[sustran] Re: Commercial motorcycles shut-down in Lagos

[Rory McMullan]

  Eric,

    To reply to your comments on two wheelers. 

     

    You stated that:

    "This leaves us at the end of the day, however, with what is among the most
'inconvenient truths' of transport planning and policies in cities across the
Global South today - those damn motorized two-wheelers. Certainly an enormous
problem, but a far more subtle and astute response is called for. "

     

    I don't see powered two-wheelers as a problem but in fact beleive they can be seen as a major part of the answer to achieving sustainable transport for the developing world. It is the automobile which takes up too much space in what for the most part in the developing world are very high density mixed use urban areas, perfect examples of smart growth.

     

    Scooters are very space effcient, and provide flexible personal mobility over a radius of 30 miles at a very low cost. 

     

    However currently motorcycles do cause problems on several levels, having spent a considerable amount of time in Taichung where there is a large number of scooters, my observations are based on experiences there and may not apply in all cases:

     

    1. Saftey: it is the mixing with other traffic cars, buses and trucks that causes most of the serious accidents. Pedestrians do not have a high risk of serious injury from the low powered slow moving scooters than make up the bulk of the two-wheeled traffic. I have been hit by a scooter doing 30kmph while walking, it hurt, but the guy on the scooter was more seriously injured than me.

    2. Parking: often parked on sidewalks they take space away from pedestrians.

    3. Pollution: noise and air pollution can be worse from two-wheelers than four.

     

    The soultions should be fairly simple:

    In cities that already have a large number of scooters, policies should be put in place to discourage car transport, some roads should be made two wheel only, and two wheel only lanes introduced on major arterials. 

     

    Parking restrictions should be enforced and cars and scooters parking illegally towed away.

     

    Pollution controls should be enforced with offending machines confiscated and destroyed. 

     

    Engine size should be limited to 100cc.

     

    Electric powered scooters should receive higher government subsidies and petrol scooters phased out.

     

    Regards,

    Rory

    
 


 		
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