[sustran] Re: Taxi modes better regulation? (question prompted by Delhi Auto-Rickshaw strike)

[Cornie Huizenga]

Dear Karthik,

No Beijing also invested a lot in public transport and general improvements
to the city. (Please note that they already had 6 ringroads!)

What I forgot to mention is that Shanghai has continued it vehicle licensing
scheme under which the number of new license plates auctioned per month
remains at about 8000 per month, at a price of about US $ 5500.   While
there are people registering their cars in neighboring cities it is
generally accepted that numbers of new cars are well below those of Beijing
(about 25,000 new registrations per month.)

Cornie

On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 10:16 AM, Karthik Rao Cavale <krc12353 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Cornie,
>
> Thanks. Could you tell us all how this compares to Beijing's investments
> for Olympics? Did the Beijing approach more closely resemble the Delhi
> approach?
>
> karthik
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 11, 2010 at 8:40 PM, Cornie Huizenga <
> cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>>
>> Shanghai out-invested Beijing 2 to 1 in terms of investments for the World
>> Expo which is opening next month. (compared to Olympics in Beijing). What
>> did we get:
>>
>>    - a new shining domestic air terminal;
>>    - about 3 or 4 new metro-lines (it will now be possible to travel by
>>    subway from domestic to international terminal - about 63 kilometers and
>>    about 33 stops :-)
>>    - completion of the middle ring road
>>    - a few new tunnels under the Huangpu river
>>    - physical segregation of a whole lot of bicycle lanes with fancy but
>>    strong little fences
>>    - 4000 new taxis
>>    - a new coat of paint for thousands of apartment buildings
>>    - countless new mini-parks
>>    - better sidewalks in many places
>>
>> In short - lots of lasting improvements.
>>
>> Cornie
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 6:50 AM, Karthik Rao Cavale <krc12353 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Connecting this thread to the Litman article on World Streets (
>>>
>>> http://newmobilityagenda.blogspot.com/2010/04/vancouver-olympics-lessons-for.html
>>> ),
>>> it becomes apparent that major events can influence cities differently.
>>>
>>> Vancouver chose to implement policies that cut transportation demand to
>>> make
>>> up for the influx of visitors. Delhi chooses policies that promote
>>> personal
>>> vehicles instead.
>>>
>>> I believe one of the few legacies of the Asian Games in 1982 in Delhi is
>>> a
>>> flyover on Ring Road near Lajpat Nagar and Andrews Ganj. At this rate, we
>>> must hope Delhi never wins an Olympics bid.
>>>
>>> On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 12:26 AM, Jains <alok.priyanka at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Begs the question what is "good impression"? An inane attempt to
>>> imitate or
>>> > to make an iconic attempt. Ms Dixit would have to be God to attempt
>>> > cultural
>>> > change in six months' time.
>>> >
>>> > Micro-finance and owner-operator arrangement combined with good
>>> regulation
>>> > is the way to go. Auto-rickshaws in smaller Indian cities can be taken
>>> as a
>>> > good example. I use them often and there are couple of guys who also
>>> > operate
>>> > "on-demand" services (thanks to the mobile phones).
>>> >
>>> > Regards
>>> > Alok
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 9:25 AM, Madhav Badami, Prof. <
>>> > madhav.g.badami at mcgill.ca> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > > Paul et al,
>>> > >
>>> > > The auto-rickshaw sector does need to be regulated, for the sake of
>>> the
>>> > > poor operators as well as the passengers, as well as the public at
>>> large,
>>> > > but the motivation for banning them or limiting their numbers, is
>>> suspect
>>> > --
>>> > > I fear it has more to do with sprucing up the city in preparation for
>>> the
>>> > > Commonwealth circus that's shortly coming to town (and that
>>> autorickshaws
>>> > > and cycle-rickshaws don’t quite fit the image that the authorities
>>> want
>>> > to
>>> > > project to foreign visitors) than any real concern about their
>>> negative
>>> > > impacts in terms of, for example, congestion or air pollution (and
>>> after
>>> > > all, in Delhi, they all run on CNG, supposedly a "clean" fuel). See
>>> the
>>> > > Guardian story (
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/18/delhi-plans-ban-autorickshaws
>>> > ),
>>> > > in which the Chief Minister’s views are described as follows:
>>> > >
>>> > > "Dikshit has repeatedly said that making Delhi a world-class city is
>>> a
>>> > key
>>> > > aim. The city has already tried to limit the number of cycle
>>> rickshaws.
>>> > But
>>> > > Delhi's high court ruled last month that capping their numbers was
>>> > illegal.
>>> > >
>>> > > The defenders of the motorised versions point out that, as the
>>> vehicles
>>> > run
>>> > > on compressed natural gas, their contribution to air pollution in the
>>> > city
>>> > > is minimal compared with cars. Others argue that rickshaws fulfil an
>>> > > essential function in ferrying people short distances to metro
>>> stations
>>> > or
>>> > > bus stops.
>>> > >
>>> > > Dikshit has another Delhi icon in her sights: the famous brusqueness
>>> of
>>> > the
>>> > > capital's inhabitants. She hopes to bring about a major "cultural
>>> change"
>>> > > before Delhi hosts the Commonwealth games this autumn.
>>> > >
>>> > > "We have to do some things that are extremely basic like keeping the
>>> city
>>> > > clean, giving our citizens the culture of politeness and sharing and
>>> > caring
>>> > > for each other, so that the world goes back with an impression that
>>> they
>>> > > have been to a truly civilized city," she said." (End of quote)
>>> > >
>>> > > By the way, the urban poor in Delhi are sadly also paying a very high
>>> > > price, all in the interests of “the world go(ing) back with an
>>> impression
>>> > > that they have been to a truly civilized city”:
>>> > >
>>> > > http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262987
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hc-slams-mcd-for-razing-slums-in-games-runup/572302/
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> http://www.thesamosa.co.uk/index.php/news-and-features/politics-and-policy/295-in-the-name-of-the-games.html
>>> > >
>>> > > Madhav
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> ************************************************************************
>>> > >
>>> > > "As for the future, your task is not to foresee, but to enable it."
>>> --
>>> > > Antoine de Saint-Exupery
>>> > >
>>> > > Madhav G. Badami, PhD
>>> > > School of Urban Planning and McGill School of Environment
>>> > > Associate Director of Graduate Affairs, McGill School of Environment
>>> > > McGill University
>>> > >
>>> > > Macdonald-Harrington Building
>>> > > 815 Sherbrooke Street West
>>> > > Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada
>>> > >
>>> > > Phone: 514-398-3183 (Work)
>>> > > Fax: 514-398-8376; 514-398-1643
>>> > > URLs: www.mcgill.ca/urbanplanning
>>> > > www.mcgill.ca/mse
>>> > > e-mail: madhav.badami at mcgill.ca
>>> > >
>>> > > ________________________________________
>>> > > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca@
>>> list.jca.apc.org
>>> > [sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=
>>> > > mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Paul Barter [
>>> > > paulbarter at nus.edu.sg]
>>> > > Sent: 08 April 2010 20:20
>>> > > To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
>>> > > Subject: [sustran] Taxi modes better regulation? (question prompted
>>> by
>>> > > Delhi    Auto-Rickshaw strike)
>>> > >
>>> > > Delhi's auto-rickshaws have been out on strike this week and there
>>> has
>>> > been
>>> > > some very informative coverage.
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> http://thecityfix.com/a-day-without-auto-rickshaws-inconvenience-intimidation-and-corruption/
>>> > >    http://kafila.org/2010/04/02/the-truth-behind-the-strike/
>>> > >
>>> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/autometers-for-the-people/594330/4
>>> > >
>>> > > These items highlight the fact that the auto-rickshaw industry in
>>> Delhi
>>> > is
>>> > > dominated by a 'financier mafia', while drivers remain extremely poor
>>> and
>>> > > powerless. The unions are also dominated by the financiers.  The call
>>> to
>>> > ban
>>> > > auto-rickshaws by Delhi's Chief Minister is not helpful perhaps. But
>>> > > something clearly needs to change. These insights have been
>>> highlighted
>>> > by
>>> > > work by Simon Harding, who is interning with Delhi’s AMAN Trust.
>>> > >
>>> > > QUESTION: Does anyone know how Delhi could do better? What reformed
>>> > > regulatory framework for auto-rickshaws in Delhi could do better for
>>> > > drivers, for customers and for the city as a whole?
>>> > >
>>> > > This relates to the wider question of how to regulate/organise
>>> taxi-like
>>> > > modes (including conventional taxis) to make them more part of the
>>> > solution.
>>> > >  Here on sustran-discuss a few weeks back there was discussion of
>>> their
>>> > > potential and role as 'shared cars' that offer mobility without
>>> locking
>>> > > people into vehicle ownership (under the theme 'they are called
>>> taxis').
>>> > But
>>> > > taxi-like modes will not be viewed positively in many places until
>>> they
>>> > > actually work better.
>>> > >
>>> > > Paul
>>> > >
>>> > > --------------------------------------------------------
>>> > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit
>>> > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>>> > >
>>> > > --------------------------------------------------------
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>>> real
>>> > > sustran-discuss and get full membership rights.
>>> > >
>>> > > ================================================================
>>> > > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
>>> > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing
>>> countries
>>> > > (the 'Global South').
>>> > > --------------------------------------------------------
>>> > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit
>>> > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>>> > >
>>> > > --------------------------------------------------------
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>>> > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing
>>> countries
>>> > > (the 'Global South').
>>> > >
>>> > --------------------------------------------------------
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>>> >
>>> > --------------------------------------------------------
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>>> > ================================================================
>>> > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
>>> > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing
>>> countries
>>> > (the 'Global South').
>>> >
>>> --------------------------------------------------------
>>> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit
>>> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------
>>> If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to
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>>> sustran-discuss and get full membership rights.
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>>> ================================================================
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>>> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
>>> (the 'Global South').
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cornie Huizenga
>> Joint Convener
>> Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport
>> Mobile: +86 13901949332
>> cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
>> www.slocat.net
>>
>
>


-- 
Cornie Huizenga
Joint Convener
Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport
Mobile: +86 13901949332
cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
www.slocat.net