major South African insurer, offers 'Pay-Per-K' vehicle insurance. Monthly premiums are based on the distance traveled in the preceding month, and are debited monthly in arrears. Mileage is automatically recorded each time the vehicle is refueled using a Nedbank card. Progressive and Aviva Programs The Progressive TripSense (https://tripsense.progressive.com) and AVIVA Autograph (https://secure.avivacanada.com/autograph/product.php) policies offer low-mileage discounts up to 25%, using a small data collection device that motorists plug into their engine diagnostic port. These policies are currently only available in a few areas of the U.S. and Canada. http://www.payd.blogspot.com is a website and Blog (personal web log) about Pay-As-You-Drive vehicle insurance, maintained by Christof de Winter, a student of environmental science at Utrecht University, in the Netherlands. It provides news on PAYD insurance, as well as personal ideas and observations. Contact Todd Litman (litman@vtpi.org) to have your name added to a special email news list about PAYD issues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ USEFUL RESOURCES ================= Donald Shoup, "The High Cost of Free Parking," Planners Press, (http://www.planning.org/bookservice/description.htm?BCODE=AHCF), 2005, 733 pages, $59.95. This is a wonderful book. It address a critical planning issue in ways that are accessible and entertaining to general readers. Using numerous stories, examples, jokes and witty quotes, Shoup explains in a clear and persuasive way why consumers can benefit overall if parking is priced rather than free, and provides specific recommendations concerning how this can be achieved. Shoup points out that there really is no free parking, except in the game of Monopoly; the choice is between paying for parking facilities directly or indirectly. The book explains why free parking: * Is based on faulty planning practices and standards. * Is economically wasteful, imposing large costs on governments, businesses, and ultimately on consumers. * Increases automobile ownership and use, exacerbating problems such as traffic congestion, traffic accidents, pollution and sprawl. * Makes it more difficult to find an available parking space, leading to frustration and increased urban traffic congestion. * Distorts development patterns, reducing land use efficiency. * Degrades urban design, leading to ugly cities and buildings. * Reduces housing affordability. It describes successful examples of communities that have shifted from free to paid parking and the benefits they have gained. Although the book is entertaining, with at an illustrative story or joke nearly every page of text, it takes no shortcuts. Quantitative factors are carefully analyzed and referenced. Like an investigative reporter tracking a hot story, Shoup has collected detailed information on parking facility, parking errors, and the true history of parking planning decisions. There are eight appendices. "Creating Healthy Transportation For Children" The following documents on healthy transportation for children were recently completed by the Canadian Centre for Sustainable Transportation and should soon be posted on their website (http://www.cstctd.org): * "Child-and-Youth Friendly Land-Use and Transportation Guidelines," a 68 page document that explains how land-use and transport planning can be more child and youth friendly. * A six page booklet for Health and Recreation Professionals. * A six page booklet for Educators. * A six page booklet for Municipal Officials (elected and staff). * A four page booklet for Parents. Bruce Appleyard, "Livable Streets For Children: How Safe Routes To School Programs Can Improve Street And Community Livability For Children," NCBW Forum Article 3-7-05, National Bicycling and Walking Center (www.bikewalk.org/ncbw_forum/livable1_8.pdf), 2005. H.D. van Bohemen, "Ecological Engineering and Civil Engineering Works: A Practical Set Of Ecological Engineering Principles For Road Infrastructure And Coastal Management," Delft University of Technology, Road and Hydraulic Engineering Institute, The Netherlands (www.library.tudelft.nl/dissertations/PDF-files_2004/ceg_bohemen_20040518.pdf). This guide provides detailed information on evaluating and minimizing ecological impacts of roads. "Public Transit Benefits Study" (http://www.ccmm.qc.ca/public_transit) A study by the Metropolitan Montreal Board of Trade titled "Public Transit: A Powerful Engine For The Economic Development Of The Metropolitan Montreal Area," evaluates the benefits of public transit. This document identifies a positive link between public transit, economic development, and quality of life. INFRAS and IWW, External Costs of Transport Update Study, published by the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies and the International Union of Railways, October 2004; full report available at http://www.cer.be/files/INFRAS%20Study_EN-144344A.pdf. Robert Cervero, et al, "Transit-Oriented Development in the United States: Experience, Challenges, and Prospects," Transit Cooperative Research Program, Transportation Research Board (http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_102.pdf), 2004. This major report provides excellent, detailed information on Transit Oriented Development, including impacts on transit ridership and property values, lots of good case studies, and specific recommendations for encouraging their development. The full report is large, making it difficult to download and print, so I recommend ordering a hard copy if you will be working with it. Hank Dittmar and Gloria Ohland, "The New Transit Town: Best Practices in Transit-Oriented Development," Island Press (www.islandpress.com), 2004. This book provides information and guidance on Transit Oriented Development, including discussion of their benefits, how to implement them, and good case studies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our mailing list. And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful. 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