From peebeebarter at gmail.com Wed Dec 1 09:11:49 2010 From: peebeebarter at gmail.com (Paul Barter) Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 08:11:49 +0800 Subject: [sustran] My "Parking Policy in Asian Cities" report for viewing/download Message-ID: Last night I took a deep breath and released the Final Consultant's Report version of "Parking Policy in Asian Cities". Go to http://www.reinventingparking.org/2010/11/parking-policy-in-asian-cities-report.html >From there you can browse or download the report which investigates parking issues in 14 large Asian cities. The cities are Ahmedabad, Bangkok, Beijing, Dhaka, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Many thanks again to everyone who helped with the study. I hope it will be useful. Please do give your feedback and reactions! Paul Barter From peebeebarter at gmail.com Wed Dec 1 14:33:54 2010 From: peebeebarter at gmail.com (Paul Barter) Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 13:33:54 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: My "Parking Policy in Asian Cities" report for viewing/download In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I have had some feedback that downloading from Scribd requires you to sign up or login with a Facebook account. Sorry. I didn't realise! Here is a Google Docs alternative for downloading the report: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByEszG9z8sBUYTBhNzdmZmQtNjc3Zi00MmRkLWIzMWEtZWUxNGY0ODJmODRi&hl=en&authkey=CN6Rg-0J And for anyone in China, you may need to try this link via SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/PaulBarter/barter-on-parking-policy-in-asian-cities-final-consultants-report-nov-2010(but this also requires a log in if you want to download) All the best Paul On 1 December 2010 08:11, Paul Barter wrote: > Last night I took a deep breath and released the Final Consultant's Report > version of "Parking Policy in Asian Cities". > > Go to > http://www.reinventingparking.org/2010/11/parking-policy-in-asian-cities-report.html > > > From there you can browse or download the report which investigates parking > issues in 14 large Asian cities. The cities are Ahmedabad, Bangkok, Beijing, > Dhaka, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, > Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. > > Many thanks again to everyone who helped with the study. I hope it will be > useful. Please do give your feedback and reactions! > > Paul Barter > From dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com Thu Dec 2 21:49:38 2010 From: dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com (Roselle Leah K. Rivera) Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 04:49:38 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] SYMBOLIC OF DETERIORATING PHILIPPINE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Message-ID: <926796.96764.qm@web110112.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101202-306485/Dirty-Harry-cracks-down-on-kuliglig-in-Manila ? ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA Faculty Department of Women and Development Studies College of Social Work and Community Development University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City PHILIPPINES From dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com Thu Dec 2 21:53:21 2010 From: dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com (Roselle Leah K. Rivera) Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 04:53:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] After pink train coaches, Malaysia launches women-only buses - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos Message-ID: <525707.59271.qm@web110102.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20101202-306599/After-pink-train-coaches-Malaysia-launches-women-only-buses ? ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA Faculty Department of Women and Development Studies College of Social Work and Community Development University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City PHILIPPINES From dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com Thu Dec 2 22:00:21 2010 From: dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com (Roselle Leah K. Rivera) Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 05:00:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] The Deterioration of Philippine Public Transportation System Message-ID: <431690.34976.qm@web110108.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> ?Kuliglig? drivers block traffic in Manila? By Jaymee T. Gamil Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 18:37:00 12/01/2010 Filed Under:?Protest,?Road Transport MANILA, Philippines?Protests on the ban on the kuliglig (motorized pedicabs) from Manila City?s major roads came to a head on Wednesday as hundreds of tired, hungry and angry drivers parked their vehicles in the middle of Padre Burgos St. in front of the city hall and blocked traffic at around noontime. The implementation of Mayor Alfredo Lim?s Executive Order 17, banning all three-wheeled vehicles from major thoroughfares and national roads in the city started Wednesday. Parked or running, kuligligs near the 168 Mall and Legarda St., among many, were apprehended and, instead of being impounded, had their motors removed.Drivers of three motorized pedicabs who gave up and tried to drive away from the protest converging on Bonifacio shrine were met by police in Lawton Avenue. They pedaled back to the group minus their motors.The city hall had been particularly hard on the motorized pedicabs, claiming their motors could not be registered with the Land Transportation Office and thus freely flout environment and safety standards. The city government had advised the owners of the pedicabs to compromise by removing their motor and simply going back to manual-powered pedicabs. In any case, Fernando Picorro, the spokesman of the Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Pedicab at Kuliglig Drivers (Alliance of United Pedicab and Motorized Pedicab Drivers) said that, whether machine or manual-powered, E.O. 17 would rob pedicabs of their earnings, as most of them operated on major roads where most of passengers were. He, himself, has been plying the Espa?a-Legarda route, he said. On Tuesday night, the drivers kept an overnight vigil and protest at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Intramuros. They had proceeded to the Manila City hall for a dialogue Wednesday morning, where city hall chief of staff Ricardo de Guzman met with them and gave the same response: the ban was still on in major roads. Tired, the drivers decided to converge at the Bonifacio Shrine. Some drivers, losing hope and getting agitated, started blocking Burgos Avenue despite pleadings from their leaders. ?The Supreme Court is our only hope, but even they seem to be sleeping on it,? Picorro said, referring to the petition for temporary restraining order Alnapedku filed last week against the ban. ? ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA Faculty Department of Women and Development Studies College of Social Work and Community Development University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City PHILIPPINES From dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com Thu Dec 2 22:07:02 2010 From: dazzle_dwds at yahoo.com (Roselle Leah K. Rivera) Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 05:07:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] =?utf-8?Q?_Charges_filed_against_=E2=80=98kuliglig?= =?utf-8?B?4oCZIGRyaXZlcnM=?= Message-ID: <432262.27474.qm@web110105.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Charges filed against ?kuliglig? drivers? By Jeannette Andrade Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 17:23:00 12/02/2010 Filed Under:?Protest,?Government,?Philippines - Metro,Judiciary (system of justice),?Road Transport MANILA, Philippines?Police formally filed charges at the city prosecutor?s office Thursday against 16 "kuliglig" (improvised motor tricycle) drivers and operators, two of them women, who figured in a clash with policemen who dispersed the group after they blocked a street near the Manila City Hall to protest a government ban on their operations. Wednesday night?s protest at the Manila Police District headquarters on UN Avenue by some 300 persons sympathetic to the drivers? cause did not dissuade the General Assignment Section (GAS) from filing charges of direct assault on persons in authority, illegal assembly, and traffic obstruction. One of two policemen wounded in the clash?Police Officer 2 Adonis Aguila, assigned with the Civil Disturbance Management unit?remained confined Thursday at the Ospital ng Maynila for the treatment of head wounds sustained when the protesters hurled stones and bottles at them during the dispersal operations. GAS head Chief Inspector Marcelo Reyes identified the kuliglig drivers/operators charged as: Mary Joyce Mangalili, 22, of Moriones Street, Tondo, Manila; Marietta Comor, 42, of Baseco Compound, Tondo, Manila; Eddie Managuelod, 50, of Quiapo, Manila; Ato Ambag, 25, of Batasan Hills, Quezon City; Kasir Morris, 28, of Quiapo, Manila; Nelson Pineda, 35, of Quiapo, Manila; Renato Palomo, 40, of Tondo, Manila; Armando Cudiamat, 43, of Sampaloc, Manila;Roberto Eugenio, 18, Quiapo, Manila; Ricardo Dayanan, 18, of Parola Compound, Tondo, Manila; Joey Macalino, 42, of Pritil, Tondo, Manila, who sustained a head wound after he was hit with a baton; Allan Tayo, 35, of Sampaloc, Manila; Guiamel Mamoro, 26, of Quiapo, Manila; Marvin Serrano, 25, of Sta. Cruz, Manila; Norjamil Daud, 31, of Quiapo, Manila; and Eleuterio Tisado, 53, of Isla Puting Bato, Tondo, Manila. Assistant City Prosecutor Libertad Ramos Rasa recommended a deferment of a resolution on the direct assault case against the 16 kuliglig drivers pending the submission of the evidence to prove that Aguila and Senior Police Officer 2 Edmundo De Jesus had been attacked and sustained injuries. Rasa noted that the kuliglig drivers? assembly was without permit and had no leaders. ?The group is a gathering of drivers protesting the implementation of Executive Orders 16 and 17. Of the 450 persons, 16 were arrested when violence erupted. Two of the responding police officers were medically attended to? Officer Aguila needed to be confined,? he said. Reyes told reporters that he was compelled to order Wednesday?s dispersal of protesters on Padre Burgos Avenue corner Hospital Street in front of Mehan Garden in Ermita, after three hours of negotiations failed and parked kuligligs caused traffic gridlock on the northbound lane of Taft Avenue. In reaction to the dispersal and arrest of the kuliglig drivers, some 300 members of the League of Filipino Students (LFS), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), and Bayan Muna, demonstrated in front of the MPD headquarters on UN Avenue at around 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, defacing the police honor roll of heroes and writing the words: ?PNP Berdugo - Bayan.? MPD district headquarters support unit head Supt. Dominador Arevalo said the activists spray-painted plaques of the MPD honor roll and vandalized the bronzed words, ?Go spread the word. Tell passers-by that in this little world, men knew how to die? posted in front of the building. ?They (vandals) were not kuliglig drivers. These were militant organizations riding on the cause of the kuliglig drivers,? he said. The 16 kuliglig drivers remained in the custody of the MPD as policemen deployed CDM contingents in anticipation of another ?raid? by militant groups at the police headquarters. ? ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA Faculty Department of Women and Development Studies College of Social Work and Community Development University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City PHILIPPINES From edelman at greenidea.eu Fri Dec 3 11:40:33 2010 From: edelman at greenidea.eu (Todd Edelman) Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:40:33 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Road crossing in Indonesia (concept) Message-ID: <4CF858A1.8000603@greenidea.eu> "In Indonesia, people do not have the habit to cross the road by pedestrian bridge because they're too lazy to climb stairs. Fun solution: http://db.tt/MmIB8IN" (This came from a competition sponsored by a major automobile producer. I will not give them free publicity.) -- Todd Edelman Green Idea Factory, a member of the OPENbike team Mobile: ++49(0)162 814 4081 edelman@greenidea.eu www.greenidea.eu todd@openbike.se www.openbike.se Skype: toddedelman Urbanstr. 45 10967 Berlin Germany *** OPENbike - Share the Perfect Fit! From papon at inrets.fr Sat Dec 4 00:23:22 2010 From: papon at inrets.fr (Francis Papon) Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 16:23:22 +0100 Subject: [sustran] XXIInd International Cycling History Conference (ICHC) Message-ID: <6ECE225F-CFA7-4F8D-8CFB-41A6A686AD8B@inrets.fr> Please find hereafter the call for papers for the XXIInd International Cycling History Conference (ICHC) that will take place on May 25 ? 28, 2011, at Conservatoire National des Arts et M?tiers (CNAM), Paris, France. Communication projects should be sent before February 1st, 2011. http://download.inrets.fr/papon/AppelCommunication-ICHC-2011-Paris%5B4%5D.pdf Francis Papon, mailto:papon@inrets.fr, tel 0145925705 ICPEF,INRETS/DEST/EEM, Researcher at the Department of Transport Economics and Sociology at the French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research INRETS "Le Descartes 2", 2 rue de la Butte Verte, 93166 NOISY LE GRAND CEDEX France tel +33 (0)1 4592 5500 fax +33 (0)1 4592 5501 From sutp at sutp.org Sun Dec 5 16:00:51 2010 From: sutp at sutp.org (SUTP Team) Date: Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:30:51 +0530 Subject: [sustran] NEW: Accessing Climate Finance for Sustainable Transport - A Practical Overview Message-ID: <4CFB38A3.7030701@sutp.org> GTZ and the Bridging the Gap Initiative have developed a practical guide for developing country's governments on how to access climate funds for sustainable land transport interventions. The guidance focuses on climate change mitigation and introduces existing and proposed sources of climate finance in the context of the land transport sector. The report has been published as GTZ's Technical Paper No. 5 (More info: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2496&Itemid=1&lang=en). 'Bridging the Gap: Pathways for Transport in the Post 2012 Process' is an initiative of GTZ, TRL, UITP, ITDP and Veolia Transport created to tackle CO2-emissions from land transport and to integrate this major contributor to climate change into the international climate negotiation process. For more information visit www.transport2012.org. -- SUTP Team sutp[at]sutp.org From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Sun Dec 5 20:29:28 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 12:29:28 +0100 Subject: [sustran] A random act of culture Message-ID: <01af01cb946f$afe98ab0$0fbca010$@britton@ecoplan.org> World Streets: Heavy traffic on the way to sustainable cities and sustainable lives . . . Both here in my communications to you all in our dear Sustran and in our work on World Streets more generally, and it is important that in reporting to you on it I stick to our point. However from time to time, things come up which may at first glance seem to be off focus, but when you ponder them a bit - at least I hope - you will see that there is indeed a connection. Ne example of this is our growing gallery of world street photographs in our 'social space' format, which I think you know are at http://tinyurl.com/ws-slides. Now that's culture, right? Part of the W/S thesis of change is that culture is more important than either, say, technology or even the law. So anything which makes us more aware of our culture, of our neighbors, of our humanity, of our capacity to share ideas and values is a step in the right direction. For example, this little video which depicts a random act of culture. Diverse people of many origins and backgrounds coming together for a single joyous, random event. I think we can all learn from that, so have at it! A random act of culture http://www.philly.com/philly/video/106492678.html From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Dec 7 00:52:39 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 16:52:39 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Part I. The World - the Climate - the Strategy. Come argue with me. Message-ID: <02c801cb955d$b3c5c150$1b5143f0$@britton@ecoplan.org> I have just posted what I believe to be a very contentious policy proposal for our sector on World Streets. The first paragraph reads as follows: Let me sketch out an easy to understand (or reject) climate/transport strategy that presents some stark contrasts with what seems to be largely accepted as the received wisdom when it comes to targeting, policy and investment in the sector, and which in a first instance is quite likely to earn me more enemies than friends (that goes with the territory). At least until such time that these basic underlying ideas are expressed in a manner which is sufficiently clear and convincing that we put them to work to turn the tide. So here you have my first brief statement of the issues, the basic strategic frame and key pressure points to which I invite your critical reactions and comments. In a second piece in this series, to follow shortly, I intend to have a look at the candidates who could be ready to do something about it. Or not You will find the full article today at www.WorldStreets.org. I very much hope that you will share your thoughts and critical remarks with me on this. For if I have it right, this is going to open up some entirely new paths and direction for transport and climate policy and practice worldwide. Thanks for shooting straight. Eric Britton Eric Britton | WorldStreets.org | NewMobility.org | Paris | +331 7550 3788 | Skype: newmobility You will find the full article today at www.WorldStreets.org. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Dec 7 23:32:28 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 15:32:28 +0100 Subject: [sustran] strategies for deciding about, facing the climate challenge Message-ID: <01d801cb961b$96b4dd30$c41e9790$@britton@ecoplan.org> Very nice "science teacher" discussion of strategies for deciding about, facing the climate challenge. Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE6Kdo1AQmY &feature=player_embedded I'd welcome your comments. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Wed Dec 8 18:33:16 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 10:33:16 +0100 Subject: [sustran] "Come argue with me" (but stick to the point please) Message-ID: <00ea01cb96ba$f8ecc0e0$eac642a0$@britton@ecoplan.org> In response to my Monday editorial in World Streets - www.WorldStreets.org -- on the central importance of finding ways to achieve near term reductions of motor vehicle traffic (VKT/VMT) as the primary policy tool for taking pressure from the transport sector off the planet in the next two to five years, we are receiving a number of postings about new technology car proposals, all of them interesting in themselves.. However given our tight time horizon for massive results they are not within the scope of this discussion. So if you wish to follow them may I suggest that you get in touch directly with the authors as follows: . Palle Palle R Jensen ruf@ruf.dk . Jerry Roane jerry.roane@gmail.com http://TriTrack.net . Brad Templeton -world-streets@em.4brad.com robocars.com More generally what strikes me is the extent to which some of these comments jump way beyond the single strategic tenet of my article, namely that we need to find ways to reduce the quantum of motorized traffic - and always with the caveat of (a) not undermining the economy and (b) life quality for all. I particularly like the common-sensical way that France B sums up the strategic basics in her commentary of yesterday. I have not yet made any statements about the means in which these reductions can be achieved. There is not only no mention of trains, and certainly not "tactics calculated to force people onto trains". So if we can stick to the point in these comments here, and in a few days give me a shot at the "how tos" at which point you can arm your bows and let go. Eric Britton PS. Let me pick out however the closing words of Bruce just above when he says: "increasing the efficiency of car travel (and this could include robocars), reducing actual travel by increasing virtual travel (video conferencing, etc.), increasing the walkability and cyclability of cities." While our time frame does not allow for the robocars bit, all the rest is pure gold. Thank you Bruce. From edelman at greenidea.eu Thu Dec 9 08:09:10 2010 From: edelman at greenidea.eu (Todd Edelman) Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:09:10 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Conversation with an Engineer, Street Project Message-ID: <4D001016.7090405@greenidea.eu> Conversation with an Engineer, Street Project A resident has a conversation with a project engineer about the proposed improvements to her street. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-6X1-SLOXM -- Todd Edelman Green Idea Factory, a member of the OPENbike team Mobile: ++49(0)162 814 4081 edelman@greenidea.eu www.greenidea.eu todd@openbike.se www.openbike.se Skype: toddedelman Urbanstr. 45 10967 Berlin Germany *** OPENbike - Share the Perfect Fit! From navdeep.asija at gmail.com Thu Dec 9 20:07:51 2010 From: navdeep.asija at gmail.com (Asija, Navdeep) Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 16:37:51 +0530 Subject: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in Delhi- Shocking Message-ID: Dear IRF People, Today, we were shocked to read this news related to cycle tracks in Delhi. After CW games, Delhi got many cycle tracks, which is anyways facilitating 12% of the cycle users of Delhi. Delhi Car population is just 14% but seems International Road Federation is also lobbying against removing cycle tracks. In 2007, 2008, more than 80% people who died on Delhi's road were cyclist and pedestrian. Whole world is talking about pedestrian and cyclist safety. IRF Chairperson move towards removing cycle track and supporting the same with non-fact based information is really shocking for all of us. Looking forward your justification on the same and how such big organisation can give such irresponsible statement. KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental > organisation said: ?Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually > reduce road accidents. Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters on > such roads is dangerous.? http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx ==== Cycle tracks may be on the way out Commuting on Delhi?s traffic-laden roads may soon become easier, with newly-built cycle tracks on stretches such as Bhishma Pitamah Road, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg and Chandni Chowk, among others, expected to be on the way out. The move comes after constant pressure from the Delhi traffic police and thousands of road users that made the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) decide on a lasting solution to the problem. ?We felt that there is no need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres wide. On narrow roads, the volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow. Separate cycle tracks on these stretches actually increase the chance of accidents and lead to traffic congestion,? said a senior officer of UTTIPEC. According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, ?We will place our proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders.? KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental organisation said: ?Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually reduce road accidents. Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters on such roads is dangerous.? A number of cycle tracks (CTs) were built in Delhi before the Commonwealth Games. However, many of them have remained unused and according to traffic police officials, they have only made the task of traffic cops tougher. ?Many cycle tracks have actually reduced road space and resulted in severe traffic hazards. The reduced road width causes congestions,? said Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (administration and traffic) said. CTs were built on several roads, including the stretch between Vikas Marg and Karkardooma, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, the existing BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate, Geeta Colony Flyover, Bhishma Pitamah Marg, Ring Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, Mall Road and Chandni Chowk. ?It takes around 30 minutes to travel a kilometre due to CTs at Netaji Subhash Marg and SP Mukherjee Marg,? said Sanjay Bhargava, president, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Dec 10 15:39:52 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:39:52 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Transport, environment and public policy in hard times Message-ID: <00a401cb9835$0ebd0b70$2c372250$@britton@ecoplan.org> When it is dark you can see the stars - Persian proverb Transport, environment and public policy in hard times The attached notes have been pasted together by the author for those who attended the annual national ACT TravelWise Liverpool conference last week in Liverpool, in an attempt to see if it might be useful for those who were there to have on paper a few quick reminders of some on the points I tried to get out in my 45 minute talk. I hope it will also serve others who were not able to join us but who share our interests and concerns. The full presentation is available at http://streetworks.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/liverpool-eb-speaking-notes-f inal-v8.pdf From edelman at greenidea.eu Fri Dec 10 20:02:15 2010 From: edelman at greenidea.eu (Todd Edelman) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:02:15 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Ecuadorian environmentalist Yolanda Kakabadse: "Create a Protocol Based on Non-Emissions" Message-ID: <4D0208B7.1020705@greenidea.eu> Q&A "Create a Protocol Based on Non-Emissions" Emilio Godoy interviews YOLANDA KAKABADSE, president of WWF * - IPS/TerraViva http://ipsnews.net/newsTVE.asp?idnews=53824 CANC?N, Mexico, Dec 9 (IPS) - Latin America should create regional conventions to protect biodiversity and combat the impacts of climate change, according to Ecuadorian environmentalist Yolanda Kakabadse, president of the World Wild Fund for Nature International (WWF). Climate agreements should be centred on eliminating polluting emissions, and not just reducing them or mitigating their effects, said Kakabadse, an activist who served as environment minister in Ecuador from 1998 to 2000. She sat down with TerraViva in the southeastern Mexican city of Canc?n, where she is attending the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16), which wraps up on Friday. Q: What needs to change in the COP meetings? A: I think a different dynamic is needed. In terms of their content, the lack of stronger links between the conventions on climate change and biodiversity is very damaging. The two issues should be considered together, because ultimately climate change is due to poor ecosystem management. I also think that the traditional way of grouping countries together does not make much sense any more. For instance, people talk about Latin America, but there is no strong foundation for the belief that its governments all have the same agenda. The United Nations should support all these initiatives. Q: What can the region expect to get out of this summit, in areas like finance and technology transfer? A: The question is, what is it getting, and what can it get. It should get more. This continent is the richest in natural resources, and that makes it a particularly attractive region of the planet for a number of actions, like devising a model of natural resource protection, and for creating new dynamics for dealing with climate change, biodiversity management, water, forests, and the concept of environmental services. This natural capital has not been politically exploited, especially in the case of South America, at these global debates. I think it will gain no more and no less than other regions. We have not developed a South American agenda very successfully. Q: Is it feasible to design a climate agenda by country blocs? A: Yes, absolutely. Among all the issues within the conventions, some have real implications for the region, while others are completely irrelevant to it. We should create regional agreements that are based on the same framework, but that take into account relevant matters, because we waste an enormous amount of time trying to respond to each and every challenge in the treaties. We should concentrate on issues concerned with forests, water, the problems of adapting to climate change, and shared management of ecosystems and fisheries. If we do not do this, we will not be able to contribute key ideas to the convention. We face a very serious problem in that our South American countries do not receive sufficient funding. Q: Should some countries, like Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, adopt compulsory emissions reduction targets? A: Every country should have goals for the rational use of resources, and implement social inclusion policies. As of now, the approval process for every new installation should take development ethics into account, because this is not only about money but about responsibility towards our own populations. It is not a matter of the countries of the South providing climate benefits for those of the North: we will all sink or swim together. Every country has a social obligation to set emission reduction targets. Q: What should the foundation of development ethics be? A: One of the key issues is rational use of natural resources, which requires the development of policies for conservation, respect for our ecosystems -- not just as the source of life, but also for their contribution to economic opportunities -- social welfare and alternative job creation. This perspective is absent in our countries. We simply exploit resources without caring about what will happen in the next 10 years. Q: How can opposition to the idea of putting a price on ecosystems be overcome? A: There is a tendency to confuse value and price. When we really appreciate the true value of natural resources, we can take policy decisions, and when we have designed strategies to protect those ecosystems, we will be able to think about an efficient pricing system. I also see the debate about pricing as a fallacy, because it arises from an anti-market ideology. In my country we market bananas, oil and shrimp. Why should we be reluctant to put a price on a service that guarantees our livelihood? Q: Ecuador has established the Yasuni Initiative, which seeks to raise international funds in exchange for refraining from extracting oil from the Yasuni biosphere reserve. Could this approach be replicated in oil-producing countries like Mexico? A: The initiative is based on the argument that oil should be left underground in places where the value of the flora and fauna is higher. There is a cost involved in leaving fossil fuels underground, and it should be paid for. This requires that the convention recognise the value of non- emissions. The price of avoiding emissions is the profit that would be made by extracting the oil, and if a country is willing to forgo this, it should be rewarded for these non-emissions. It is entirely valid to create a new protocol, based on the concept of non-emissions. * This story appears in the IPS TerraViva online published for the U.N. Conference on Climate Change in Canc?n. (END/2010) Contact -- Todd Edelman Green Idea Factory, a member of the OPENbike team Mobile: ++49(0)162 814 4081 edelman@greenidea.eu www.greenidea.eu todd@openbike.se www.openbike.se Skype: toddedelman Urbanstr. 45 10967 Berlin Germany *** OPENbike - Share the Perfect Fit! From romionly at gmail.com Sat Dec 11 01:16:21 2010 From: romionly at gmail.com (Romi Roy) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:46:21 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Fwd: Shocking - IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in Delhi In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: To, The Metro Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi. Dear Ms. Shivani Singh: The emails below are for your kind information regarding the blatant mis-reporting regarding UTTIPEC policies/ statements regarding cycle-tracks in Delhi, in the concerned HT-Article. Warm regards, Paromita (Romi) Roy Sr. Consultant, UTTIPEC DDA Delhi Member, High Court Special Task Force on Transportation Spl. Invitee, LAP Monitoring Committee, MCD Delhi Member, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Habitat, MoUD Honorary Advisor, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board http://www.linkedin.com/in/romiroy "*Sustainable Urban Design can be the foundation for Social Justice*" - Enrique Pe?alosa On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 3:02 PM, Romi Roy wrote: > Dear Geetam Ma'am: > The concerned reporter has already been informed by us about the inaccuracy > of the UTTIPEC Quote and the general misrepresentation of issues in the > article. > The Reporter is copied on this email. > Follow up action is being taken about this mis-reporting and > mis-representation of *UTTIPEC policies *which are clearly accessible even > on the UTTIPEC website, fully accessible to the public. > *No one in UTTIPEC can possibly ever give a quote which is contrary to its > published and approved policies! * > It is highly embarrassing and depressing for us. > Warm regards, > Romi > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Geetam Tiwari > Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 11:34 AM > Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in > Delhi- Shocking > To: Romi Roy > > > > Romi, > This is very disturbing that UTTIPEC is reported (I hope mis reported) to > be in favour of removing cycle tracks.! > > Pls send a clarification to Hindustan times and traffic police. Constructed > cycle tracks should not be removed from anywhere in Delhi!! Moreover roads > without tracks (small roads) should have traffic calmimg devices ensuring > low speed of cars, > > Geetam > > Geetam > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Sujit Patwardhan > Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:52 PM > Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in > Delhi- Shocking > To: Rajendra Ravi , Anvita Arora < > anvitaa@gmail.com>, Geetam Tiwari , Dinesh Mohan < > dmohan@cbme.iitd.ernet.in>, Dunu Roy > > > Should take a morcha to Ms Sheila Dixit. > -- > Sujit > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Asija, Navdeep > Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:37 PM > Subject: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in Delhi- > Shocking > To: info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org > Cc: wcn-media@googlegroups.com, sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org > > > Dear IRF People, > > Today, we were shocked to read this news related to cycle tracks in Delhi. > After CW games, Delhi got many cycle tracks, which is anyways facilitating > 12% of the cycle users of Delhi. Delhi Car population is just 14% but seems > International Road Federation is also lobbying against removing cycle > tracks. In 2007, 2008, more than 80% people who died on Delhi's road were > cyclist and pedestrian. Whole world is talking about pedestrian and cyclist > safety. IRF Chairperson move towards removing cycle track and supporting > the > same with non-fact based information is really shocking for all of us. > Looking forward your justification on the same and *how such big > organisation > can give such irresponsible statement.* > > KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental > > organisation said: ?Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually > > reduce road accidents. Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters > on > > such roads is dangerous.? > * > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx > > < > http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx > >* > ==== > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > *?..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment > to destroy the city?* > > Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel > Munich 1970 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Sujit Patwardhan > patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com > sujit@parisar.org > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India > Tel: +91 20 25537955 > Cell: +91 98220 26627 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Parisar: www.parisar.org > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:01 AM, Bharat Singh > wrote: > >> Dear Mr. Ray >> >> I am perplexed and frustrated by the report you published in the Hindustan >> Times on December 9th. Despite your references to expert's statements, they >> don't seem to be coherent, and i would like to know if you questioned them >> about it. You mention in your report that a Mr. KK Kapila stated that* "Removal >> of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually reduce road accidents. >> Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters on such roads is >> dangerous"*. That sentence begs an explanation by the most commonsense >> standards. How does one increase the risk of accidents by separating the two >> modes of transportation, instead of mixing them together? Is Mr Kapila >> suggesting that the smaller roads be banned to cyclists?? And >> your reference to UTTIPEC official that there is no need for cycle track on >> roads 30 meters wide also is a statement that begs more explanation..does >> he/she mean roads above or below that thresholds should have or not have >> cycle tracks?? >> >> That said, I would also like to draw your attention to the issue of why >> providing for different modes of travel is more important than making sure >> all cars get through. Besides the obvious environmental benefit, it is about >> social equity. The fact that only 20% of commutes in >> Delhi are made by automobiles, makes it clear that there is a need for >> bicycle and pedestrian tracks in the city. Secondly a large portion of urban >> living costs is commuting. If one puts together the cost of housing and >> travel cost, i bet it will be more than 2/3rd of lower middle class incomes. >> So providing the masses of Delhi with other options to travel is morally, >> ethically, environmentally, physically and socially the right thing to do. >> The fact the cycle tracks installed during the commonwealth games are being >> underutilized should be factually proved. a hundred bicycles on a km stretch >> of bike tracks is sparse when compared to hundred cars on the same >> km stretch of road adjacent to it, but they carry the same number of >> commuters. And how long have the 'experts' given the bike lanes usage time >> for users to discover and adopt it? Any such evaluation should be given at >> least a year to be fully utilized. What I do understand is that certain >> roads may not require bicycle tracks cause there aren't commuters that use >> them, but to have a blanket removal of bike tracks on roads below/above 30 >> meters wide, clearly shows that these experts are being shortsighted and >> have no understanding of context sensitive solutions. >> >> It behooves you as a journalist to dig beyond the statements and probe the >> so called experts on their reasoning. Publishing such reports do grave >> damage to effort to help Delhi's urban quality of life efforts, like your >> papers efforts to sabotage the BRT program in Delhi. I certainly hope you >> follow up your article with counter points for other experts and provide a >> complete picture of the issue. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Bharat Singh >> >> -- >> Bharat Singh >> Urban Planning & Design Professional >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/bartsingh >> 510.842.7005 >> >> >> > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Nippo > Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 10:33 AM > Subject: Cycle > To: Romi , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com > > > *Cycle tracks may be on the way out* > HT December 09, 2010 > First Published: 01:28 IST(9/12/2010) > Last Updated: 01:29 IST(9/12/2010) > > > > *Commuting on Delhi?s traffic-laden roads may soon become easier, with > newly-built cycle tracks on stretches such as Bhishma Pitamah Road, Shyama > Prasad Mukherjee Marg and Chandni Chowk, among others, expected to be on > the way out*. The move comes after constant pressure from the Delhi > traffic police and thousands of road users *(who are the road users, only > 14% of Delhi have cars)* that made the Unified Traffic and Transportation > Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) decide on a > lasting solution to the problem. > > ?*We felt (how can u run a city with your FEELINGS, does this senior > officer have any statistical data, if so please share) that there is no > need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres wide. On narrow roads, the > volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow. Separate cycle tracks on > these stretches actually increase the chance of accidents (does the > accident record show it, is it compared with the fatal accidents ) and > lead to traffic congestion (congestion for whom)*,? said a *senior officer > of UTTIPEC*. > > According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, ?We will place our > proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be > implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders.? > > KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental > organisation said: ?*Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually > reduce road accidents. **Separating cyclists from other motorised > commuters on such roads is dangerous*. *(on what basis are these clams > made, are there any scientific studies or at least statistical data to > support such a lame statement)* ? > > A number of cycle tracks (CTs) were built in Delhi before the Commonwealth > Games. > > However, *many of them have remained unused and according to traffic > police officials (Who did the survey on cycle track usage?, please share)*, > they have only made the task of traffic cops tougher. > > ?*Many cycle tracks have actually reduced road space and resulted in > severe traffic hazards (how on earth can reduced road space result in > traffic hazards, studies show that narrower the road lower the hazard). > The reduced road width causes congestions**(congestion for whom)*? said > Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (administration and traffic) > said. > > CTs were built on several roads, including the stretch between Vikas Marg > and Karkardooma, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, the existing BRT corridor > from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate, Geeta Colony Flyover, Bhishma Pitamah > Marg, Ring Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, Mall Road and Chandni Chowk. > > ?*It takes around 30 minutes to travel a kilometre due to CTs at Netaji > Subhash Marg and SP Mukherjee Marg **(it takes 30 minutes for the > resource eating cars to move a km, a pedestrian moving at 0.8 m/s(lowest > for a pedestrian) will take only 25 minutes)*,? said Sanjay Bhargava, > president, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal. > ......................................... > From schipper at wri.org Sat Dec 11 11:31:43 2010 From: schipper at wri.org (Lee Schipper) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:31:43 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: Fwd: Shocking - IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracksin Delhi In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: With Sujit present in Pune in 2006 I said for the Commissioner and other leaders "Los Angeles built 25% of its area as road and that didn't solve their congestion problems" HT reported that I recommended that Pune should build 25% of it's area as roads So much for press in India Lee Schipper Global Met Studies UC Berkeley Precourt En Eff Center Stanford On Dec 10, 2010, at 17:40, "Romi Roy" wrote: > To, > The Metro Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi. > > Dear Ms. Shivani Singh: > The emails below are for your kind information regarding the blatant > mis-reporting regarding UTTIPEC policies/ statements regarding cycle-tracks > in Delhi, in the concerned HT-Article. > Warm regards, > Paromita (Romi) Roy > > Sr. Consultant, UTTIPEC DDA Delhi > Member, High Court Special Task Force on Transportation > Spl. Invitee, LAP Monitoring Committee, MCD Delhi > Member, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Habitat, MoUD > Honorary Advisor, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board > http://www.linkedin.com/in/romiroy > > "*Sustainable Urban Design can be the foundation for Social Justice*" - > Enrique Pe?alosa > > On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 3:02 PM, Romi Roy wrote: > >> Dear Geetam Ma'am: >> The concerned reporter has already been informed by us about the inaccuracy >> of the UTTIPEC Quote and the general misrepresentation of issues in the >> article. >> The Reporter is copied on this email. >> Follow up action is being taken about this mis-reporting and >> mis-representation of *UTTIPEC policies *which are clearly accessible even >> on the UTTIPEC website, fully accessible to the public. >> > *No one in UTTIPEC can possibly ever give a quote which is contrary to its >> published and approved policies! * >> It is highly embarrassing and depressing for us. >> Warm regards, >> Romi >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Geetam Tiwari >> Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 11:34 AM >> Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in >> Delhi- Shocking >> To: Romi Roy >> >> >> >> Romi, >> This is very disturbing that UTTIPEC is reported (I hope mis reported) to >> be in favour of removing cycle tracks.! >> >> Pls send a clarification to Hindustan times and traffic police. Constructed >> cycle tracks should not be removed from anywhere in Delhi!! Moreover roads >> without tracks (small roads) should have traffic calmimg devices ensuring >> low speed of cars, >> >> Geetam >> >> Geetam >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Sujit Patwardhan >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:52 PM >> Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in >> Delhi- Shocking >> To: Rajendra Ravi , Anvita Arora < >> anvitaa@gmail.com>, Geetam Tiwari , Dinesh Mohan < >> dmohan@cbme.iitd.ernet.in>, Dunu Roy >> >> >> Should take a morcha to Ms Sheila Dixit. >> -- >> Sujit >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Asija, Navdeep >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:37 PM >> Subject: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in Delhi- >> Shocking >> To: info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org >> Cc: wcn-media@googlegroups.com, sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >> >> >> Dear IRF People, >> >> Today, we were shocked to read this news related to cycle tracks in Delhi. >> After CW games, Delhi got many cycle tracks, which is anyways facilitating >> 12% of the cycle users of Delhi. Delhi Car population is just 14% but seems >> International Road Federation is also lobbying against removing cycle >> tracks. In 2007, 2008, more than 80% people who died on Delhi's road were >> cyclist and pedestrian. Whole world is talking about pedestrian and cyclist >> safety. IRF Chairperson move towards removing cycle track and supporting >> the >> same with non-fact based information is really shocking for all of us. >> Looking forward your justification on the same and *how such big >> organisation >> can give such irresponsible statement.* >> >> KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental >>> organisation said: ?Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually >>> reduce road accidents. Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters >> on >>> such roads is dangerous.? >> * >> >> http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx >> >> < >> http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx >>> * >> ==== >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> *?..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment >> to destroy the city?* >> >> Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel >> Munich 1970 >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Sujit Patwardhan >> patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com >> sujit@parisar.org >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India >> Tel: +91 20 25537955 >> Cell: +91 98220 26627 >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Parisar: www.parisar.org >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:01 AM, Bharat Singh >> wrote: >> >>> Dear Mr. Ray >>> >>> I am perplexed and frustrated by the report you published in the Hindustan >>> Times on December 9th. Despite your references to expert's statements, they >>> don't seem to be coherent, and i would like to know if you questioned them >>> about it. You mention in your report that a Mr. KK Kapila stated that* "Removal >>> of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually reduce road accidents. >>> Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters on such roads is >>> dangerous"*. That sentence begs an explanation by the most commonsense >>> standards. How does one increase the risk of accidents by separating the two >>> modes of transportation, instead of mixing them together? Is Mr Kapila >>> suggesting that the smaller roads be banned to cyclists?? And >>> your reference to UTTIPEC official that there is no need for cycle track on >>> roads 30 meters wide also is a statement that begs more explanation..does >>> he/she mean roads above or below that thresholds should have or not have >>> cycle tracks?? >>> >>> That said, I would also like to draw your attention to the issue of why >>> providing for different modes of travel is more important than making sure >>> all cars get through. Besides the obvious environmental benefit, it is about >>> social equity. The fact that only 20% of commutes in >>> Delhi are made by automobiles, makes it clear that there is a need for >>> bicycle and pedestrian tracks in the city. Secondly a large portion of urban >>> living costs is commuting. If one puts together the cost of housing and >>> travel cost, i bet it will be more than 2/3rd of lower middle class incomes. >>> So providing the masses of Delhi with other options to travel is morally, >>> ethically, environmentally, physically and socially the right thing to do. >>> The fact the cycle tracks installed during the commonwealth games are being >>> underutilized should be factually proved. a hundred bicycles on a km stretch >>> of bike tracks is sparse when compared to hundred cars on the same >>> km stretch of road adjacent to it, but they carry the same number of >>> commuters. And how long have the 'experts' given the bike lanes usage time >>> for users to discover and adopt it? Any such evaluation should be given at >>> least a year to be fully utilized. What I do understand is that certain >>> roads may not require bicycle tracks cause there aren't commuters that use >>> them, but to have a blanket removal of bike tracks on roads below/above 30 >>> meters wide, clearly shows that these experts are being shortsighted and >>> have no understanding of context sensitive solutions. >>> >>> It behooves you as a journalist to dig beyond the statements and probe the >>> so called experts on their reasoning. Publishing such reports do grave >>> damage to effort to help Delhi's urban quality of life efforts, like your >>> papers efforts to sabotage the BRT program in Delhi. I certainly hope you >>> follow up your article with counter points for other experts and provide a >>> complete picture of the issue. >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Bharat Singh >>> >>> -- >>> Bharat Singh >>> Urban Planning & Design Professional >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/bartsingh >>> 510.842.7005 >>> >>> >>> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Nippo >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 10:33 AM >> Subject: Cycle >> To: Romi , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com >> >> >> *Cycle tracks may be on the way out* >> HT December 09, 2010 >> First Published: 01:28 IST(9/12/2010) >> Last Updated: 01:29 IST(9/12/2010) >> >> >> >> *Commuting on Delhi?s traffic-laden roads may soon become easier, with >> newly-built cycle tracks on stretches such as Bhishma Pitamah Road, Shyama >> Prasad Mukherjee Marg and Chandni Chowk, among others, expected to be on >> the way out*. The move comes after constant pressure from the Delhi >> traffic police and thousands of road users *(who are the road users, only >> 14% of Delhi have cars)* that made the Unified Traffic and Transportation >> Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) decide on a >> lasting solution to the problem. >> >> ?*We felt (how can u run a city with your FEELINGS, does this senior >> officer have any statistical data, if so please share) that there is no >> need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres wide. On narrow roads, the >> volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow. Separate cycle tracks on >> these stretches actually increase the chance of accidents (does the >> accident record show it, is it compared with the fatal accidents ) and >> lead to traffic congestion (congestion for whom)*,? said a *senior officer >> of UTTIPEC*. >> >> According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, ?We will place our >> proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be >> implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders.? >> >> KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental >> organisation said: ?*Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually >> reduce road accidents. **Separating cyclists from other motorised >> commuters on such roads is dangerous*. *(on what basis are these clams >> made, are there any scientific studies or at least statistical data to >> support such a lame statement)* ? >> >> A number of cycle tracks (CTs) were built in Delhi before the Commonwealth >> Games. >> >> However, *many of them have remained unused and according to traffic >> police officials (Who did the survey on cycle track usage?, please share)*, >> they have only made the task of traffic cops tougher. >> >> ?*Many cycle tracks have actually reduced road space and resulted in >> severe traffic hazards (how on earth can reduced road space result in >> traffic hazards, studies show that narrower the road lower the hazard). >> The reduced road width causes congestions**(congestion for whom)*? said >> Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (administration and traffic) >> said. >> >> CTs were built on several roads, including the stretch between Vikas Marg >> and Karkardooma, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, the existing BRT corridor >> from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate, Geeta Colony Flyover, Bhishma Pitamah >> Marg, Ring Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, Mall Road and Chandni Chowk. >> >> ?*It takes around 30 minutes to travel a kilometre due to CTs at Netaji >> Subhash Marg and SP Mukherjee Marg **(it takes 30 minutes for the >> resource eating cars to move a km, a pedestrian moving at 0.8 m/s(lowest >> for a pedestrian) will take only 25 minutes)*,? said Sanjay Bhargava, >> president, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal. >> ......................................... >> > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From madhav.g.badami at mcgill.ca Sat Dec 11 13:35:49 2010 From: madhav.g.badami at mcgill.ca (Madhav Badami, Prof.) Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:35:49 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: Fwd: Shocking - IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracksin Delhi In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: Greetings all, It is a tragic irony that, while in cities like Montreal, where I work, in which the overwhelming majority own cars, there is a conscious effort to expand the cycling network, including dedicated cycle lanes, and one cannot make a free right turn on red out of concern for pedestrian safety, we are dismantling cycling -- and worse -- pedestrian infrastructure, in India, where a significant proportion of the population, even if not the majority, are (despite our illusions of being an "emerged power") poor and cannot not own motor vehicles, and whose access to livelihoods and essential services are increasingly compromised thanks to an unthinking (and grotesque) privileging, in urban planning, of the minority who own and use them. As for the press -- it needs to take a good hard look at itself, in India as much as in the West. 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 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@mcgill.ca ________________________________________ From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca@list.jca.apc.org [sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Lee Schipper [schipper@wri.org] Sent: 10 December 2010 21:31 To: Romi Roy Cc: sumana.ramanan@hindustantimes.com; madhukishwar@csds.in; subhendu.ray@hindustantimes.com; subhendu.ray@gmail.com; moushumi.gupta@hindustantimes.com; ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com; geetamt@gmail.com; Dinesh Mohan; Nippo; asthanaprabhakar@gmail.com; sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org; Ashok Bhattacharjee; info@irfnet.org; Bharat Singh; shivaniss62@gmail.com; splcommtpt@nic.in; wcn-media@googlegroups.com; info@irfnet.eu; qadeeroy@gmail.com; info@irfnews.org; shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com; ipsita@berkeley.edu; feedback@hindustantimes.com; Reena Tiwari Subject: [sustran] Re: Fwd: Shocking - IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracksin Delhi With Sujit present in Pune in 2006 I said for the Commissioner and other leaders "Los Angeles built 25% of its area as road and that didn't solve their congestion problems" HT reported that I recommended that Pune should build 25% of it's area as roads So much for press in India Lee Schipper Global Met Studies UC Berkeley Precourt En Eff Center Stanford On Dec 10, 2010, at 17:40, "Romi Roy" wrote: > To, > The Metro Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi. > > Dear Ms. Shivani Singh: > The emails below are for your kind information regarding the blatant > mis-reporting regarding UTTIPEC policies/ statements regarding cycle-tracks > in Delhi, in the concerned HT-Article. > Warm regards, > Paromita (Romi) Roy > > Sr. Consultant, UTTIPEC DDA Delhi > Member, High Court Special Task Force on Transportation > Spl. Invitee, LAP Monitoring Committee, MCD Delhi > Member, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Habitat, MoUD > Honorary Advisor, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board > http://www.linkedin.com/in/romiroy > > "*Sustainable Urban Design can be the foundation for Social Justice*" - > Enrique Pe?alosa > > On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 3:02 PM, Romi Roy wrote: > >> Dear Geetam Ma'am: >> The concerned reporter has already been informed by us about the inaccuracy >> of the UTTIPEC Quote and the general misrepresentation of issues in the >> article. >> The Reporter is copied on this email. >> Follow up action is being taken about this mis-reporting and >> mis-representation of *UTTIPEC policies *which are clearly accessible even >> on the UTTIPEC website, fully accessible to the public. >> > *No one in UTTIPEC can possibly ever give a quote which is contrary to its >> published and approved policies! * >> It is highly embarrassing and depressing for us. >> Warm regards, >> Romi >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Geetam Tiwari >> Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 11:34 AM >> Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in >> Delhi- Shocking >> To: Romi Roy >> >> >> >> Romi, >> This is very disturbing that UTTIPEC is reported (I hope mis reported) to >> be in favour of removing cycle tracks.! >> >> Pls send a clarification to Hindustan times and traffic police. Constructed >> cycle tracks should not be removed from anywhere in Delhi!! Moreover roads >> without tracks (small roads) should have traffic calmimg devices ensuring >> low speed of cars, >> >> Geetam >> >> Geetam >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Sujit Patwardhan >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:52 PM >> Subject: Fwd: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in >> Delhi- Shocking >> To: Rajendra Ravi , Anvita Arora < >> anvitaa@gmail.com>, Geetam Tiwari , Dinesh Mohan < >> dmohan@cbme.iitd.ernet.in>, Dunu Roy >> >> >> Should take a morcha to Ms Sheila Dixit. >> -- >> Sujit >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Asija, Navdeep >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 4:37 PM >> Subject: [sustran] IRF Lobbying against removing cycle tracks in Delhi- >> Shocking >> To: info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org >> Cc: wcn-media@googlegroups.com, sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org >> >> >> Dear IRF People, >> >> Today, we were shocked to read this news related to cycle tracks in Delhi. >> After CW games, Delhi got many cycle tracks, which is anyways facilitating >> 12% of the cycle users of Delhi. Delhi Car population is just 14% but seems >> International Road Federation is also lobbying against removing cycle >> tracks. In 2007, 2008, more than 80% people who died on Delhi's road were >> cyclist and pedestrian. Whole world is talking about pedestrian and cyclist >> safety. IRF Chairperson move towards removing cycle track and supporting >> the >> same with non-fact based information is really shocking for all of us. >> Looking forward your justification on the same and *how such big >> organisation >> can give such irresponsible statement.* >> >> KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental >>> organisation said: ?Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually >>> reduce road accidents. Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters >> on >>> such roads is dangerous.? >> * >> >> http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx >> >> < >> http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx >>> * >> ==== >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> *?..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment >> to destroy the city?* >> >> Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel >> Munich 1970 >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Sujit Patwardhan >> patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com >> sujit@parisar.org >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India >> Tel: +91 20 25537955 >> Cell: +91 98220 26627 >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Parisar: www.parisar.org >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 12:01 AM, Bharat Singh >> wrote: >> >>> Dear Mr. Ray >>> >>> I am perplexed and frustrated by the report you published in the Hindustan >>> Times on December 9th. Despite your references to expert's statements, they >>> don't seem to be coherent, and i would like to know if you questioned them >>> about it. You mention in your report that a Mr. KK Kapila stated that* "Removal >>> of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually reduce road accidents. >>> Separating cyclists from other motorised commuters on such roads is >>> dangerous"*. That sentence begs an explanation by the most commonsense >>> standards. How does one increase the risk of accidents by separating the two >>> modes of transportation, instead of mixing them together? Is Mr Kapila >>> suggesting that the smaller roads be banned to cyclists?? And >>> your reference to UTTIPEC official that there is no need for cycle track on >>> roads 30 meters wide also is a statement that begs more explanation..does >>> he/she mean roads above or below that thresholds should have or not have >>> cycle tracks?? >>> >>> That said, I would also like to draw your attention to the issue of why >>> providing for different modes of travel is more important than making sure >>> all cars get through. Besides the obvious environmental benefit, it is about >>> social equity. The fact that only 20% of commutes in >>> Delhi are made by automobiles, makes it clear that there is a need for >>> bicycle and pedestrian tracks in the city. Secondly a large portion of urban >>> living costs is commuting. If one puts together the cost of housing and >>> travel cost, i bet it will be more than 2/3rd of lower middle class incomes. >>> So providing the masses of Delhi with other options to travel is morally, >>> ethically, environmentally, physically and socially the right thing to do. >>> The fact the cycle tracks installed during the commonwealth games are being >>> underutilized should be factually proved. a hundred bicycles on a km stretch >>> of bike tracks is sparse when compared to hundred cars on the same >>> km stretch of road adjacent to it, but they carry the same number of >>> commuters. And how long have the 'experts' given the bike lanes usage time >>> for users to discover and adopt it? Any such evaluation should be given at >>> least a year to be fully utilized. What I do understand is that certain >>> roads may not require bicycle tracks cause there aren't commuters that use >>> them, but to have a blanket removal of bike tracks on roads below/above 30 >>> meters wide, clearly shows that these experts are being shortsighted and >>> have no understanding of context sensitive solutions. >>> >>> It behooves you as a journalist to dig beyond the statements and probe the >>> so called experts on their reasoning. Publishing such reports do grave >>> damage to effort to help Delhi's urban quality of life efforts, like your >>> papers efforts to sabotage the BRT program in Delhi. I certainly hope you >>> follow up your article with counter points for other experts and provide a >>> complete picture of the issue. >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Bharat Singh >>> >>> -- >>> Bharat Singh >>> Urban Planning & Design Professional >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/bartsingh >>> 510.842.7005 >>> >>> >>> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Nippo >> Date: Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 10:33 AM >> Subject: Cycle >> To: Romi , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com >> >> >> *Cycle tracks may be on the way out* >> HT December 09, 2010 >> First Published: 01:28 IST(9/12/2010) >> Last Updated: 01:29 IST(9/12/2010) >> >> >> >> *Commuting on Delhi?s traffic-laden roads may soon become easier, with >> newly-built cycle tracks on stretches such as Bhishma Pitamah Road, Shyama >> Prasad Mukherjee Marg and Chandni Chowk, among others, expected to be on >> the way out*. The move comes after constant pressure from the Delhi >> traffic police and thousands of road users *(who are the road users, only >> 14% of Delhi have cars)* that made the Unified Traffic and Transportation >> Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) decide on a >> lasting solution to the problem. >> >> ?*We felt (how can u run a city with your FEELINGS, does this senior >> officer have any statistical data, if so please share) that there is no >> need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres wide. On narrow roads, the >> volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow. Separate cycle tracks on >> these stretches actually increase the chance of accidents (does the >> accident record show it, is it compared with the fatal accidents ) and >> lead to traffic congestion (congestion for whom)*,? said a *senior officer >> of UTTIPEC*. >> >> According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, ?We will place our >> proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be >> implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders.? >> >> KK Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a non-governmental >> organisation said: ?*Removal of cycle tracks from busy roads will actually >> reduce road accidents. **Separating cyclists from other motorised >> commuters on such roads is dangerous*. *(on what basis are these clams >> made, are there any scientific studies or at least statistical data to >> support such a lame statement)* ? >> >> A number of cycle tracks (CTs) were built in Delhi before the Commonwealth >> Games. >> >> However, *many of them have remained unused and according to traffic >> police officials (Who did the survey on cycle track usage?, please share)*, >> they have only made the task of traffic cops tougher. >> >> ?*Many cycle tracks have actually reduced road space and resulted in >> severe traffic hazards (how on earth can reduced road space result in >> traffic hazards, studies show that narrower the road lower the hazard). >> The reduced road width causes congestions**(congestion for whom)*? said >> Ajay Chadha, special commissioner of police (administration and traffic) >> said. >> >> CTs were built on several roads, including the stretch between Vikas Marg >> and Karkardooma, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, the existing BRT corridor >> from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate, Geeta Colony Flyover, Bhishma Pitamah >> Marg, Ring Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, Mall Road and Chandni Chowk. >> >> ?*It takes around 30 minutes to travel a kilometre due to CTs at Netaji >> Subhash Marg and SP Mukherjee Marg **(it takes 30 minutes for the >> resource eating cars to move a km, a pedestrian moving at 0.8 m/s(lowest >> for a pedestrian) will take only 25 minutes)*,? said Sanjay Bhargava, >> president, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal. >> ......................................... >> > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 -------------------------------------------------------- If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From anvitaa at gmail.com Mon Dec 13 15:15:14 2010 From: anvitaa at gmail.com (Anvita Arora) Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:45:14 +0530 Subject: [sustran] IRF says misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks Message-ID: Dear All, I forward the letter by IRF to HT reporter. Both officials from the IRF and UTTIPEC have now issued letters to Hindustan Times for the story saying that it is a misquote of statements. As Romi had pointed out that they have interpreted "need-based" cycle tracks on the less than 30 m right of way roads to "not-needed" and taken as "removal". Whoever maybe at fault, what this incident shows that the media is clearly representing the car users and will pick up any excuse to ensure that their space on the roads is not taken up by other modes like cyclists. This echoes the campaign against the Delhi BRT that the media had created in 2007. Possibly the lesson for us is that camaigning for cycle inclusive planning still needs to be done in an activist mode with the message that cycing facilities need to be on ALL roads and is mandatory. Rational planning terms like "need-based" cycle tracks and options like painted lines etc only give ammunition to remove cycle tracks. We are just finalizing a manual on "Cycling Inclusive Planning in the Indian Subcontinent" which deals with these discussions of where do we need segregated tracks, where painted lines and where traffic calming considering the Indian roads and conditions. But we all know that the media doesn't read manuals and reporters mostly suffer from problems of attention deficit. So, I repeat, that our message cannot be diluted and we have to demand cycling facilities on all roads. Best regards Anvita ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Varinder Arora Date: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM Subject: clarification on Mr K.K.Kapila's (Chairman IRF) quote misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks . To: subhendu.ray@gmail.com, subhendu.ray@hindustantimes.com Cc: romionly@gmail.com, qadeeroy@gmail.com, Ashok Bhattacharjee < diruttipec@gmail.com>, madhukishwar@csds.in, asthanaprabhakar@gmail.com, geetamt@gmail.com, splcommtpt@nic.in, Nippo , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com, patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com, Rajendra Ravi < rajendra_ravi@idsindia.net>, Anvita Arora , Dinesh Mohan , sujit@parisar.org, info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org Dear Subhendu, This refers to your HT story "Cycle Tracks may be on the way out" dated November 9, 2010 where Mr K.K. Kapila's,(Chairman, International Road Federation) statement has been misinterpreted . The HT reporter had called up saying that UTTIPEC is planning to propose to "replace" or make need based several cycle tracks on 30 meter width roads, So any person would appreciate such a move and no where Mr Kapila has said that the cycle tracks should be removed from anywhere . IRF has already taken up the cause for safety of two wheeler and cyclists with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as well as Ministry of Industries. IRF has also taken up a National project on safety for cyclists with help of bicycle manufacturers and two wheelers. The trials for the project are on for last one month. IRF is the last body to appreciate removal of cycle tracks rather it has been promoting construction of more cycle tracks in the capital and other metro cities. With best regards Varinder K Arora PRO, IRF, India 09811153833 varinderkarora@gmail.com -- Anvita Arora, PhD Transport Planner, Resident Representative, Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE), Netherlands CEO, Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans) Pvt. Ltd., TBIU, IIT, Delhi email: anvitaa@gmail.com From anvitaa at gmail.com Mon Dec 13 15:20:11 2010 From: anvitaa at gmail.com (Anvita Arora) Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:50:11 +0530 Subject: [sustran] UTTIPECs reaction to misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks . Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Romi Roy Date: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 1:55 PM Subject: Re: clarification on Mr K.K.Kapila's (Chairman IRF) quote misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks . To: shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com, shivaniss62@gmail.com Cc: subhendu.ray@gmail.com, subhendu.ray@hindustantimes.com, qadeeroy@gmail.com, Ashok Bhattacharjee , madhukishwar@csds.in, asthanaprabhakar@gmail.com, geetamt@gmail.com, splcommtpt@nic.in, Nippo , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com, patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com, Rajendra Ravi , Anvita Arora , Dinesh Mohan , sujit@parisar.org, info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org, Madhu Kishwar , sunita@cseindia.org, subhendu.mukerjee@timesgroup.com, diruttipec@dda.org.in, Varinder Arora < varinderkarora@gmail.com> To Shivani Singh, Metro Editor, Hindustan Times, New Delhi. Date: 12 Dec 2010 Dear Ms. Singh: Kindly refer the clarification email sent by Mr. Varinder K Arora (IRF) and Mr Ashok Bhattacharjee (Dir UTTIPEC) below, regarding the gross misrepresentation of facts and statements given to the concerned HT Reporter, regarding the Dec 09 2010 article: Cycle tracks may be on the way out The HT Reporter's statement that UTTIPEC is planning to "replace" cycle tracks on 30 m roads - *is a blatant lie.* No such statement has been made by me, simply because no such decision has ever been taken in UTTIPEC! My discussion with the Reporter took place in the office and presence of Director UTTIPEC on 08 Dec 2010. *If there is any other "senior officer of UTTIPEC" who has made such a statement, the person must be named, so that he/she can be questioned internally.* As well known in the city now, UTTIPEC Guidelines have clearly indicated that cycle tracks are Mandatory on all Arterial Roads of the city, esp. those at or above 40 m in width. The policy for 30m roads is supposed to be "*need based*" and* "not mandatory*" which means that cycle tracks may be created on such roads as per need, and this decision of need is to be taken by all stakeholders as part of UTTIPEC. *On the contrary*, the article states that a "senior officer of UTTIPEC" has stated that there is "*no need" for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 m wide *, which is a blatant distortion and misrepresentation of facts. The clarification and request for modification letter sent to Metro Editor, Hindustan Times, Delhi by Director UTTIPEC is reproduced below for everyone's reference. -- Warm regards, Romi Roy Sr. Consultant, UTTIPEC DDA Delhi Member, High Court Special Task Force on Transportation Spl. Invitee, LAP Monitoring Committee, MCD Delhi Member, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Habitat, MoUD Honorary Advisor, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board http://www.linkedin.com/in/romiroy "*Sustainable Urban Design can be the foundation for Social Justice*" - Enrique Pe?alosa On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM, Varinder Arora wrote: > > > Dear Subhendu, > > This refers to your HT story "Cycle Tracks may be on the way out" dated > November 9, 2010 where Mr K.K. Kapila's,(Chairman, International Road > Federation) statement has been misinterpreted . > > The HT reporter had called up saying that UTTIPEC is planning to propose to > "replace" or make need based several cycle tracks on 30 meter width roads, > > So any person would appreciate such a move and no where Mr Kapila has said > that the cycle tracks should be removed from anywhere . > > IRF has already taken up the cause for safety of two wheeler and cyclists > with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as well as Ministry of > Industries. > > IRF has also taken up a National project on safety for cyclists with help > of bicycle manufacturers and two wheelers. The trials for the project are > on for last one month. > > IRF is the last body to appreciate removal of cycle tracks rather it has > been promoting construction of more cycle tracks in the capital and other > metro cities. > > > With best regards > > > Varinder K Arora > PRO, IRF, India > 09811153833 > varinderkarora@gmail.com > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ashok Bhattacharjee Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 9:13 PM Subject: *Misreporting on UTTIPEC in HT Article: "Cycle tracks may be on the way out - Subhendu Ray, Hindustan Times"* To: shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com, shivaniss62@gmail.com To: Ms. Shivani Singh, Metro Editor, Hindustan Times, New Delhi. Date: 10 Dec 2010 Kindly refer to the press article in your Newspaper dated 09 Dec 2010: Cycle tracks may be on the way out - Subhendu Ray, Hindustan Times and the following para concerning UTTIPEC: ?*We felt that there is no need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres wide. On narrow roads, the volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow. Separate cycle tracks on these stretches actually increase the chance of accidents and lead to traffic congestion,? said a senior officer of UTTIPEC. * * * *According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, ?We will place our proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders*.? Ms. Paromita Roy's reference to the Governing Body is not in reference to the preceeding paragraph, as I am aware. In addition, *as apparent from your article*, the quote given in the first para is by a different "senior officer of UTTIPEC". *I would request you to kindly inform me of the name of this other "senior officer of UTTIPEC" who has given the anonymous quote, so I may discuss matters with him/her directly.* I am extremely concerned because the quote given by this anonymous officer is totally *contradictory* to all the currently approved and publicly available policies and guidelines of UTTIPEC. *No UTTIPEC official can give a quote to the Press which is contradictory to policies approved by the Governing Body of UTTIPEC taking all stakeholders into consideration **( http://uttipec.nic.in/index2.asp?slid=162&sublinkid=60&langid=1).* *In addition, I want to clarify that segregated cycle tracks can NEVER increase chances of accidents. In fact, separating cycles/ slow moving vehicles from motorized traffic (by providing separate tracks), actually decreases congestion and also reduces accidents.* Moreover, I would like to point out that the heading of the Article is totally contrary/ against the National Urban Transport Policy under which Street Design Guidelines have been prepared by UTTIPEC in consultation with all stakeholders and a team of Experts in Delhi. ( http://uttipec.nic.in/PedestrianGuidelines-30Nov09-UTTPEC-DDA.pdf). *The UTTIPEC guidelines account for equitable distribution of road space for all road users in the city, including cyclists and non-motorized vehicles, under the framework of the National Urban Transport Policy, Government of India. http://www.urbanindia.nic.in/policies/TransportPolicy.pdf* In future you are requested to kindly get verification on any statement made regarding UTTIPEC, from the office of Director UTTIPEC himself, before going to Press, and also kindly issue a corrective follow-up statement in your Newspaper regarding the issue above, as we are facing a large number of queries at our office regarding the misreported statement under UTTIPEC's name. With regards, Ashok Bhattacharjee Director (Plg.)/ Member Secretary, UTTIPEC. 2nd Floor, Vikas Minar, DDA, New Delhi. Ph: 011 2337 9042 diruttipec@gmail.com -- Anvita Arora, PhD Transport Planner, Resident Representative, Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE), Netherlands CEO, Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans) Pvt. Ltd., TBIU, IIT, Delhi email: anvitaa@gmail.com From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Mon Dec 13 16:58:10 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:58:10 +0100 Subject: [sustran] IRF says misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks Message-ID: <015a01cb9a9b$7e4cc580$7ae65080$@britton@ecoplan.org> Dear Anvita and all, In all your good letter Anvita what strikes me above all is your sentence "reporters mostly suffer from problems of attention deficit". Which suggests to me that the media and the public need reliable, balanced and concise help from informed planners and others who do not suffer from this disorder of the extreme time pressures under which they work -- and who are capable of providing short honest syntheses of all our long reports and necessary technical documents and debates behind the projects and policies. This balanced interpretive work is pure gold, but it is a step for which by and large we are not perfectly geared today. Our challenge really. (In fact this is one of the things that we are really trying to do with both World Streets and India Streets, but the only way we can do this well and sufficiently is to have our smart colleagues coming in and lending a hand from time to time.) But let me close by seconding your great closing message, I.e., the importance of demanding cycle "facility" on all roads. (I use the singular because to my ear it seems to suggest not that we necessarily create space for physical separation but also ensure the even more important step of having traffic that is by the street's actual architecture slowed down a safe cycling pace." Finally, a thought as to how busy reporters and editors take this kind of ruckus when something screws up as in this case. My guess is that their skin is far too thick to be much impressed by normal communications on the subject. More powerful medicine is probably needed. Best/Eric ------ -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+eric.britton=ecoplan.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+eric.britton=ecoplan.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Anvita Arora Sent: Monday, 13 December, 2010 07:15 To: sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org Subject: [sustran] IRF says misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks Dear All, I forward the letter by IRF to HT reporter. Both officials from the IRF and UTTIPEC have now issued letters to Hindustan Times for the story saying that it is a misquote of statements. As Romi had pointed out that they have interpreted "need-based" cycle tracks on the less than 30 m right of way roads to "not-needed" and taken as "removal". Whoever maybe at fault, what this incident shows that the media is clearly representing the car users and will pick up any excuse to ensure that their space on the roads is not taken up by other modes like cyclists. This echoes the campaign against the Delhi BRT that the media had created in 2007. Possibly the lesson for us is that camaigning for cycle inclusive planning still needs to be done in an activist mode with the message that cycing facilities need to be on ALL roads and is mandatory. Rational planning terms like "need-based" cycle tracks and options like painted lines etc only give ammunition to remove cycle tracks. We are just finalizing a manual on "Cycling Inclusive Planning in the Indian Subcontinent" which deals with these discussions of where do we need segregated tracks, where painted lines and where traffic calming considering the Indian roads and conditions. But we all know that the media doesn't read manuals and reporters mostly suffer from problems of attention deficit. So, I repeat, that our message cannot be diluted and we have to demand cycling facilities on all roads. Best regards Anvita ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Varinder Arora Date: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM Subject: clarification on Mr K.K.Kapila's (Chairman IRF) quote misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks . To: subhendu.ray@gmail.com, subhendu.ray@hindustantimes.com Cc: romionly@gmail.com, qadeeroy@gmail.com, Ashok Bhattacharjee < diruttipec@gmail.com>, madhukishwar@csds.in, asthanaprabhakar@gmail.com, geetamt@gmail.com, splcommtpt@nic.in, Nippo , ud-spa-09@googlegroups.com, patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com, Rajendra Ravi < rajendra_ravi@idsindia.net>, Anvita Arora , Dinesh Mohan , sujit@parisar.org, info@irfnet.org, info@irfnet.eu, info@irfnews.org Dear Subhendu, This refers to your HT story "Cycle Tracks may be on the way out" dated November 9, 2010 where Mr K.K. Kapila's,(Chairman, International Road Federation) statement has been misinterpreted . The HT reporter had called up saying that UTTIPEC is planning to propose to "replace" or make need based several cycle tracks on 30 meter width roads, So any person would appreciate such a move and no where Mr Kapila has said that the cycle tracks should be removed from anywhere . IRF has already taken up the cause for safety of two wheeler and cyclists with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as well as Ministry of Industries. IRF has also taken up a National project on safety for cyclists with help of bicycle manufacturers and two wheelers. The trials for the project are on for last one month. IRF is the last body to appreciate removal of cycle tracks rather it has been promoting construction of more cycle tracks in the capital and other metro cities. With best regards Varinder K Arora PRO, IRF, India 09811153833 varinderkarora@gmail.com -- Anvita Arora, PhD Transport Planner, Resident Representative, Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE), Netherlands CEO, Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans) Pvt. Ltd., TBIU, IIT, Delhi email: anvitaa@gmail.com -------------------------------------------------------- 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: winmail.dat Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 5898 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20101213/1225c9f4/winmail-0001.bin From sutp at sutp.org Mon Dec 13 18:06:59 2010 From: sutp at sutp.org (SUTP Team) Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:36:59 +0530 Subject: [sustran] SUTP Newsletter September - November 2010 Message-ID: <4D05E233.5050906@sutp.org> ****** SUTP Newsletter ****** ****** Issue 05/10 September - November 2010 ****** A PDF version of the newsletter can be downloaded from http://www.sutp.org/newsletters/NL-Sep-Nov-2010.pdf An online version is also available at http://www.sutp.org/newsletters/NL-Sep-Nov-2010.htm ****************************************************************** In this edition: - Muenster, the bicycle-city of Germany ? an excellent example for the promotion of non-motorised urban transport - GTZ-SUTP participated at the BAQ 2010 Conference - Indonesian Land Transport Academy - GTZ-SUTP at CODATU XIV - The City of Solo is working on Sustainable Urban Transport Strategy Plans - GTZ at the 1st UATP Congress on the African Public Transport and the Expert Group Meeting on Sustainable Mobility for African Cities in Dakar, Senegal - GTZ conducts training course on Travel Demand Management in Mexico City - GTZ at the workshop "The future of carbon financing schemes for sustainable transport" for Mumbai - GTZ SUTP participates at the First International World/Transport Share Forum in Taiwan From Partners: - ITDP launches Transeunte.org - 10 principles for Transport in Urban Life - Studies Show the Connection Between Travel Times to Food Stores and Public Health - New Report: Latin American Green City Index Publications: - GTZ module on Parking Management: A Contribution Towards Liveable Cities - GTZ module on Urban Freight in Developing Cities - GTZ technical document on Transport Alliances - Promoting Cooperation and Integration to offer a more attractive and efficient Public Transport - SUTP Video Portal - GTZ releases a reading list on Public Bicycle Schemes ****************************************************************** Muenster, the bicycle-city of Germany ? an excellent example for the promotion of non-motorised urban transport During the past years Muenster became Germany?s bicycle capital. With a proportion of 37.6% the bicycle is the prevailing transport mode there. Nearly half a million bicycles in comparison to 280,000 inhabitants requires a specific focus on the demands of cyclists. Today the city of Muenster provides a high standard of infrastructure and safety for cycling. In contrast, 10 years ago Muenster?s road safety was very poor. 50% of all traffic-injured were cyclists. Therefore local politicians decided to elaborate a new policy ?Vision Zero? meeting the particular needs of the vulnerable bicyclists and equally considering the failures and limited capacity of humans. With the introduction of ?Vision Zero? an elimination of road causalities was targeted. Further, a high standard in road safety, mutual consideration and compliance with traffic laws became the basics of Muenster?s new policies in mobility. To combat non-compliance with right-of-ways and red traffic lights, the main reasons for accidents, Muenster implemented new transport infrastructure and intensified traffic regulation and monitoring. In the scope of these measures cycle-paths along main roads, extended cycle high ways with a minimum width of 5meters and cycle-bridges and -tunnels at intersections were constructed. Further, the area of the former city wall was changed to a cycle-promenade, traffic speed was limited to 30km/h in residential areas and segregated parking spaces were provided to avoid parking at cycle-paths. To increase the flexibility and attractiveness one-ways were opened for free cycling. As an essential measure to reduce accidents where cyclists are involved the overall visibility of cycle-routing was improved, too. Today Muenster supplies a high-performance cycle-network with a total length of 457 kilometres. For maintenance, parking as well as rental and purchase adequate options are available. The penalisation with non-compliance of traffic laws is regulated in a specific cycle code. To strengthen the safety of cyclists for instance cycling with blood alcohol or without the required lighting is punished by fines. Funded by local and national institutions the feasibility of these measures has been ensured by a shift of political and administrative engagement towards safety and capacity of cycle-paths. All these measures led to several improvements in Muenster?s city environment. Due to partial modal shift towards cycling the overall traffic volume of vehicles was reduced. Hence noise and emission decreased, too. Enhanced road safety supports especially the most vulnerable traffic participants. Nowadays elderly people and children are able to cycle secure at a higher level of convenience. Another benefit is the grown flexibility and the enhanced state of health. For example when cycling on their daily travel to school children do not need a lift by their parents anymore. Thus families can save time and costs. Additionally children are able to concentrate at school which increases their learning ability there. During the past years Muenster developed to a city with increased quality of life and road safety. Although many improvements took place, there are still challenges to optimise the current state of transport. Nevertheless Muenster, its engagements towards cycling as well as its improvements in road safety serve as a standard for sustainable urban transportation. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2453&Itemid=1&lang=en ******************** GTZ-SUTP participated at BAQ 2010 Conference, 8-12 November, Singapore GTZ-SUTP along with several of its partners like CDIA Asia, LTA Academy and BTG members, participated at the BAQ 2010 Conference at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and the various pre- and post events planned around it, from the 8-12 November, 2010. 1. 08-Nov-2010: Pre-Event ?One-day learning Course on Financing Sustainable Urban Transport ? Bridging the Gap from Planning to Implementation? at the LTA Academy, together with CDIA Asia and LTA Academy. 2. 10-Nov-2010: Breakout Session on "Financing Urban Transport", together with CDIA Asia 3. 10-Nov-2010: Breakout Session on "How can Climate Change Negotiations Help Sustainable Transport?" 4.10-Nov-2010: Breakout Session on "Transport Modes and Systems- Green Freight & Logistics" 5. 12-Nov-2010: Post-Event "One day training course on Transportation Demand Management", together with the LTA Academy In addition to the above, GTZ-SUTP also displayed a poster on 'Parking Management in Developing Cities' and released two new Sourcebook modules titled ?Parking Management: A contribution towards Liveable Cities? and ?Urban Freight in Developing Cities?, all of which generated great interest amongst participants, and were well received. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2449&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* Indonesian Land Transport Academy The Sekolah Tinggi Transportasi Darat (STTD), in Bekasi, close to Jakarta, being an official University established by Presidential Decree in 2000 under the Ministry of Transportation, hosts 475 students, being educated on land transport, traffic and road transport, railways, river and inland waterway transport as well as motor vehicle inspection. SUTIP, the Sustainable Urban Transport Improvement Project, hosted at the Ministry of Transportation provides from time to time guest lecturing to STTD. Experts from SUTIP, GTZ, LTA Academy and from the Singapore-German Institute have had guest lectures so far. On 18.11.2010 Manfred Breithaupt from GTZ held a lecture on the contribution of urban transport towards the creation of liveable cities and on urban transport restructuring. The lecture was attended by 180 students. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2476&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* GTZ-SUTP at CODATU XIV Chhavi Dhingra from GTZ-SUTP presented a paper at the Codatu (Cooperation for Urban Mobility in the developing World) XIV Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 25-26 October, 2010. The theme of the Conference was 'Sustainable transport and the quality of life in the city'. Miss Dhingra made a presentation titled "Addressing quality concerns for Public Transport in Indian Cities" in the session on 'How to improve the quality of public transport?'. The conference was attended by almost 150 delegates from various countries. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2455&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* GTZ at the 1st UATP Congress on the African Public Transport and the Expert Group Meeting on Sustainable Mobility for African Cities, 3-7 October 2010 in Dakar, Senegal Mr. Michael Engelskirchen, GTZ Transport Advisor, was invited to make a presentation (download here) about the Rea Vaya BRT system in Johannesburg as a best practice example for the implementation of BRT in African cities. The presentation was held in the Public Transport, Modal Choice and integration session on 5th October 2010 and was attended by more than 300 participants including representatives of ministries across Africa, the African Union and the World Bank. With some 3,000m2 of exhibition space and 31 exhibitors, including GTZ, this was the largest public transport exhibition ever to be held in Africa. Issues of urban mobility and transport of goods are becoming a growing concern in Africa. Lack of adequate transport infrastructures and institutional and regulatory framework, infernal congestions, overloaded buses and trucks resulting in many traffic accidents, road annoyances, increased CO2 emissions, fares fluctuation, multifaceted assaults, the proliferation of informal transport operators etc. are amongst others, some key issues to be addressed for the sustainable development of public transport in Africa. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2454&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* The City of Solo is working on a Sustainable Urban Transport Strategy and Plans With the assistance of CDIA and GTZ SUTIP, the City of Solo in Central Java, Indonesia is working on establishing a Sustainable Urban Transport Strategy and Implementation Plans. Promoted by SUTIP, the Technical Agreement was signed by CDIA and the Mayor of Solo in September 2010. Various stakeholders from the greater area of Solo attended the kickoff workshop for the technical assistance that was held on October 14, 2010. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2450&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* GTZ SUTP participates at the First International World/Transport Share Forum in Taiwan The First World Share Transport Forum was held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, during September 16-18, 2010. The conference is described as "bringing together leading thinkers and practitioners from around Taiwan, Asia and the world, to examine the concept of share/transport in a series of focused collaborative interdisciplinary Master Classes." Mr. Carlosfelipe Pardo participated on behalf of GTZ-SUTP as a moderator and panel expert in this event, and made a presentation on 'The Psychology of Sharing'. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2365&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* GTZ at the workshop "The future of carbon financing schemes for sustainable transport" for Mumbai Chhavi Dhingra Deb from GTZ-SUTP participated in this two day workshop organized jointly by the Institute Veolia Environment (Paris), Veolia Transport (Paris), TERI (New Delhi), TRL (London) and IDDRI (Paris), held during 28-29 September, 2010 at Mumbai, India. The objective of the workshop was to get inputs from various experts on the possible development of a carbon financing mechanism and more importantly the methodology to be adopted for the same, for funding future sustainable transport projects in Mumbai city. Representatives from city authorities, private sector and CDM experts from India and abroad were amongst those present at the workshop. The discussions revolved around issues like existing carbon financing schemes for urban transport and their limitations, the data challenges, need for setting baselines and possible ideas for financing urban transport projects for Indian cities. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2405&Itemid=1&lang=en ********************* GTZ conducts training course on Transportation Demand Management in Mexico City GTZ SUTP, Clean Air Institute and CTS Mexico, supported by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, held a training course on Travel Demand Management (TDM) in English and Spanish language (with simultaneous translation) during October 7-8, 2010 in Mexico City, as a side event to the Congress for Sustainable Transport held in the same city during that week. 30 participants from different cities in Latin America attended the course, and participants from at least 15 cities in municipalities and other organizations took part in the course via web-link provided by the Clean Air Institute as part of their STAQ program. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2347&Itemid=1&lang=en **************** * PUBLICATIONS * **************** GTZ releases a reading list on Public Bicycle Schemes Encouraging public bike systems have shown that there can be numerous short that could be made by a bicycle instead of using motorised modes. Public bike schemes also encourage creative designs in bikes and also in the operational mechanisms. The current document is one of the several efforts of GTZ-Sustainable Urban Transport Project to bring to the policymakers an easy to access list of available material on Public Bike Schemes (PBS) which can be used in their everyday work. The document aims to list out some influential and informative resources that highlight the importance of PBS in cities and how the existing situation could be improved. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2447&Itemid=1&lang=en ******************* GTZ module on Parking Management: A Contribution Towards Liveable Cities Parking controls and pricing are transport demand management measures implemented frequently by local authorities, yet little of the academic literature deals with experience of this policy, preferring instead to concentrate on the politically ?more lucrative? topic of congestion charging. This module attempts to redress that balance a little. It discusses the various definitional, operational, planning, institutional and social challenges around parking practices in cities, and how these could be overcome. The module also discusses topics like types of marking, parking demand and common myths associated with vehicle parking. The publication contains 50 fully illustrated pages, 20 figures, 12 tables and 16 boxes and provides further reading and links on additional aspects related to parking management. This new GTZ Sourcebook module on parking management is authored by Tom Rye, Professor of Transport Policy & Mobility Management in the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Edinburgh Napier. This module offers measures to address parking problems in developing cities and is aimed primarily at stakeholders in local, regional or national governments and anybody with an interest in this issue. This includes not only traffic engineers but also policy makers, land use planners, transport planners, urban designers and in general anyone who has an interest in making parking more efficient and more sustainable. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2471&Itemid=1&lang=en ******************* GTZ module on Urban Freight in Developing Cities The economic development of urban agglomerations depends heavily on a reliable and friction-free supply of goods and materials. At the same time, freight transportation in urban centres contributes considerably to air pollution, noise emission and traffic congestion. Decisive action is necessary in order to optimise urban freight delivery, and thus to alleviate the negative effects. This new GTZ Sourcebook module describes the importance of freight transportation in the context of urban development and provides detailed information on available options to meet current and future challenges for urban goods transport in rapidly growing cities of the developing world. The module has been written by Bernhard O. Herzog, expert in the field of freight operation and fleet-management with more than 30 years experience in the field of transport planning and logistics. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2473&Itemid=1&lang=en ******************* GTZ technical document on Transport Alliances - Promoting Cooperation and Integration to offer a more attractive and efficient Public Transport This new GTZ Technical Document # 4 titled ?Transport Alliances - Promoting Cooperation and Integration to offer a more attractive and efficient Public Transport? summarises the development of the German public transport alliance system, the so called Verkehrsverbund that is often regarded as the first and most successful form of integrated transport in the world. It offers information on aspects ranging from institutional issues to best practices in introducing an integrated fare system. This document also looks at transport alliances in the neighbouring country of Switzerland. The publication contains 130 fully illustrated pages 70 figures and 9 tables. Additionally it provides further reading and links on additional aspects of public transport alliances and public transport integration. Read more: http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2475&Itemid=1&lang=en ******************* SUTP Video Portal The new SUTP video portal presents visuals on the different aspects of sustainable urban transport. This compilation of interesting videos shows various scenes taking place on the streets and urban spaces of cities all over the world ? from Shanghai in China to Curitiba in Brazil.One can see how flaws in urban transport planning can result in air pollution, traffic congestion, inefficient public transport and unsatisfied city inhabitants. At the same time, many videos also present good examples of how to improve transportation and make it comfortable, attractive, efficient, environmentally friendly and user optimized. The video portal covers various aspects of urban transport like Mass Rapid Transit, Cycling, Walking, Parking and Road Safety. Watch the new SUTP Video Portal now at http://www.sutp.org/video ******************* * From Partners * ******************* ITDP launches Transeunte.org ITDP Mexico launched Transeunte.org, a Mexico City-focused blog that aims to be an interactive source of news and analysis on transport, cycling, urban planning, civic culture and public policy. With Transeunte.org, ITDP Mexico hopes to create an online community that will promote the renewal of Mexico City?s streets, making them more livable. Visit Transeunte ? http://www.Transeunte.org ******************* 10 Principles for Transport in Urban Life Visionary urbanist Jan Gehl and Walter Hook, Executive Director of the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), have together set out ten keys to creating more sustainable cities in a new publication. Read more: http://www.itdp.org/index.php/news_events/news_detail/10_principles/ ******************* Studies Show the Connection Between Travel Times to Food Stores and Public Health ?The mapping, survey, and research findings presented in this report clearly demonstrate that the Bay Area, California, most disadvantaged communities face significant transportation barriers to healthy activities. In low-income communities of color, where car-ownership rates are low, inadequate public transit limits access to hospitals, community clinics, supermarkets, and regional parks. People of color are disproportionately injured and killed on unsafe streets ? a health crisis in itself that in turn contributes to fears of walking and bicycling.? Read more: http://thecityfix.com/studies-show-the-connection-between-travel-times-to-food-stores-and-public-health/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thecityfix%2Fposts+%28TheCityFix%29 ******************* * Events * ******************* 23.01.2011 Washington D.C., US: TRB 90th Annual Meeting - http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=56&func=details&did=471&lang=en 27.01.2011 Washington D.C, US: Transforming Transportation 2011 - http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=56&func=details&did=483&lang=en 10.04.2011 Dubai, AE: 59th UITP WORLD CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION - http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=56&func=details&did=381&lang=en 26.09.2011 Mexico City, MX: XXIVth World Road Congress - 2011 - http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=56&func=details&did=389&lang=en ******************* A PDF version of this newsletter can be downloaded at http://www.sutp.org/newsletters/NL-Sep-Nov-2010.pdf ******************* Contact us: Any further queries regarding this document can be addressed to sutp@sutp.org. All the documents mentioned here are available for download from the SUTP website: http://www.sutp.org For registration please visit http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=registers&lang=uk ******************* SUTP Disclaimer The information in this newsletter has been carefully researched and diligently compiled. Nevertheless, GTZ does not accept any liability or give any guarantee for the validity, accuracy and completeness of the information provided. GTZ assumes no legal liabilities for damages, material or immaterial in kind, caused by the use or non-use of provided information or the use of erroneous or incomplete information, with the exception of proven intentional or grossly negligent conduct on the side of GTZ. GTZ reserves the right to modify, append, delete parts or the complete online content without prior notice, or to cancel any publication temporarily or permanently. The third party links are not under the control of GTZ and GTZ is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site. Links to the GTZ SUTP homepage are admissible if the GTZ SUTP website retrieved becomes the sole content of the browser window. -- SUTP Team sutp[at]sutp.org From navdeep.asija at gmail.com Mon Dec 13 18:38:21 2010 From: navdeep.asija at gmail.com (Asija, Navdeep) Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:08:21 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Chandigarh and Ludhiana Metro In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Open Letter to Ministry of Urban Development by the Retired Chief Architect and associate of Le Corbusier, Mr M. N. Sharma followed by my Article on Ludhiana Metro. Need your attention toward the issue. *Chandigarh Metro===* *Subject: Metro for Chandigarh MRTS* Dear Sir, Through this letter I would like to draw your attention towards ongoing Chandigarh Metro proposal, which once again raised a figure towards Chandigarh administrations unholistic urban transport policy and their biasness towards high cost mass rapid transit solution instead of cheaper and sustainable one. Recent statement issued by the ministry of urban development has also raised confusion about giving in principle clearance for Chandigarh's metro project whilst same time ministry has asked Haryana, Chandigarh and Punjab government to initiate work on preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the mass rapid transport network[1]. I would like to question here that how in principle clearance to Chandigarh metro has been given without even DPR? Please clarify the same. Chairman, Delhi Metro, Mr E. Shridharan on his statement to press already raised an issued on the viability, safety and carrying capacity of Monorail said for a city like Chandigarh it will be a totally unviable followed by his suggestion to adopt something road based solutions for MRTS like BRT. (Annex A) Expert Committee on Chandigarh (MRTS) in their meeting held on 12th January 2010 under the chairmanship of Mr M Ramchandaran, Secretary (Urban Development), Government of India clearly ruled out the option of Monorail as suggested by M/s RITES in its report (August 2006). This means if monorail is not viable how metro can be viable and further spending money on Chandigarh Metro DPR is shear wastage of Public money. Interestingly other recommendations by the expert committee like providing adequate connectivity for cyclist and pedestrian needs to be scaled up has not been even touched so far. It seems that Chandigarh Administrations only prefer a high cost solution. As per the feasibility report by RITES on Mass Rapid Transit System for Chandigarh Urban Complex, August 2006 for the Chandigarh Administration, the average journey time using private mode of transport in Chandigarh is between 5 minutes to 17.5 minutes and the journey speed of personalized traffic in Chandigarh is about 33km/h. This reflects that the majority of the trips generated in the city are short trips in the order of 2.5 to 9.6 km in length. Further stress of Chandigarh Administration on metro for Chandigarh sounds witty. Metro is a desirable option for high density corridors and with long trip length (more than 14Km). City where average trip length is less than 4-5 km and maximum traffic demand estimated by the year 2041 is 30,000 PPHPD, does not justify metro. However Special systems like those in Bogot? (Columbia) already carrying as many passengers as metro systems (40,000 PPHPD) has not been even considered. In the recent report by RITES on ?Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Chandigarh Urban Complex? it has been found that in Chandigarh despite of the high personalized motor transport still 76% passengers are dispersing through city buses. Which is another clear indication that, this dependency on bus transit is not going to change, even if we spent crores of rupees on luxurious metro. In the light of above stated facts you may kindly find it appropriate to get the issue re-examined by a panel of experts before starting on a gigantic unviable and unsustainable venture of metro as the MRTS for Chandigarh. Regards, M.N.Sharma ------------------------------ [1] http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=15366 https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByJBNNLeE-WnNjQ2ZTcwNDMtZGVkOC00NDczLWFmNmMtMmU2ZTkwYjhhNjI0&hl=en&authkey=CKG0zeQM https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByJBNNLeE-WnNzhjNGFkZDgtYTkwNi00MjA2LWE2YmItNzNkMGI4MTJlNTdm&hl=en&authkey=CIeTwYQK https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByJBNNLeE-WnNzhjNGFkZDgtYTkwNi00MjA2LWE2YmItNzNkMGI4MTJlNTdm&hl=en&authkey=CIeTwYQK *Ludhiana Metro====* *Oh Come on-Reconsider..* *Navdeep Asija* * https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0ByJBNNLeE-WnMGE5ODUyNTUtNDFiOS00OWYyLWFlM2UtMTIzOWNkMjAyYTg1&hl=en&authkey=CNnCq4UI * * * From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Dec 14 23:22:07 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:22:07 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Transport, Environment And Public Policy In Hard Times + Grading Sustainable Transport: Message-ID: <023e01cb9b9a$66ddc570$34995050$@britton@ecoplan.org> Here are two recent articles in World Streets that may interest some of you here at Sustran: TRANSPORT, ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY IN HARD TIMES We have no money gentlemen, so we shall have to think. - Ernest Rutherford, on taking over the Caversham Laboratory in 1919 On 2 December the managing editor of World Streets, Eric Britton, was invited by the organizers of the National Autumn Conference of ACT TravelWise to present the keynote address, following an opening presentation by Norman Baker, MP and Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Transport of the just-elected UK coalition government. The theme of the conference was ?The Right to Travel ? Getting more for less? ? and Britton was asked to bring in some international perspectives and possibly some less familiar ideas for the largely British audience after the Minister?s presentation . . . Click here for more: http://worldstreets.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/transport-environment-and-publi c-policy-in-hard-times/ GRADING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT: SCHOLARSHIP A. LEADERSHIP?C- One of the often voiced claims of World Streets is that those who best understand the issues and priorities behind sustainable transport and sustainable cities are failing to command the high ground in the debate and the politics of decision simply because we are just not good enough at communicating our ideas, first to each other and then to the world. All too often when confronted with a decision issue, with our strong academic orientation and backgrounds, we prefer to turn to the familiar world of more research, fatter reports and that next great conference, while at the end of the day what we really need is a concise, credible, understandable presentation of our best ideas and the choices that need to be made . . Click here for more: http://worldstreets.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/grading-sustainable-transport-s cholarship-a-leadership-c/ From richmond at alum.mit.edu Wed Dec 15 13:49:48 2010 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan Richmond) Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:49:48 +0700 (SE Asia Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Request for advice on next appointment Message-ID: This is a one-off to ask you if you have any ideas for my next assignment -- I would certainly appreciate any suggestions! My contract in Dhaka as Public Transport Adviser to the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board, Government of Bangladesh, is finishing at the end of this month, and I am looking for something new. I have had a series of relatively short-term appointments over the last few years, so at the end of each one I need to try to act quickly to find something else! My job in Dhaka has been highly stressful, but a great deal has been achieved. My number one objective was to complete a series of difficult tasks whatever the lack of resources, support or other obstacles, and to put an emphasis on building good processes of management and governance. With the government understaffed in key areas, and often weakly structured relationships between operating departments this was far from easy. However, I developed concepts for both a Corridor Restructuring program and a program to restructure bus routes, operating practices, management and fares and prepared Terms of Reference for both of them. The key element of the Corridor Restructuring is a BRT system, but I felt it important to optimize the flows of all traffic (pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles along with cars) through development of enhanced approaches to management: by improving the use of road space, it would not be necessary to impede traffic to bring in BRT. The opposite is the objective: to make all traffic flow more smoothly. For restructuring of the existing bus system, the key element is to phase it realistically to achieve success in collaboratiuon with local operators and government, rather than to try to impose massive changes overnight that would likely be beyond achievement. When I could get input from government colleagues, I did so. But if there was a gap in knowledge, local or otherwise, I simply did my best to fill in by myself and have my ideas checked by a number of international colleagues rather than allowing delay to creep in. I managed much of project communication and advised the local procurement committee. My other work has involved coming up with a concept for a new Metropolitan Transportation Authority to improve decision making, managerial performance, and coordination. I have tried to emphasize modern principles of goal-based management and developing an organization that promises to attract talent. It is not yet however clear at this point the exact form of the new entity to be decided by the Government. I summarize below the types of assignments I would be interested in, and please be in touch if you know of any appropriate opportunities: 1: I would be prepared to take on a further assignment as an adviser to help a government or senior policy leader formulate and manage processes of transport planning and implementation. I have particular experience in dealing with situations where good communication is important and patience is required to overcome constraints in management and governance in order to achieve results, and will consider taking on further challenging assignments as well as ones that require somewhat less elevation of blood pressure! 2: I would be interested in both short or long-term assignments with international organizations (such as the World Bank or ADB), consulting companies, think tanks, and the like, and would be prepared to join teams in submitting bids for projects. 3: Opportunities for long-term employment with such entities would also be welcome. 4: I am also interested in returning to teaching. I have a Phd in transportation planning from MIT and international experience in teaching as well as in professional practice. My teaching in Asia has emphasized developing curricula appropriate to developing country professional practice. I summarize below the content area of possible assignments to which I could contribute: 1: General transportation planning, project implementation and management in both developed and developing countries. My recent specialized experience is in the area of bus project development, including development of complex specifications/Terms of Reference for Bus Rapid Transit and bus restructuring programs, but I am interested also in work related to other modes and, in particular, to the interface between private and public transport to create sustainable solutions. 2: Organizational restructuring. While I have contributed to thinking on organizational restructuring in Bangladesh, I played a more active role in design on my previous appointment to the Government of Mauritius where I came up with the concept of a Land TransportAuthority and wrote the Terms of Reference for services to implement the new entity. Bringing modern performance-based management practices that allow organizational learning and growth and putting an emphasis on proper coordination is critical to the success of ventures in developing countries (and also developed ones!), and I would like to do further work in this area. 3: Good governance. Corruption presents a barrier to growth in many developing countries, and new thinking is needed to elimiate its damaging effects. I particularly like the example of the Government of Singapore where high civil service salaries go hand-in-hand with high expectations in job performance, and corruption is not allowed to creep in. A move towards professionalization in government is required in many countries, with the establishment of performance standards and reward systems that will attract talented young people who do not wish to be involved in corruption, and for whom normal incentives will be more than enough to keep them focused on doing their job well. I have stressed providing for good governance in all my recent project work, and would like to do work in the area whether or not it is related specifically to transportation. 4: Practice development. I have read huge volumes of consulting proposals in the last few years. Some have been excellent, demonstrating deep knowledge and thought. Many companies do not know, however, how to structure proposals for developing country work. When I have seen methodologies proposed that work in the West but are inappropriate in the developing world and a lack of sensitivity to local circumstances, I have not felt encouraged. With my knowledge of what it takes to successfully complete work in a challenging developing country environment, I am in a position to help consulting conmpanies improve their practice in this area of professional work and enhance the likelihood of submitting successful proposals. 5: Professional training. With my most recent teaching practice geared to preparing developing country students for professional life, I am interested in participating in programs attractive to transportation practitioners in the developing world. Too many programs are of a one-way static nature; a move is needed both to making content more relevant to the needs of developing countries and to taking an interactive approach to communication to make student involvement lead to motivation to implement the materials learned in training in subsequent practice. A number of international agencies as well as educational organizations have been conducting work in this area, and I would like to participate in such activities. 6: Sooner or later I am interested in doing further academic work, with an emphasis on teaching geared to improving developing country professional practice as well as to comparative learning that seeks to establish what developed and developing countries have to learn from each other. If any of you would like to see my cv it can be found at: http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/professional/resume.pdf Many thanks, and looking forward to hearing of any appropriate suggestions from you. --Jonathan ----- Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From litman at vtpi.org Thu Dec 16 04:30:09 2010 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Alexander Litman) Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:30:09 -0800 Subject: [sustran] VTPI NEWS - Autumn 2010 Message-ID: <00d901cb9c8e$9046f6d0$b0d4e470$@org> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------- Autumn 2010 Vol. 13, No. 4 ----------------------------------- 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW VTPI DOCUMENTS ==================== "Contrasting Visions of Urban Transport: Critique of 'Fixing Transit: The Case For Privatization'"(http://www.vtpi.org/cont_vis.pdf ) This report critiques the Heritage Foundation paper, "Fixing Transit: The Case For Privatization" which recommends complete privatization and self-finance of public transit. Our analysis indicates that such privatized, unsubsidized transit service would be inferior and less efficient overall than what exists in most cities, and would fail to meet consumer demands. "Short and Sweet: Analysis of Shorter Trips Using National Personal Travel Survey Data" (http://www.vtpi.org/short_sweet.pdf) This paper summarizes information on shorter trips, based on 2009 National Household Travel Survey data. This analysis indicates that a significant portion of total personal travel consists of shorter trips. About 10% of reported trips are a half-mile or less, about 19% are a mile or less, and 41% are three miles or less. Since shorter trips tend to be undercounted, the actual share of short trips is probably higher than these figures indicate. * * * * * UPDATED DOCUMENTS ================= Below are just a few of many recently updated VTPI documents: "The Future Isn't What It Used To Be" (http://www.vtpi.org/future.pdf ) "Pavement Busters Guidebook" (http://www.vtpi.org/pavbust.pdf ) "Financing Transit Systems Through Value Capture" (http://www.vtpi.org/smith.pdf ) "Rail Transit In America: Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits" (www.vtpi.org/railben.pdf ) "Affordable-Accessible Housing In A Dynamic City: Why and How To Increase Affordable Housing Development In Accessible Locations" (www.vtpi.org/aff_acc_hou.pdf ) * * * * * PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE =================== 'Bikes Versus Cars: Who Pays Their Fair Share For Vancouver's Roads? City does have 'free riders' problem, but it's not what you think,' Vancouver Sun, 25 September 2010 at (http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Bikes+versus+cars+pays+their+fair+shar e+Vancouver+roads/3577047/story.html ) Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ): * * * * * UPCOMING EVENTS ================== 2011 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 23-27 January 2011 Theme: "Transportation, Livability, and Economic Development in a Changing World" ( http://www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting2011/Public/AnnualMeeting2011.aspx ). "Sustainable Transportation Indicators Subcommittee" ADD40(1) http://pressamp.trb.org/conferenceinteractiveprogram/EventDetails.aspx?ID=17 876&Email=litman@vtpi.org 24 Jan. 2011, 12:15PM- 1:15PM, Hilton, Columbia Hall 3 & 4 * * * * * BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ==================== "Indicators for Sustainable Transport Policy Making and Performance Evaluation," keynote presentation at 'A New Decade in Sustainable Transport: Fifth Regional EST Forum in Asia' United Nations Center for Regional Development (http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/5th-regional-est-forum/index.htm ), 24 August 2010, Bangkok. "Economic Impacts of Transportation Enhancements," presented at the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse Workshop (http://www.enhancements.org/seminar/seminarfy10.asp ), 16-17 September 2010, Chattanooga, held in conjunction with ProBike/ProWalk (http://www.bikewalk.org/2010conference/index.php ) 'Livable Communities, Housing and Health - Toolbox Session' at "Railvolution 2010" (http://www.railvolution.com/2010conferencepapers.asp ). This workshop identified ways that transit oriented development and more affordable-accessible housing can help achieve public health and social equity objectives. On May 13 and 14, 2010, the Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government convened a workshop on "Transportation Revenue Options: Infrastructure, Emissions, and Congestion." Workshop technical papers and report available at http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/20389/transportation_revenue _options.html * * * * * USEFUL RESOURCES ================= "Driven Apart: How Sprawl is Lengthening Our Commutes and Why Misleading Mobility Measures are Making Things Worse" (http://www.ceosforcities.org/work/driven-apart ) This study by CEOs for Cities critiques methods used to measure traffic congestion costs and evaluate congestion reduction strategies. It criticizes the Travel Time Index (TTI) used in the commonly-cited Urban Mobility Report as an unreliable guide for understanding urban transportation problems. The TTI uses flawed speed and fuel economy estimates which overstate traffic congestion costs, and it ignores the increased transportation costs associated with more dispersed land use patterns. As a result, the TTI favors policies that stimulate automobile dependency and sprawl. The Urban Mobility Report's estimates of congestion delay are inconsistent with real-time traffic data, and travel times reported in travel surveys. (Also see, "Congestion Costs" http://www.vtpi.org/tca/tca0505.pdf ) "Relationship between Growth and Prosperity in 100 Largest U.S. Metropolitan Areas" (http://www.fodorandassociates.com/Reports/Growth_&_Prosperity_in_US_MSAs.pd f ). This study examines the relationship between growth and economic prosperity in major U.S. metropolitan areas. It finds that faster growth rates are associated with lower incomes, greater income declines, and higher poverty rates. Unemployment rates tend to be higher in faster growing areas. The 25 slowest-growing metro regions outperformed the 25 fastest growing in every category and averaged $8,455 more in per capita personal income in 2009. This study indicates the importance of distinguishing between 'growth' (getting bigger) and 'development' (getting better) in planning and economic analysis. "Location Efficiency and Mortgage Default" (http://www.costar.com/uploadedFiles/JOSRE/JournalPdfs/06.117_142.pdf ). Based on a sample of over 40,000 mortgages, this study found that default probability increases with the number of vehicles owned, and decreases with higher Walk Scores in high income areas. The results provide additional justification for smart growth development and urban revitalization policies, because designing neighborhoods that reduce motor vehicle ownership and use is beneficial to borrowers and banks as well as the environment. "Pay-As-You-Drive Auto Insurance In Massachusetts: A Risk Assessment And Report On Consumer, Industry And Environmental Benefits" (http://www.clf.org/our-work/healthy-communities/modernizing-transportation/ pay-as-you-drive-auto-insurance-payd ) This major study by MIT researchers used mileage and insurance claim data matched for individual vehicles totaling 2.8 million vehicle-years. The analysis found a significant correlation between miles driven and risk, and confirms that mileage is an accurate predictor of risk, laying the groundwork for adoption of PAYD vehicle insurance. Overall, the study confirms the actuarial soundness of PAYD pricing and indicates that the PAYD could provide significant benefits to users and society. (Also see "Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance" www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm79.htm ) "Pedometer-Measured Physical Activity and Health Behaviors in U.S. Adults," Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, (http://journals.lww.com/acsm-sse/Abstract/2010/10000/Pedometer_Measured_Phy sical_Activity_and_Health.4.aspx) Summarized in, "Americans walk only half as much as we should: Adults taking a mere 5,117 steps a day, study finds" MSNBC, 11 Oct 2010 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39612832/ns/health-fitness ). This study found that U.S. residents average only 5,117 daily steps, only about half the amount recommended by public health experts to maintain basic fitness and health, and far less than the 9,695 daily steps in Western Australia, 9,650 daily steps in Switzerland, and 7,168 daily stops in Japan. The author concludes that these differences result from higher levels of automobile dependency in North America. 'Are We Reaching Peak Travel? Trends in Passenger Transport in Eight Industrialized Countries' "Transport Reviews" (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2010.518291); at www.stanford.edu/~adammb/Publications/Millard-Ball%20Schipper%202010%20Peak% 20travel.pdf. This study finds evidence that per capita vehicle travel has stopped growing in most industrialized countries. (Also see, "The Future Isn't What It Used To Be" http://www.vtpi.org/future.pdf ) "Neighbourhood Design, Travel, and Health in Metro Vancouver: Using a Walkability Index" (http://www.act-trans.ubc.ca/documents/WalkReport_ExecSum_Oct2010_HighRes.pd f ) by the University of British Columbia Active Transportation Collaboratory (http://www.act-trans.ubc.ca ). This new planning tool identifies urban design factors that contribute to neighbourhood walkability, and can be used to predict how policy and planning decisions affect walking activity and physical fitness. "Transit and Health: Mode Of Transport, Employer-Sponsored Public Transit Pass Programs, And Physical Activity" (http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jphp/journal/v30/nS1/full/jphp200852a.html ). This study found that, in Atlanta, Georgia, people who travel by public transit were much more likely (odds ratio 3.87) of achieving 1.5 miles or 30 minutes a day of walking activity recommended for basic physical fitness and health. (Also see, "Evaluating Public Transit Health Benefits" http://www.vtpi.org/tran_health.pdf ) "Public Transit Use As A Catalyst For An Active Lifestyle: Mechanisms, Predispositions And Hindrances" (http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30239 ). This PhD dissertation by Ugo Lachapelle (congratulations Ugo!) analyzes relationships between household location preferences, housing location decisions, neighborhood design, transit use, and active transport (walking and cycling). It finds a positive relationship between transit travel and physical activity. Surveys indicate latent demand for living close to high quality transit by some households. It concludes that increasing housing opportunities near transit could increase public transit use and support health benefits. "Physical Activity Predicts Gray Matter Volume In Late Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Health Study" (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20944075 ). This study published in the journal Neurology found that increased walking by middle-aged people is associated with greater gray matter volume nine years latter, which is in turn associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment. This research indicates that walking is not only smart, it can also make a person smarter. "A Paradigm Shift Towards Sustainable Low-Carbon Transport: Financing The Vision ASAP" (http://www.itdp.org/documents/A_Paradigm_Shift_toward_Sustainable_Transport .pdf ), Transport Research Laboratory for the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy This report discusses challenges and actions needed to finance the paradigm shift towards sustainable, low-carbon transport in developing countries. (Also see, "TDM Financing Options" http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm119.htm ) "Smart Transportation" (http://www.smart-transportation.com ) is a partnership of Pennsylvanian state agencies to better link transportation investments with land use planning and decision-making. It has a variety of information on the need for more efficient state transportation policies, and practical ways to improve policies and planning practices. GreenTRIP (http://www.GreenTRIP.org ) GreenTRIP is an innovative certification program that rewards residential infill projects that apply comprehensive transport management strategies to reduce traffic, energy consumption and pollution emissions. Designed to complement LEED certification, which focuses on building design, GreenTRIP measures how connected a community is and what resources and incentives are provided to help use alternative transport modes, including walking, cycling, ridesharing, public transit and carsharing. "National TOD Database" (http://www.toddata.cnt.org ) provides detailed demographic, geographic and economic data for 3,776 U.S. urban rail transit stations and 833 proposed stations in 47 metropolitan areas, suitable for research purposes (for example, to evaluate how proximity to high quality transit affects factors such as traffic fatality rates, household transportation expenditures and local economic development), for planning (to identify areas where transit-oriented development should be encouraged) and for real estate professionals (to allow developers and households identify multi-modal neighborhoods). "Parking Infrastructure: Energy, Emissions, And Automobile Life-Cycle Environmental Accounting," Environmental Research Letters,; at (http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/5/3/034001 ). This study by the UC Berkeley Center for Future Urban Transport (http://www.sustainable-transportation.com ) performs a life-cycle environmental inventory of the 500 million estimated off-street parking spaces in the U.S. It discusses the environmental consequences of current parking policies. (Also see, "Parking Costs" www.vtpi.org/tca/tca0504.pdf ) "Parking Management: A Contribution Towards Livable Cities," Module 2C, Sustainable Transportation: A Sourcebook for Policy-Makers in Developing Countries (http://www.sutp.org/dn.php?file=2c-PARKM-EN.pdf ). This module offers measures to address parking problems in developing cities and is aimed primarily at stakeholders in local, regional or national governments and anybody with an interest in this issue. This includes not only traffic engineers but also policy makers, land use planners, transport planners, urban designers , and anyone interested in more efficient and sustainable parking policies. "Urban Freight In Developing Cities, Module 1G in the Sustainable Transport: A Sourcebook for Policy-makers in Developing Cities" (http://www.sutp.org/dn.php?file=1g-UF-EN.pdf ) by the Sustainable Urban Transport Project Asia (http://www.sutp-asia.org ). Provides policy makers and planners an overview of strategies to improve freight transport and reduce negative impacts through better management. It includes numerous examples and case studies of effective freight transport management policies and programs. New Draft of LEED (http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2010/11/8/Your-Guide-to-the-N ew-Draft-of-LEED-2012-public-comment-USGBC ) The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for a new draft of the LEED Green Building rating system, which runs until 31 Dec. 2010. It includes a number of credits related to transportation, reduced automobile dependence, location accessibility, and parking management and bicycle facilities. "Advancing Metropolitan Planning for Operations: The Building Blocks of a Model Transportation Plan Incorporating Operations - A Desk Reference" (http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10027/index.htm ), by the US Department of Transportation. This new publication provides guidance for incorporating operational management strategies into state, regional and local transportation plans. This provides a foundation for transportation demand management. Sincerely, Todd Litman Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org ) litman@vtpi.org Phone & Fax 250-360-1560 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Dec 17 00:24:37 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:24:37 +0100 Subject: [sustran] TISA - Transport International Sustainability Assessment Message-ID: <001201cb9d35$627b33e0$27719ba0$@britton@ecoplan.org> Idea: Start with a simple carsharing index to show the way for the rest I hope you may have had a chance to read my note to the group of Monday on TISA - If not you can find it on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorldCarShare/message/3347 Here is the idea that I'd like to see if you might lend a hand with. Basically we would like to make the first index in this program a very simple one, that is predicated on the base of the simple possibility that the more carsharing you have in a country, the closer you are likely to be to moving toward a more sustainable transport system for day to day transportation. (there will be plenty of opportunity to argue that once we have some background to work with.) I don't see this as being a big deal or a whole lot of work, especially since the people of good will who belong to this excellent free group can pitch in with the help of a simple email. Here are the indexes that we would like to ask for your country at your first convenience: 1. Number of carshare vehicles in operation in country 2. Number of registered cars 3. Number of registered carshare users (can be played off against national population or, if it exists, registered drivers/licenses) 4. And if at all possible, recent time series data as available on the above so that we can get a feel for the trends. It's that simple at this point. If you can help on this and you are interested in expanding the role of carsharing in your city or country, I am sure you will be well served by the final results. Please send on your data to me as you prefer: to the group as a whole, or to me privately via eric.britton@newmobility.org. (The nice thing about sending it to the group is that this may encourage the others to chip in and do their part.) Then once I have let's say a couple of dozen sets of pretty solid figures, I can take a first cut at this first index, and write up in draft my introduction and Thanks/ /Eric Britton PS. I do not want to stifle the imagination of this expert community, so if you have other proposals, cautions, or index materials that we can introduce into our new index, well that would be great. In any event, the objective of all our collaborative work is that the final results will exceed the ideas, inspirations and hopes of the person who set the idea in process. After carsharing: We intend to have a go at seeing if we can get some solid no-bull indicators on car use, gas prices and trends, traffic accidents, taxis, biking, PBS, ridesharing (may be hard), BRT . . . and the long list goes on. One thing at a time. PISA references: OECD PISA home page - TISA http://www.oecd.org/pages/0,3417,en_32252351_32235731_1_1_1_1_1,00.html Wikipedia entry: - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessment Your country's performance and reactions - Pop OECD PISA 2009" into Google and then search your country cid:image001.png@01CB9D38.2648DD70 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 79855 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20101216/9b3d2fbe/attachment-0001.png From shovan1209 at yahoo.com Wed Dec 22 05:51:54 2010 From: shovan1209 at yahoo.com (Syed Saiful Alam) Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:51:54 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] government is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear all?Good news for all our activist that ?The government of?Bangladesh?is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam.? "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday.? "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," he said.? He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field."? The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the government.? The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion.? Thanks Syed Saiful alam shovan1209@yahoo.com +8801552442814 Are private cars the ideal transport??www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com From schipper at wri.org Wed Dec 22 10:49:26 2010 From: schipper at wri.org (Lee Schipper) Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:49:26 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move under those conditions? Lee Schipper Global Met Studies UC Berkeley Precourt En Eff Center Stanford On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" wrote: > > Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. > "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > > "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," he said. > > He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > > The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the government. > > The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > > Thanks > Syed Saiful alam > shovan1209@yahoo.com > +8801552442814 > Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org Wed Dec 22 11:00:20 2010 From: cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org (Cornie Huizenga) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:00:20 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Dear Syed, Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am somehow lost when I read your email. First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than 4 persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private cars. Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) higher parking rates in city center or banning of parking. Enforcement will be an issue of what ever measure is put up and I would argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than number of people in the cars. At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that sound alternative. Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to build more roads :-) Cornie On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 4:51 AM, Syed Saiful Alam wrote: > > Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government > of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka > to reduce nagging traffic jam. > "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to > ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > > "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," > he said. > > He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > > The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. > > The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > > Thanks > Syed Saiful alam > shovan1209@yahoo.com > +8801552442814 > Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > -- Cornie Huizenga Joint Convener Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport Mobile: +86 13901949332 cornie.huizenga@slocatpartnership.org www.slocat.net From kanthikannan at gmail.com Wed Dec 22 12:25:15 2010 From: kanthikannan at gmail.com (Kanthi Kannan) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:55:15 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement ofprivate cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <4d116fcc.0431640a.020d.067c@mx.google.com> Dear Syed Greetings!! It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about traffic jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is not a solution. In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the banning of private cars a solution? In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to come) under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows no signs of getting better? The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue as to which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean that the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the open and why do we forget the hanging wires? There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if we do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to accommodate the wheel car. There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think that all of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to attract people to use PT. Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. And the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will get passes to exempt them from the penalty. What needs to be done? A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport at least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then definitely all the others will follow suit. B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like over crowding, punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to make it possible for people to take PT. I think that all of us converts have been saying for a loooooooooooooooong time, the will to make a change is what is needed. Thanks Regards Kanthi Kannan THOSE WHO WALK CANNOT DECIDE AND THOSE WHO DECIDE DO NOT WALK -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+kanthikannan=gmail.com@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+kanthikannan=gmail.com@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 To: Syed Saiful Alam Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; Lloyd Wright; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; Salil Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement ofprivate cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. Dear Syed, Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am somehow lost when I read your email. First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than 4 persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private cars. Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) higher parking rates in city center or banning of parking. Enforcement will be an issue of what ever measure is put up and I would argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than number of people in the cars. At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that sound alternative. Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to build more roads :-) Cornie On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 4:51 AM, Syed Saiful Alam wrote: > > Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government > of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka > to reduce nagging traffic jam. > "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to > ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > > "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," > he said. > > He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > > The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. > > The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > > Thanks > Syed Saiful alam > shovan1209@yahoo.com > +8801552442814 > Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > -- Cornie Huizenga Joint Convener Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport Mobile: +86 13901949332 cornie.huizenga@slocatpartnership.org www.slocat.net -------------------------------------------------------- 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From richmond at alum.mit.edu Wed Dec 22 13:49:39 2010 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan Richmond) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:49:39 +0600 (Bangladesh Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> Message-ID: I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative procedures. Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have ideas for my next assignment! General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be overcome. Best regards, --Jonathan On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move under those conditions? > > Lee Schipper > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" wrote: > >> >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >> >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," he said. >> >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >> >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the government. >> >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >> >> Thanks >> Syed Saiful alam >> shovan1209@yahoo.com >> +8801552442814 >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > ----- Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From Lwright at vivacities.org Wed Dec 22 15:05:38 2010 From: Lwright at vivacities.org (Lloyd Wright) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:05:38 +0200 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> Message-ID: <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon school to be employed in this manner. With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. Best regards, Lloyd -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 To: Lee Schipper Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; Salil Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; Lloyd Wright Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative procedures. Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have ideas for my next assignment! General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be overcome. Best regards, --Jonathan On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move under those conditions? > > Lee Schipper > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" wrote: > >> >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >> >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," he said. >> >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >> >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the government. >> >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >> >> Thanks >> Syed Saiful alam >> shovan1209@yahoo.com >> +8801552442814 >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > ----- Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ -------------------------------------------------------- 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From schipper at wri.org Wed Dec 22 15:24:09 2010 From: schipper at wri.org (Lee Schipper) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:24:09 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movementof privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> Message-ID: <46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local> Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in San Francisco. -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+schipper=wri.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+schipper=wri.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Lloyd Wright Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM To: 'Global 'South' Sustainable Transport' Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movementof privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon school to be employed in this manner. With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. Best regards, Lloyd -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 To: Lee Schipper Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; Salil Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; Lloyd Wright Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative procedures. Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have ideas for my next assignment! General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be overcome. Best regards, --Jonathan On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move under those conditions? > > Lee Schipper > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" wrote: > >> >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be >> allowed to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >> >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the people," he said. >> >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the >> public transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >> >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the government. >> >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy >> 255 Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >> >> Thanks >> Syed Saiful alam >> shovan1209@yahoo.com >> +8801552442814 >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > ----- Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ -------------------------------------------------------- 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 -------------------------------------------------------- If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From krc12353 at gmail.com Wed Dec 22 20:40:26 2010 From: krc12353 at gmail.com (Karthik Rao-Cavale) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:40:26 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> Message-ID: "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? It is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot afford to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet just because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS sounds just absurd to me. In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are often too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need to ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run in the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus stops on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the city's bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what Delhi BRT did, and I think it is a good design. On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 1:05 AM, Lloyd Wright wrote: > As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised > vehicles > in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. > > > However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a > minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where > individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of > meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has > largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon > school to be employed in this manner. > > With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While > certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses > will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new > vehicles > will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, > and > thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. > > And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 > years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not > be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses > all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable > access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public > transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? > Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, > the > "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. > > Best regards, > > Lloyd > > -----Original Message----- > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org > [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright > =vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On > Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond > Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 > To: Lee Schipper > Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; > NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; > Salil > Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable > Transport; > Lloyd Wright > Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of > privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. > > > > I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any > attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a > consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative > procedures. > > Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus > reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service > levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major > BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my > contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have > ideas for my next assignment! > > General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost > unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen > buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and > there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. > However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to > maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and > organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be > overcome. > > Best regards, > > --Jonathan > > > On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > > > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move > under those conditions? > > > > Lee Schipper > > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > > > > > > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" > wrote: > > > >> > >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of > Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to > reduce nagging traffic jam. > >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed > to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > >> > >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the > people," he said. > >> > >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > >> > >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. > >> > >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > >> > >> Thanks > >> Syed Saiful alam > >> shovan1209@yahoo.com > >> +8801552442814 > >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > >> > >> > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------- > >> 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > > > > ----- > Jonathan Richmond > Public Transport Advisor > Dhaka Transport Coordination Board > Ministry of Communications > Government of Bangladesh > Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor > Dhaka-1000 > Bangladesh > > Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 > Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 > > e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu > http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > From brader at itpworld.net Wed Dec 22 20:51:58 2010 From: brader at itpworld.net (Colin Brader) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:51:58 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement ofprivatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com><1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org><002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> Message-ID: I would agree Karthik, BRT has a flexible definition and does not have to operate within the median. I believe that the form of BRT implemented should be dependent upon local user needs, appreciation of constraints and a bias to delivery. If there is investment in a significant bus fleet this becomes a context, if there is clear benefits in that fleet migrating into a BRT system - this can be achieved either through adopting a bi-lateral system - as we developed with LAMATA in Lagos Nigeria, or through physical medication to the buses themselves - as has been undertaken in Ghana. I don't know the detail of the circumstance in Dhaka but is current problems would benefit form a new bus fleet and this could be sourced it would seem that that benefit should not be stifled by the needs of an as yet undefined system that may or may not be delivered but is readily able to morph into a local user needs assessment. Regards Colin Brader Director Integrated Transport Planning Ltd 43 Temple Row Birmingham B2 5LS, UK? Tel:????? +44 (0)121 230 1700 Mobile: +44 (0)7771 707538 www.itpworld.net ? Offices in Milton Keynes, Birmingham?and Nottingham Registered in England and Wales No: 3485430 Registered office: 50 North Thirteenth Street, Milton Keynes, MK9 3BP VAT Number: 705011395 -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+brader=itpworld.net@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+brader=itpworld.net@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale Sent: 22 December 2010 11:40 To: Lloyd Wright Cc: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement ofprivatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? It is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot afford to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet just because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS sounds just absurd to me. In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are often too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need to ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run in the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus stops on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the city's bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what Delhi BRT did, and I think it is a good design. On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 1:05 AM, Lloyd Wright wrote: > As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised > vehicles > in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. > > > However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a > minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where > individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of > meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has > largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon > school to be employed in this manner. > > With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While > certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses > will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new > vehicles > will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, > and > thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. > > And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 > years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not > be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses > all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable > access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public > transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? > Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, > the > "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. > > Best regards, > > Lloyd > > -----Original Message----- > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org > [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright > =vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On > Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond > Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 > To: Lee Schipper > Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; > NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; > Salil > Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable > Transport; > Lloyd Wright > Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of > privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. > > > > I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any > attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a > consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative > procedures. > > Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus > reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service > levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major > BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my > contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have > ideas for my next assignment! > > General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost > unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen > buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and > there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. > However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to > maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and > organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be > overcome. > > Best regards, > > --Jonathan > > > On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > > > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move > under those conditions? > > > > Lee Schipper > > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > > > > > > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" > wrote: > > > >> > >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of > Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to > reduce nagging traffic jam. > >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed > to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > >> > >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the > people," he said. > >> > >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > >> > >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. > >> > >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > >> > >> Thanks > >> Syed Saiful alam > >> shovan1209@yahoo.com > >> +8801552442814 > >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > >> > >> > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------- > >> 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > > > > ----- > Jonathan Richmond > Public Transport Advisor > Dhaka Transport Coordination Board > Ministry of Communications > Government of Bangladesh > Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor > Dhaka-1000 > Bangladesh > > Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 > Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 > > e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu > http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 -------------------------------------------------------- If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). This email (and any attachments) contains confidential information and is intended solely for the individual to whom it is addressed. If this email has been misdirected, please notify the author as soon as possible. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, distribute, copy, print or rely on any of the information contained, and all copies must be deleted immediately. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by anti-virus software, but Integrated Transport Planning Ltd cannot accept liability for any damage caused by receipt of this email. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Wed Dec 22 20:52:51 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:52:51 +0100 Subject: [sustran] government planning to restrict private cars in Dhaka to reduce traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> <46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local> Message-ID: <012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> Check and mate: Our strong consensus here in the last couple of hours has really put the finger on it. We have learned (at high cost) that when you are dealing with complex systems like transport in large cities, you can't depend on piecemeal or mechanical solutions to sort out what are in fact complex interactive organic problems. Fix-it approaches like this are doomed to failure before we even get them out of the box. What can we do -- all of us here who have been working on and fretting about these issues for years, and often with real results at the level of the streets of the city -- -- to help local and national government do what is needed to understand, develop and implement a real sustainability strategy worthy of the name and the needs? It does not have to be a huge complicated deal and take all kinds of time. We don't have to publish pages of PhD dissertations to help. We have the experience, the knowledge, the tools and the means to help. So, where do we start? Eric Britton --- On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 12:40 "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? It is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot afford to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet just because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS sounds just absurd to me. In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are often too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need to ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run in the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus stops on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the city's bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what Delhi BRT did, and I think it is a good design. -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Kanthi Kannan Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 04:25. Dear Syed Greetings!! It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about traffic jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is not a solution. In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the banning of private cars a solution? In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to come) under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows no signs of getting better? The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue as to which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean that the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the open and why do we forget the hanging wires? There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if we do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to accommodate the wheel car. There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think that all of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to attract people to use PT. Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. And the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will get passes to exempt them from the penalty. What needs to be done? A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport at least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then definitely all the others will follow suit. B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like overcrowding, punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to make it possible for people to take PT. I think that all of us converts have been saying for a loooooooooooooooong time, the will to make a change is what is needed. Thanks Regards Kanthi Kannan -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 To: Syed Saiful Alam Dear Syed, Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am somehow lost when I read your email. First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than 4 persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private cars. Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) higher parking rates in city center or banning of parking. Enforcement will be an issue of whatever measure is put up and I would argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than number of people in the cars. At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that sound alternative. Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to build more roads :-) Cornie -----Original Message----- Behalf Of Lee Schipper Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 07:24 Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in San Francisco. -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Lloyd Wright Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon school to be employed in this manner. With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. Best regards, Lloyd -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative procedures. Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have ideas for my next assignment! General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be overcome. Best regards, --Jonathan Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 --- On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move under those conditions? Lee Schipper Global Met Studies UC Berkeley Precourt En Eff Center Stanford --- On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" A debate on the NYT site that may be of interest: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/21/are-new-yorks-bike-lanes-working?ref=opinion From carlosfpardo at gmail.com Wed Dec 22 21:31:00 2010 From: carlosfpardo at gmail.com (Pardo) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:31:00 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhaka to reduce traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> <46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local> <012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> Message-ID: <583510FD-119E-47C8-A7BB-B91DE1FD678B@gmail.com> Buying buses on its own, wherever they have doors, will never solve urban transport problems if they do not have a proper regulation plan in place. I would have welcomed more an announcement from Dhaka saying that they would start to properly regulate and plan bus operations. Buying toys may seem nice, but with he same driver training, maintenance, regulation structure and contracts (if there are any) will just produce the same result in five years, with the added phrase: "we tried but this bus thing doesn't work. Let's buy helicopters for everyone". Carlos Written with my thumbs. Please excuse typos. On 22/12/2010, at 6:52, "eric britton" wrote: > Check and mate: > > Our strong consensus here in the last couple of hours has really put the > finger on it. We have learned (at high cost) that when you are dealing with > complex systems like transport in large cities, you can't depend on > piecemeal or mechanical solutions to sort out what are in fact complex > interactive organic problems. Fix-it approaches like this are doomed to > failure before we even get them out of the box. > > What can we do -- all of us here who have been working on and fretting about > these issues for years, and often with real results at the level of the > streets of the city -- -- to help local and national government do what is > needed to understand, develop and implement a real sustainability strategy > worthy of the name and the needs? It does not have to be a huge complicated > deal and take all kinds of time. We don't have to publish pages of PhD > dissertations to help. We have the experience, the knowledge, the tools and > the means to help. > > So, where do we start? > > Eric Britton > > --- > > On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale > Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 12:40 > > "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for > the BRT system, and > thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." > > I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? It > is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated > buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the > subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot afford > to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet just > because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS > sounds just absurd to me. > > In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are often > too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need to > ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a > bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be > possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run in > the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. > One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus stops > on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. > > I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the city's > bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of > the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what Delhi > BRT did, and I think it is a good design. > > -----Original Message----- > On Behalf Of Kanthi Kannan > Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 04:25. > > Dear Syed > > Greetings!! > > It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about traffic > jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is not a > solution. > > In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. > > The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the banning > of private cars a solution? > > In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to come) > under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. > > Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows no > signs of getting better? > > The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue as to > which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean that > the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course > garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the open > and why do we forget the hanging wires? > > There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if we > do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus > station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to > accommodate the wheel car. > > There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think that all > of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. > > The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to attract > people to use PT. > > Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. And > the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will get > passes to exempt them from the penalty. > > What needs to be done? > > A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport at > least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then > definitely all the others will follow suit. > > B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like overcrowding, > punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to make it > possible for people to take PT. > > I think that all of us converts have been saying for a loooooooooooooooong > time, the will to make a change is what is needed. > > Thanks > > Regards > > Kanthi Kannan > > > -----Original Message----- > On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga > Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 > To: Syed Saiful Alam > > Dear Syed, > > Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to > restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am somehow > lost when I read your email. > > First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than 4 > persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private cars. > Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for > certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. > > More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make > driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher > fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) higher > parking rates in city center or banning of parking. > > Enforcement will be an issue of whatever measure is put up and I would > argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than > number of people in the cars. > > At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound > alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that > sound alternative. > > Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to > acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to build > more roads :-) > > Cornie > > > -----Original Message----- > Behalf Of Lee Schipper > Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 07:24 > > Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride > from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 > in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the > well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in > San Francisco. > > -----Original Message----- > On > Behalf Of Lloyd Wright > Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM > > As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised > vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. > > > However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a > minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge > where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere > sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in > Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, > students abandon school to be employed in this manner. > > With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. > While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing > new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. > The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle > for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT > in the future. > > And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to > 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would > it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully > addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. > walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated > lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a > quality system)? > Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, > the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. > > Best regards, > > Lloyd > > -----Original Message----- > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org > [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] > On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond > Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 > > I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that > any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will > require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and > administrative procedures. > > Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus > reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service > levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT > implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my > contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you > have ideas for my next assignment! > > General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in > almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I > seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven > dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something > new is a start. > However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to > maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and > organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be > overcome. > > Best regards, > > --Jonathan > > Jonathan Richmond > Public Transport Advisor > Dhaka Transport Coordination Board > Ministry of Communications > Government of Bangladesh > Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor > Dhaka-1000 > > --- > > On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > > Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move > under those conditions? > > Lee Schipper > Global Met Studies UC Berkeley > Precourt En Eff Center Stanford > > --- > > On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" wrote: > > > Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of > Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka > to reduce nagging traffic jam. > "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be > allowed > to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. > > "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the > people," he said. > > He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the > public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." > > The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. > > The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy > 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. > > Thanks > Syed Saiful alam > shovan1209@yahoo.com > +8801552442814 > Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). From etts at indigo.ie Wed Dec 22 22:48:28 2010 From: etts at indigo.ie (Brendan Finn) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:48:28 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhakato reduce traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <583510FD-119E-47C8-A7BB-B91DE1FD678B@gmail.com> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com><1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org><002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org><46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local><012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> <583510FD-119E-47C8-A7BB-B91DE1FD678B@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear all, Here's my tuppence worth on the discussion about a city I have never visited: 1) Dhaka is a big place. 255 buses is a fraction of what is needed to serve the urban area. You could probably deploy many times that number of buses without interfering in any special requirements for the BRT fleet. To my mind, there is no need for this to be a conflict. 2) Jonathan, who has worked there, has already pointed out that the current fleet is dire. New buses should at least give advantages of comfort and technical reliability, as well as the basis for restructuring some of the operator sector. Something is surely better than nothing in this situation. 3) In my opinion, the issues of driver training and maintenance are likely to centre on earning sufficient income from the new buses to fund these essential activities. If there is merely a new bus for old bus substitution, earning sufficient income may prove a difficult challenge. Buses alone are unlikely to be sustainable. 4) From my ivory tower of not knowing the realities on the ground, I would ask for a different package. I would say: "please give me 200 new buses, and convert the capital cost of the other 55 buses into: - some bus lanes so I can do the job of 300 buses today with my 200 new buses - some improved bus stopping places so my passengers have a proper place to stand, and can actually reach it - some training of my drivers, so my buses are driven properly, safely, and are not destroyed before their time - some modern maintenance equipment and facilities, so I can get a good working life from my assets and keep them in presentable condition - some training for my maintenance workers, so they understand how these new buses should be looked after - some practical, fit-for-purpose business and operational management software, so I can run my business better - your support in public, so the people have confidence in what we are doing together" With best wishes to all, especially those endeavouring to improve transportation in Dhaka, Brendan. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brendan Finn e-mail : etts@indigo.ie tel : +353.87.2530286 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pardo" To: "eric britton" Cc: ; "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:31 PM Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhakato reduce traffic jam. > Buying buses on its own, wherever they have doors, will never solve urban > transport problems if they do not have a proper regulation plan in place. > I would have welcomed more an announcement from Dhaka saying that they > would start to properly regulate and plan bus operations. Buying toys may > seem nice, but with he same driver training, maintenance, regulation > structure and contracts (if there are any) will just produce the same > result in five years, with the added phrase: "we tried but this bus thing > doesn't work. Let's buy helicopters for everyone". > > Carlos > > Written with my thumbs. Please excuse typos. > > On 22/12/2010, at 6:52, "eric britton" wrote: > >> Check and mate: >> >> Our strong consensus here in the last couple of hours has really put the >> finger on it. We have learned (at high cost) that when you are dealing >> with >> complex systems like transport in large cities, you can't depend on >> piecemeal or mechanical solutions to sort out what are in fact complex >> interactive organic problems. Fix-it approaches like this are doomed to >> failure before we even get them out of the box. >> >> What can we do -- all of us here who have been working on and fretting >> about >> these issues for years, and often with real results at the level of the >> streets of the city -- -- to help local and national government do what >> is >> needed to understand, develop and implement a real sustainability >> strategy >> worthy of the name and the needs? It does not have to be a huge >> complicated >> deal and take all kinds of time. We don't have to publish pages of PhD >> dissertations to help. We have the experience, the knowledge, the tools >> and >> the means to help. >> >> So, where do we start? >> >> Eric Britton >> >> --- >> >> On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale >> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 12:40 >> >> "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >> for >> the BRT system, and >> thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." >> >> I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? >> It >> is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated >> buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the >> subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot >> afford >> to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet >> just >> because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS >> sounds just absurd to me. >> >> In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are >> often >> too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need >> to >> ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a >> bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be >> possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run >> in >> the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. >> One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus >> stops >> on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. >> >> I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the >> city's >> bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of >> the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what >> Delhi >> BRT did, and I think it is a good design. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> On Behalf Of Kanthi Kannan >> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 04:25. >> >> Dear Syed >> >> Greetings!! >> >> It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about traffic >> jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is not >> a >> solution. >> >> In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. >> >> The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the >> banning >> of private cars a solution? >> >> In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to >> come) >> under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. >> >> Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows >> no >> signs of getting better? >> >> The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue as >> to >> which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean >> that >> the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course >> garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the open >> and why do we forget the hanging wires? >> >> There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if >> we >> do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus >> station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to >> accommodate the wheel car. >> >> There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think that >> all >> of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. >> >> The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to attract >> people to use PT. >> >> Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. >> And >> the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will get >> passes to exempt them from the penalty. >> >> What needs to be done? >> >> A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport >> at >> least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then >> definitely all the others will follow suit. >> >> B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like overcrowding, >> punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to make >> it >> possible for people to take PT. >> >> I think that all of us converts have been saying for a >> loooooooooooooooong >> time, the will to make a change is what is needed. >> >> Thanks >> >> Regards >> >> Kanthi Kannan >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga >> Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 >> To: Syed Saiful Alam >> >> Dear Syed, >> >> Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to >> restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am >> somehow >> lost when I read your email. >> >> First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than >> 4 >> persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private >> cars. >> Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for >> certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. >> >> More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make >> driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher >> fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) >> higher >> parking rates in city center or banning of parking. >> >> Enforcement will be an issue of whatever measure is put up and I would >> argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than >> number of people in the cars. >> >> At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound >> alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that >> sound alternative. >> >> Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to >> acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to >> build >> more roads :-) >> >> Cornie >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> Behalf Of Lee Schipper >> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 07:24 >> >> Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride >> from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 >> in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the >> well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in >> San Francisco. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> On >> Behalf Of Lloyd Wright >> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM >> >> As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised >> vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. >> >> >> However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a >> minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge >> where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere >> sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in >> Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, >> students abandon school to be employed in this manner. >> >> With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. >> While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing >> new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. >> The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >> for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT >> in the future. >> >> And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to >> 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would >> it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully >> addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. >> walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated >> lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a >> quality system)? >> Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, >> the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Lloyd >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org >> [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] >> On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond >> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 >> >> I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that >> any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will >> require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and >> administrative procedures. >> >> Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus >> reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service >> levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT >> implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my >> contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you >> have ideas for my next assignment! >> >> General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in >> almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I >> seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven >> dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something >> new is a start. >> However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to >> maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and >> organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be >> overcome. >> >> Best regards, >> >> --Jonathan >> >> Jonathan Richmond >> Public Transport Advisor >> Dhaka Transport Coordination Board >> Ministry of Communications >> Government of Bangladesh >> Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor >> Dhaka-1000 >> >> --- >> >> On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: >> >> Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move >> under those conditions? >> >> Lee Schipper >> Global Met Studies UC Berkeley >> Precourt En Eff Center Stanford >> >> --- >> >> On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" > wrote: >> >> >> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of >> Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka >> to reduce nagging traffic jam. >> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be >> allowed >> to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told >> reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >> >> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the >> people," he said. >> >> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the >> public >> transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for >> public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >> >> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the >> government. >> >> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy >> 255 >> Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >> >> Thanks >> Syed Saiful alam >> shovan1209@yahoo.com >> +8801552442814 >> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >> From bruun at seas.upenn.edu Thu Dec 23 00:29:17 2010 From: bruun at seas.upenn.edu (bruun at seas.upenn.edu) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:29:17 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> Message-ID: <20101222102917.55881o3sn9wnvm8d@webmail.seas.upenn.edu> It sounds to me like it is very important to accelerate the execution of the BRT program. Once the construction schedule is underway, advanced warning can be given about what lanes are going to be given over to buses and when. This would greatly help in deciding what and when other measures against cars need to be taken to complement this implementaion. It is very hard to get people go to along with ideas like removing cars when no alternatives are in place. One of the reasons tolling was usually opposed in the uS is that there was no public transport alternative for people to use in the same corridor. Eric Bruun Quoting Lloyd Wright : > As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised vehicles > in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. > > > However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a > minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where > individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of > meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has > largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon > school to be employed in this manner. > > With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While > certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses > will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new vehicles > will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and > thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. > > And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 > years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not > be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses > all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable > access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public > transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? > Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, the > "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. > > Best regards, > > Lloyd > > -----Original Message----- > From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org > [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On > Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond > Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 > To: Lee Schipper > Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; > NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; Salil > Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; > Lloyd Wright > Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of > privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. > > > > I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any > attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a > consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative > procedures. > > Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus > reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service > levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major > BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my > contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have > ideas for my next assignment! > > General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost > unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen > buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and > there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. > However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to > maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and > organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be > overcome. > > Best regards, > > --Jonathan > > > On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: > >> Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move > under those conditions? >> >> Lee Schipper >> Global Met Studies UC Berkeley >> Precourt En Eff Center Stanford >> >> >> >> On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" > wrote: >> >>> >>> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of > Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka to > reduce nagging traffic jam. >>> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be allowed > to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told > reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >>> >>> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the > people," he said. >>> >>> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the public > transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for > public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >>> >>> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the > government. >>> >>> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy 255 > Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >>> >>> Thanks >>> Syed Saiful alam >>> shovan1209@yahoo.com >>> +8801552442814 >>> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >>> >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------- >>> 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). >> > > ----- > Jonathan Richmond > Public Transport Advisor > Dhaka Transport Coordination Board > Ministry of Communications > Government of Bangladesh > Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor > Dhaka-1000 > Bangladesh > > Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 > Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 > > e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu > http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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 > > -------------------------------------------------------- > If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to > http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the > 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'). > > From richmond at alum.mit.edu Thu Dec 23 00:34:37 2010 From: richmond at alum.mit.edu (Jonathan Richmond) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 21:34:37 +0600 (Bangladesh Standard Time) Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhakato reduce traffic jam. In-Reply-To: References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com><1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org><002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org><46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local><012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> <583510FD-119E-47C8-A7BB-B91DE1FD678B@gmail.com> Message-ID: Brendan has come closest to understanding the real situation. Indeed, we are talking about a tiny fraction of the fleet, and doing something is much better than doing nothing. But even Brendan must understand the complexities of doing things here. There is no way to put into effect the trade-offs he suggests, to say let us have less buses and do something else. If you start trying to negotiate such complexities, everything falls apart and you end up with nothing. Best to stick with one simple proposition that can be achieved. If you want to do something else, embark upon it separately. I have been using my understandings of how developing country governance works to try and at least move things forward -- and that includes helping government to help itself think about the big issues. The one thing that has to be emphasized is keeping things simple: go in with a good proposition, get it accepted, and be happy with that. Stretch the rubber too far, and all collapses! So getting some new buses is a good idea as far as I am concerned! --Jonathan! On Wed, 22 Dec 2010, Brendan Finn wrote: > Dear all, > > Here's my tuppence worth on the discussion about a city I have never > visited: > > 1) Dhaka is a big place. 255 buses is a fraction of what is needed to serve > the urban area. You could probably deploy many times that number of buses > without interfering in any special requirements for the BRT fleet. To my > mind, there is no need for this to be a conflict. > > 2) Jonathan, who has worked there, has already pointed out that the current > fleet is dire. New buses should at least give advantages of comfort and > technical reliability, as well as the basis for restructuring some of the > operator sector. Something is surely better than nothing in this situation. > > 3) In my opinion, the issues of driver training and maintenance are likely > to centre on earning sufficient income from the new buses to fund these > essential activities. If there is merely a new bus for old bus substitution, > earning sufficient income may prove a difficult challenge. Buses alone are > unlikely to be sustainable. > > 4) From my ivory tower of not knowing the realities on the ground, I would > ask for a different package. I would say: "please give me 200 new buses, > and convert the capital cost of the other 55 buses into: > > - some bus lanes so I can do the job of 300 buses today with my 200 new > buses > - some improved bus stopping places so my passengers have a proper place to > stand, and can actually reach it > - some training of my drivers, so my buses are driven properly, safely, and > are not destroyed before their time > - some modern maintenance equipment and facilities, so I can get a good > working life from my assets and keep them in presentable condition > - some training for my maintenance workers, so they understand how these new > buses should be looked after > - some practical, fit-for-purpose business and operational management > software, so I can run my business better > - your support in public, so the people have confidence in what we are doing > together" > > With best wishes to all, especially those endeavouring to improve > transportation in Dhaka, > > > Brendan. > _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ > Brendan Finn e-mail : etts@indigo.ie tel : +353.87.2530286 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Pardo" > To: "eric britton" > Cc: ; "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" > > Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:31 PM > Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in > Dhakato reduce traffic jam. > > >> Buying buses on its own, wherever they have doors, will never solve urban >> transport problems if they do not have a proper regulation plan in place. >> I would have welcomed more an announcement from Dhaka saying that they >> would start to properly regulate and plan bus operations. Buying toys may >> seem nice, but with he same driver training, maintenance, regulation >> structure and contracts (if there are any) will just produce the same >> result in five years, with the added phrase: "we tried but this bus thing >> doesn't work. Let's buy helicopters for everyone". >> >> Carlos >> >> Written with my thumbs. Please excuse typos. >> >> On 22/12/2010, at 6:52, "eric britton" wrote: >> >>> Check and mate: >>> >>> Our strong consensus here in the last couple of hours has really put the >>> finger on it. We have learned (at high cost) that when you are dealing >>> with >>> complex systems like transport in large cities, you can't depend on >>> piecemeal or mechanical solutions to sort out what are in fact complex >>> interactive organic problems. Fix-it approaches like this are doomed to >>> failure before we even get them out of the box. >>> >>> What can we do -- all of us here who have been working on and fretting >>> about >>> these issues for years, and often with real results at the level of the >>> streets of the city -- -- to help local and national government do what >>> is >>> needed to understand, develop and implement a real sustainability >>> strategy >>> worthy of the name and the needs? It does not have to be a huge >>> complicated >>> deal and take all kinds of time. We don't have to publish pages of PhD >>> dissertations to help. We have the experience, the knowledge, the tools >>> and >>> the means to help. >>> >>> So, where do we start? >>> >>> Eric Britton >>> >>> --- >>> >>> On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale >>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 12:40 >>> >>> "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >>> for >>> the BRT system, and >>> thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." >>> >>> I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban transport? >>> It >>> is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with dedicated >>> buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the >>> subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot >>> afford >>> to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet >>> just >>> because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" BRTS >>> sounds just absurd to me. >>> >>> In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are >>> often >>> too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do need >>> to >>> ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of a >>> bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be >>> possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also run >>> in >>> the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that possible. >>> One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus >>> stops >>> on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. >>> >>> I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the >>> city's >>> bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover of >>> the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what >>> Delhi >>> BRT did, and I think it is a good design. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> On Behalf Of Kanthi Kannan >>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 04:25. >>> >>> Dear Syed >>> >>> Greetings!! >>> >>> It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about traffic >>> jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is not >>> a >>> solution. >>> >>> In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. >>> >>> The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the >>> banning >>> of private cars a solution? >>> >>> In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to >>> come) >>> under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. >>> >>> Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows >>> no >>> signs of getting better? >>> >>> The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue as >>> to >>> which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean >>> that >>> the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course >>> garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the open >>> and why do we forget the hanging wires? >>> >>> There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if >>> we >>> do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus >>> station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to >>> accommodate the wheel car. >>> >>> There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think that >>> all >>> of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. >>> >>> The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to attract >>> people to use PT. >>> >>> Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. >>> And >>> the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will get >>> passes to exempt them from the penalty. >>> >>> What needs to be done? >>> >>> A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport >>> at >>> least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then >>> definitely all the others will follow suit. >>> >>> B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like overcrowding, >>> punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to make >>> it >>> possible for people to take PT. >>> >>> I think that all of us converts have been saying for a >>> loooooooooooooooong >>> time, the will to make a change is what is needed. >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Kanthi Kannan >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga >>> Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 >>> To: Syed Saiful Alam >>> >>> Dear Syed, >>> >>> Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea to >>> restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am >>> somehow >>> lost when I read your email. >>> >>> First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less than >>> 4 >>> persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private >>> cars. >>> Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only for >>> certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. >>> >>> More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) make >>> driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, higher >>> fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) >>> higher >>> parking rates in city center or banning of parking. >>> >>> Enforcement will be an issue of whatever measure is put up and I would >>> argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce than >>> number of people in the cars. >>> >>> At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need sound >>> alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that >>> sound alternative. >>> >>> Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to >>> acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to >>> build >>> more roads :-) >>> >>> Cornie >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> Behalf Of Lee Schipper >>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 07:24 >>> >>> Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride >>> from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 >>> in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the >>> well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in >>> San Francisco. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> On >>> Behalf Of Lloyd Wright >>> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM >>> >>> As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised >>> vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. >>> >>> >>> However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a >>> minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge >>> where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere >>> sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in >>> Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, >>> students abandon school to be employed in this manner. >>> >>> With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. >>> While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing >>> new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. >>> The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >>> for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT >>> in the future. >>> >>> And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to >>> 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would >>> it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully >>> addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. >>> walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated >>> lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a >>> quality system)? >>> Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, >>> the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. >>> >>> Best regards, >>> >>> Lloyd >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org >>> [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] >>> On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond >>> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 >>> >>> I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that >>> any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will >>> require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and >>> administrative procedures. >>> >>> Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus >>> reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service >>> levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT >>> implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my >>> contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you >>> have ideas for my next assignment! >>> >>> General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in >>> almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I >>> seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven >>> dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something >>> new is a start. >>> However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to >>> maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and >>> organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be >>> overcome. >>> >>> Best regards, >>> >>> --Jonathan >>> >>> Jonathan Richmond >>> Public Transport Advisor >>> Dhaka Transport Coordination Board >>> Ministry of Communications >>> Government of Bangladesh >>> Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor >>> Dhaka-1000 >>> >>> --- >>> >>> On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: >>> >>> Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move >>> under those conditions? >>> >>> Lee Schipper >>> Global Met Studies UC Berkeley >>> Precourt En Eff Center Stanford >>> >>> --- >>> >>> On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" >> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of >>> Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in Dhaka >>> to reduce nagging traffic jam. >>> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be >>> allowed >>> to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told >>> reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >>> >>> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the >>> people," he said. >>> >>> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the >>> public >>> transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for >>> public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >>> >>> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the >>> government. >>> >>> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy >>> 255 >>> Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >>> >>> Thanks >>> Syed Saiful alam >>> shovan1209@yahoo.com >>> +8801552442814 >>> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >>> > > -------------------------------------------------------- > 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 http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). > ----- Jonathan Richmond Public Transport Advisor Dhaka Transport Coordination Board Ministry of Communications Government of Bangladesh Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ From etts at indigo.ie Thu Dec 23 00:51:50 2010 From: etts at indigo.ie (Brendan Finn) Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:51:50 -0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhakato reduce traffic jam. In-Reply-To: References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com><1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org><002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org><46E2E1971BCEC1459149FBB1A4B4342C0B1DA13F@wricsex029330.WRI.CRM.Local><012a01cba1ce$c4bcbef0$4e363cd0$@britton@ecoplan.org> <583510FD-119E-47C8-A7BB-B91DE1FD678B@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Jonathan, I understand and accept your point about not disturbing the commitment you have got. As an alternative approach, could you let the bus purchase package go through and then ask the Minister for a supplemental package to cover my shopping list, under the designation of 'capacity development for bus operators'? The selling point could be that it help the buses to run smoothly and stay looking good (hence reflecting well on him). It would also avoid that the operators come back within a year looking for subsidies or tariff increases to cover their additional costs. For at least a few of the measures - driver and maintenance training, maintenance equipment - could they be included in the bus purchase package? They wouldn't cost much, and the supplier can surely deliver those or at least train the trainers. Basic ops/mgt software is inexpensive now and they could surely slip that one in as well. With best wishes, Brendan. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Brendan Finn e-mail : etts@indigo.ie tel : +353.87.2530286 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Richmond" To: "Brendan Finn" Cc: "Pardo" ; "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 3:34 PM Subject: Re: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in Dhakato reduce traffic jam. > > Brendan has come closest to understanding the real situation. Indeed, we > are talking about a tiny fraction of the fleet, and doing something is > much better than doing nothing. > > But even Brendan must understand the complexities of doing things here. > There is no way to put into effect the trade-offs he suggests, to say let > us have less buses and do something else. If you start trying to negotiate > such complexities, everything falls apart and you end up with nothing. > Best to stick with one simple proposition that can be achieved. If you > want to do something else, embark upon it separately. > > I have been using my understandings of how developing country governance > works to try and at least move things forward -- and that includes helping > government to help itself think about the big issues. The one thing that > has to be emphasized is keeping things simple: go in with a good > proposition, get it accepted, and be happy with that. Stretch the rubber > too far, and all collapses! > > So getting some new buses is a good idea as far as I am > concerned! --Jonathan! > > On Wed, 22 Dec 2010, Brendan Finn wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> Here's my tuppence worth on the discussion about a city I have never >> visited: >> >> 1) Dhaka is a big place. 255 buses is a fraction of what is needed to >> serve >> the urban area. You could probably deploy many times that number of buses >> without interfering in any special requirements for the BRT fleet. To my >> mind, there is no need for this to be a conflict. >> >> 2) Jonathan, who has worked there, has already pointed out that the >> current >> fleet is dire. New buses should at least give advantages of comfort and >> technical reliability, as well as the basis for restructuring some of the >> operator sector. Something is surely better than nothing in this >> situation. >> >> 3) In my opinion, the issues of driver training and maintenance are >> likely >> to centre on earning sufficient income from the new buses to fund these >> essential activities. If there is merely a new bus for old bus >> substitution, >> earning sufficient income may prove a difficult challenge. Buses alone >> are >> unlikely to be sustainable. >> >> 4) From my ivory tower of not knowing the realities on the ground, I >> would >> ask for a different package. I would say: "please give me 200 new buses, >> and convert the capital cost of the other 55 buses into: >> >> - some bus lanes so I can do the job of 300 buses today with my 200 new >> buses >> - some improved bus stopping places so my passengers have a proper place >> to >> stand, and can actually reach it >> - some training of my drivers, so my buses are driven properly, safely, >> and >> are not destroyed before their time >> - some modern maintenance equipment and facilities, so I can get a good >> working life from my assets and keep them in presentable condition >> - some training for my maintenance workers, so they understand how these >> new >> buses should be looked after >> - some practical, fit-for-purpose business and operational management >> software, so I can run my business better >> - your support in public, so the people have confidence in what we are >> doing >> together" >> >> With best wishes to all, especially those endeavouring to improve >> transportation in Dhaka, >> >> >> Brendan. >> _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ >> Brendan Finn e-mail : etts@indigo.ie tel : >> +353.87.2530286 >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Pardo" >> To: "eric britton" >> Cc: ; "Global 'South' Sustainable >> Transport" >> >> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:31 PM >> Subject: [sustran] Re: government planning to restrict private cars in >> Dhakato reduce traffic jam. >> >> >>> Buying buses on its own, wherever they have doors, will never solve >>> urban >>> transport problems if they do not have a proper regulation plan in >>> place. >>> I would have welcomed more an announcement from Dhaka saying that they >>> would start to properly regulate and plan bus operations. Buying toys >>> may >>> seem nice, but with he same driver training, maintenance, regulation >>> structure and contracts (if there are any) will just produce the same >>> result in five years, with the added phrase: "we tried but this bus >>> thing >>> doesn't work. Let's buy helicopters for everyone". >>> >>> Carlos >>> >>> Written with my thumbs. Please excuse typos. >>> >>> On 22/12/2010, at 6:52, "eric britton" wrote: >>> >>>> Check and mate: >>>> >>>> Our strong consensus here in the last couple of hours has really put >>>> the >>>> finger on it. We have learned (at high cost) that when you are dealing >>>> with >>>> complex systems like transport in large cities, you can't depend on >>>> piecemeal or mechanical solutions to sort out what are in fact complex >>>> interactive organic problems. Fix-it approaches like this are doomed >>>> to >>>> failure before we even get them out of the box. >>>> >>>> What can we do -- all of us here who have been working on and fretting >>>> about >>>> these issues for years, and often with real results at the level of the >>>> streets of the city -- -- to help local and national government do what >>>> is >>>> needed to understand, develop and implement a real sustainability >>>> strategy >>>> worthy of the name and the needs? It does not have to be a huge >>>> complicated >>>> deal and take all kinds of time. We don't have to publish pages of PhD >>>> dissertations to help. We have the experience, the knowledge, the >>>> tools >>>> and >>>> the means to help. >>>> >>>> So, where do we start? >>>> >>>> Eric Britton >>>> >>>> --- >>>> >>>> On Behalf Of Karthik Rao-Cavale >>>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 12:40 >>>> >>>> "The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >>>> for >>>> the BRT system, and >>>> thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future." >>>> >>>> I wonder, are BRTs the ends or the means of sustainable urban >>>> transport? >>>> It >>>> is true that "classical" BRT systems have median bus stops with >>>> dedicated >>>> buses, but these are not necessarily most appropriate for cities in the >>>> subcontinent. But transportation planners in the subcontinent cannot >>>> afford >>>> to be bound by dogma. Preventing a city from increasing its bus fleet >>>> just >>>> because that would not work in favour of implementing a "classical" >>>> BRTS >>>> sounds just absurd to me. >>>> >>>> In India, and I suspect that this is true of Dhaka also, streets are >>>> often >>>> too narrow for dedicated bus lanes to be possible. And yet buses do >>>> need >>>> to >>>> ply on these streets if everyone is to be within reasonable distance of >>>> a >>>> bus stop. So you do need regular buses. And if one seat rides are to be >>>> possible, you need the same buses plying on the regular roads to also >>>> run >>>> in >>>> the BRT lanes, if they exist. There are two ways of making that >>>> possible. >>>> One is to have doors on both sides in buses. The other is to have bus >>>> stops >>>> on the curb side of the bus lane rather than the median. >>>> >>>> I personally believe that the BRT should be fully integrated into the >>>> city's >>>> bus system, in which case the only option short of a complete turnover >>>> of >>>> the bus fleet is to have curbside bus stops. This was precisely what >>>> Delhi >>>> BRT did, and I think it is a good design. >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> On Behalf Of Kanthi Kannan >>>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 04:25. >>>> >>>> Dear Syed >>>> >>>> Greetings!! >>>> >>>> It is indeed good that the politician has started thinking about >>>> traffic >>>> jams and also realising that road widening/ building new flyovers is >>>> not >>>> a >>>> solution. >>>> >>>> In all parts of the subcontinent, the issues are very similar. >>>> >>>> The question is what are the steps that need to be taken? And is the >>>> banning >>>> of private cars a solution? >>>> >>>> In Hyderabad, the government has got about 350 buses (and many more to >>>> come) >>>> under the JnNURM scheme and the buses indeed are classy. >>>> >>>> Then why is it that the traffic has gone from bad to worse and it shows >>>> no >>>> signs of getting better? >>>> >>>> The bus stops/ shelters are inaccessible and nobody really has a clue >>>> as >>>> to >>>> which bus stops where and where it goes etc. By inaccessibility I mean >>>> that >>>> the bus stops have a cess pool of water in front of them and of course >>>> garbage strewn all over the place and of course men urinating in the >>>> open >>>> and why do we forget the hanging wires? >>>> >>>> There is no point of giving a free ride to the physically challenged if >>>> we >>>> do not provide the steps to ensure that they are able to reach the bus >>>> station and also importantly the door of the bus is wide enough to >>>> accommodate the wheel car. >>>> >>>> There are hundreds of issues regarding the bus shelters and I think >>>> that >>>> all >>>> of us in the sub continent are familiar with it. >>>> >>>> The important thing is that these have to be solved if we have to >>>> attract >>>> people to use PT. >>>> >>>> Another major issue is that some people will be more equal than others. >>>> And >>>> the ministers etc will travel in style and many other big shots will >>>> get >>>> passes to exempt them from the penalty. >>>> >>>> What needs to be done? >>>> >>>> A. Ensure that the government employees use PT/ non motorised transport >>>> at >>>> least once a week to and fro from office. If the "Bade Log" use it then >>>> definitely all the others will follow suit. >>>> >>>> B. Examine the connectivity issue and other issues like overcrowding, >>>> punctuality among others (definitely not rocket science), and try to >>>> make >>>> it >>>> possible for people to take PT. >>>> >>>> I think that all of us converts have been saying for a >>>> loooooooooooooooong >>>> time, the will to make a change is what is needed. >>>> >>>> Thanks >>>> >>>> Regards >>>> >>>> Kanthi Kannan >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> On Behalf Of Cornie Huizenga >>>> Sent: 22 December 2010 07:30 >>>> To: Syed Saiful Alam >>>> >>>> Dear Syed, >>>> >>>> Thanks for sharing this with us. While I think that it is a good idea >>>> to >>>> restrict the use of private cars and promote public transport I am >>>> somehow >>>> lost when I read your email. >>>> >>>> First of all, my guess is that well over 50% of cars will have less >>>> than >>>> 4 >>>> persons in it. That would mean that you would ban almost all private >>>> cars. >>>> Second if such rules are applied as in the case of Jakarta it is only >>>> for >>>> certain streets. The success in Jakarta has been mixed I think. >>>> >>>> More traditional approaches to reduce the use of cars would be: (a) >>>> make >>>> driving more expensive through registration fees for private cars, >>>> higher >>>> fuel prices (with subsidies if required for public transport), or (b) >>>> higher >>>> parking rates in city center or banning of parking. >>>> >>>> Enforcement will be an issue of whatever measure is put up and I would >>>> argue that registration fees, fuel prices are more easily to enforce >>>> than >>>> number of people in the cars. >>>> >>>> At the same time if you restrict use of private cars you will need >>>> sound >>>> alternatives. I am not certain whether buying 255 busses is really that >>>> sound alternative. >>>> >>>> Nevertheless, it is great that the honourable Minister is starting to >>>> acknowledge that there is a problem and that he is not suggesting to >>>> build >>>> more roads :-) >>>> >>>> Cornie >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> Behalf Of Lee Schipper >>>> Sent: Wednesday, 22 December, 2010 07:24 >>>> >>>> Second Lloyd's concern. Informal carpools -- people who DO want to ride >>>> from A to B and go with drivers who get special lane access with 2 or 3 >>>> in the car- are popular in the US. Would not at all e unusual for the >>>> well to do to hire riders in Dhaka! Wish they would pay ME to ride in >>>> San Francisco. >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> On >>>> Behalf Of Lloyd Wright >>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:06 PM >>>> >>>> As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised >>>> vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. >>>> >>>> >>>> However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a >>>> minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge >>>> where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the >>>> mere >>>> sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in >>>> Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, >>>> students abandon school to be employed in this manner. >>>> >>>> With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. >>>> While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing >>>> new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. >>>> The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle >>>> for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT >>>> in the future. >>>> >>>> And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to >>>> 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would >>>> it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully >>>> addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. >>>> walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated >>>> lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a >>>> quality system)? >>>> Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current >>>> conditions, >>>> the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> >>>> Lloyd >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org >>>> [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] >>>> On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond >>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 >>>> >>>> I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that >>>> any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will >>>> require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and >>>> administrative procedures. >>>> >>>> Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus >>>> reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service >>>> levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major >>>> BRT >>>> implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my >>>> contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you >>>> have ideas for my next assignment! >>>> >>>> General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in >>>> almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have >>>> I >>>> seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven >>>> dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something >>>> new is a start. >>>> However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry >>>> to >>>> maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and >>>> organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be >>>> overcome. >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> >>>> --Jonathan >>>> >>>> Jonathan Richmond >>>> Public Transport Advisor >>>> Dhaka Transport Coordination Board >>>> Ministry of Communications >>>> Government of Bangladesh >>>> Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor >>>> Dhaka-1000 >>>> >>>> --- >>>> >>>> On Tue, 21 Dec 2010, Lee Schipper wrote: >>>> >>>> Good news indeed but just buses without dedicated lanes? Who can move >>>> under those conditions? >>>> >>>> Lee Schipper >>>> Global Met Studies UC Berkeley >>>> Precourt En Eff Center Stanford >>>> >>>> --- >>>> >>>> On Dec 21, 2010, at 17:37, "Syed Saiful Alam" >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> Dear all Good news for all our activist that The government of >>>> Bangladesh is planning to restrict the movement of private cars in >>>> Dhaka >>>> to reduce nagging traffic jam. >>>> "Private cars with less than four or five passengers will not be >>>> allowed >>>> to ply the city streets," finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told >>>> reporters at the secretariat on Tuesday. >>>> >>>> "We'll have to make public transport system more efficient for the >>>> people," he said. >>>> >>>> He said they had approved a proposal to buy 255 buses to make the >>>> public >>>> transport system more effective. "Public transport should be meant for >>>> public but now a few people are creating anarchy in the field." >>>> >>>> The minister said: "Traffic jam is the biggest allegation against the >>>> government. >>>> >>>> The cabinet committee on purchase has approved the proposal to buy >>>> 255 >>>> Korean buses for BRTC under EDCF loan of Tk 2.12 billion. >>>> >>>> Thanks >>>> Syed Saiful alam >>>> shovan1209@yahoo.com >>>> +8801552442814 >>>> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com >>>> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 >> http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the 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'). >> > > ----- > Jonathan Richmond > Public Transport Advisor > Dhaka Transport Coordination Board > Ministry of Communications > Government of Bangladesh > Nagar Bhaban, 13-14th Floor > Dhaka-1000 > Bangladesh > > Phone: +880 (0)1714 179013 > Fax: +880 (0)2 956-8892 > > e-mail: richmond@alum.mit.edu > http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/ > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1170 / Virus Database: 1435/3330 - Release Date: 12/21/10 > From sam_aminul at yahoo.com Fri Dec 24 10:23:40 2010 From: sam_aminul at yahoo.com (SAM Aminul Hoque) Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:23:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. In-Reply-To: <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> References: <205590.18719.qm@web57108.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <1928695B-6A59-44F6-A2C7-09BFC309F48F@wri.org> <002901cba19e$49bd0460$dd370d20$@org> Message-ID: <53279.40208.qm@web55407.mail.re4.yahoo.com> Dhaka city has its "own brain". Many transport system would not survive in most of the other parts of the world but for Dhaka they are in operations. Traffic are running there in a Mix traffic situation. Within Dhaka, the number of transport mode in operation are not straight -like A) Bicycle & motorcycle, B) Car, C) bus, D) Goods vehicle light & heavy E) Rail (small occupancy -1to2 +/-persons) 1 Bicycle 2 Non-motorized (rickshaw three wheelers) 3 car, jeep, 4x4 4 Private taxi 5 Motor cycle (medium occupancy -10 +/-persons) 6 Auto-rickshaw (Mishuk, CNG, etc.) --like private taxi (mostly three-wheels) 7 Tempo (8-10 passengers) vehicle mostly either three or four wheels large occupancy -40-90+/- persons 8 single decker bus both Air-conditioned (AC) and non-AC, 9 double decker bus 10 Mini /midi bus both Air-conditioned (AC) and non-AC Cargo & Goods 11 Non-motorized vehicle 12 Motorized Van & pick-ups 13 Medium and large Truck (HGV) 14 Plus Train (mostly inter-city travel There might be more. To me the subject above (on the subject of the mail) - I might be wrong but sounds like vocal 'stunt' or News media 'stunt'. I fully agree with most of the authors about the demand for the new large scale investment on Transport infra-structures as well as the supply chain logistics. The critical thing is to have 'sound' and 'stable' transport policy mostly involving Regulation and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority's willingness to implement that. How the City Authority would like to see the city in coming years is a big question to all of us! Making a comment is easy but in practice for Dhaka (with strong pressure groups both political and business side in place) it is not easy to implement (agree with Lloyd Wright & Jonathan). We are waiting to see few mega transport projects within Dhaka and around in the pipe-line. For these pipe-line projects please contact, Web: www.at-capital.com I am hopeful to see better future within next five yrs. Take care. With kind regards, SHAMSUL A. M. AMINUL HOQUE (PhD, M URP, B Arch) Consultant Transport Planner for private company, UK ________________________________ From: Lloyd Wright To: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport Sent: Wed, 22 December, 2010 6:05:38 Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. As the other commentators have noted, restricting private motorised vehicles in Dhaka would be a highly positive development. However, the proposed mechanism would be problematic. By requiring a minimum of four passengers in a vehicle, a new industry would emerge where individuals would be employed to ride in the vehicles for the mere sake of meeting the quota. The emergence of such street jockeys in Jakarta has largely undermined its 3-in-1 programme. In many cases, students abandon school to be employed in this manner. With regard to the new buses, this plan could also be problematic. While certainly Dhaka's fleet needs to be replaced, simply purchasing new buses will likely act to further deter the move to a BRT system. The new vehicles will have the doors on the wrong side of the vehicle for the BRT system, and thus will act as a wedge against a quality BRT in the future. And given that the buses will have a life in the Dhaka context of 15 to 20 years, the impact on the potential BRT system could be fatal. Would it not be better to use the proposed investment in a system that fully addresses all the components of a quality public transport system (e.g. walkable access to stations, quality and secure stations, dedicated lanes for public transport, and vehicles that are compatible with a quality system)? Furthermore, by operating in mixed traffic under the current conditions, the "new" buses will largely be "old" buses within a few years. Best regards, Lloyd -----Original Message----- From: sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org@list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50 To: Lee Schipper Cc: UTSG@jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc@yahoo.com; car free; NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com; carfree@lifesupportproductions.co.uk; Salil Bijur; WorldTransport@yahoogroups.com; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; Lloyd Wright Subject: [sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam. I also read the story in today's newspaper. Please note, however, that any attempt to restrict car movement in Dhaka's central city will require a consensus throughout government and complex legal and administrative procedures. Regarding the buses, I have been developing BRT and general bus reorganization programmes here to try to radically improve service levels. However, now that consultants have been selected for a major BRT implementation study, the government has decided not to extend my contract -- hence my recent note to some of you to ask if any of you have ideas for my next assignment! General bus purchases are necessary because Dhaka's bus fleet is in almost unbelievably poor condition. In fact, nowhere in the world have I seen buses that are quite so dilapidated. The buses are driven dangerously and there is very little maintenance. So getting something new is a start. However, work needs to be done to find ways to encourage the industry to maintain its fleet in better condition. There are financial and organizational constraints to accomplishing this, and they need to be overcome. Best regards, --Jonathan From sguttikunda at gmail.com Fri Dec 24 13:24:33 2010 From: sguttikunda at gmail.com (Sarath Guttikunda) Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:54:33 +0530 Subject: [sustran] To Fight Air Pollution, France to Ban Old Diesel, 4x4's, and Trucks in 2011 !! Message-ID: An ambitious project to fight air pollution in France. In 2011, Paris and five other French cities will ban old diesel cars, 4X4s and trucks. On paper these cities will be called Zapa, that is, Priority Zones for Action against Air Pollution. News article and 2 min video @ http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156874.html -- Dr. Sarath Guttikunda, New Delhi, India Delhi Air Quality | TED Fellow | +91 9891315946 http://www.dri.edu/People/Sarath.Guttikunda From cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org Fri Dec 24 14:31:09 2010 From: cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org (Cornie Huizenga) Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:31:09 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Traffic Manangement Plan Beijing - A new approach to urban transport in China? Message-ID: Many of you must have seen news items on the new traffic management in China. For those of you who read Chinese see ( http://zw.bjjtw.gov.cn/hjjtyd/zqyjg/) and http://www.bjreview.com.cn/quotes/txt/2010-12/23/content_320602.htm. The Chinese text has more detail than what is being reported in the papers but does not make reference to the annual quota. What to make of these plans? - Compared to the previous plan ( http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Government/Mayor_office/Mayor_bulletin/t929887.htm) for the period since 2003 it is a major step forward. The new plan includes references to the need for traffic assessments of new urban developments, it has a specific emphasis on NMT, and it includes a range of Traffic Demand Management. At the same time it includes a whole range of infrastructure related measures both in terms of additional road construction and public transport (both subway and BRT). - The plans for congestion charging are still very vague. It is interesting to note that the recommendation for congestion charging in Beijing comes after an earlier similar announcement for Chongqing.( http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7227422.html) Does this mean that the ban is broken for congestion charging in China? This could have large implications for urban transport in China and in other parts in Asia. - One of the more controversial elements of the new plan is the quota of 240,000 new vehicles per year. (ttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-12/23/content_11746901.htm) To put this in perspective. This is 3 times less than the number of new cars in Beijing in 2010, BUT still three times more than in Shanghai which is registring about 80,000 new vehicles per year. - Many of the new measures will not generate clear results in the near future, it is likely therefore that traffic in Beijing will continue to be faced with average speeds below 20 km per hour in many parts of the city ( http://eye.bjjt.cn:9091/). It is also likely that the post of Vice-Mayor for transport in Beijing continues to be a risky position. ( http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/world/asia/24beijing.html?ref=global-home ) Will we look back later on 2010 and say this was the year that China started to come to its senses and that a new approach to urban transport was born which combines restraint in the growth of private vehicles with the provision of sustainable alternatives to private motorization or is a question of too little, too late and not properly thought through. What strikes me is the continued hesitance to make fuller use of economic instruments. The measures announced are all local measures and no linkage with for example national pricing policies on e.g fuel has been made. Also, what will happen to the tax rebates on the purchase of new vehicles? The annual quota will be based on a lottery and not on the basis of a monthly auction as in the case of Shanghai. Details on the congestion charging are still very vague. An important question is whether other Chinese cities will start to replicate what Beijing is doing, and if so how will they translate the Beijing measures into their own situation? Will they copy the infrastructure measures and leave out the Traffic Demand Management? What is clear is that the policy landscape on urban transport in China is changing and that this will be an important input into the wider debate on urban transport in developing countries. -- Cornie Huizenga Joint Convener Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport Mobile: +86 13901949332 cornie.huizenga@slocatpartnership.org www.slocat.net From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Dec 28 22:50:16 2010 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (eric britton) Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:50:16 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Streetsblog: Doing its job in New York City. In memoriam 2010 Message-ID: <001d01cba696$2a8a6810$7f9f3830$@britton@ecoplan.org> http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/78ba1a0b5f05cba9435d02ded04dad86?s=48&d=http%3A %2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D48&r= G Streetsblog: Doing its job in New York City. In memoriam 2010 Eric Britton, editor | 27 December 2010 at 12:55 | Categories: behavior , health safety , local government , slower , street code , street share | URL: http://wp.me/psKUY-1eE Each year our friends over at Streetsblog in New York City publish a heart-rending testimonial to the mayhem that automobiles have wrought over the year on their city's streets and the cost in terms of lives lost by innocent pedestrians and cyclists. Putting names, faces and human tragedy to what otherwise takes the form of dry numbers, faceless hence quickly forgettable statistics is an important task. We can only encourage responsible citizens and activists in every city on the planet to do the same thing, holding those public officials (and let's not forget, we call them "public servants" and for excellent reason) responsible for what goes on under their direct control. And if there is a single lesson to be learned it is surely this: traffic on the streets of all our cities needs to be slowed down a sane and efficient 10/20/30 mph and no faster; supported a strict "Street Code", whereby in every case the lighter slower party is fully protected both in terms of immediate enforcement, the law and insurance matters. (Is it really that hard to be decent?) Read more of this post Source: http://worldstreets.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/streetsblog-doing-its-job-in-ne w-york-city-in-memoriam-2010/#more-4752 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 1911 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20101228/7b8e4c95/attachment.jpe From navdeep.asija at gmail.com Wed Dec 29 13:54:16 2010 From: navdeep.asija at gmail.com (Asija, Navdeep) Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:24:16 +0530 Subject: [sustran] =?windows-1252?Q?Metro_for_Chandigarh_=96_A_sure_way_to?= =?windows-1252?Q?_disaster?= Message-ID: Metro for Chandigarh ? A sure way to disaster Whosoever said that ?The road to hell is paved with bricks of good intention,? knew how the masses can be manipulated into thinking that they will benefit if a particular idea is executed. Metro for Chandigarh is just another example of misleading and manipulating the common people for gains other than public welfare. The first thing that goes into planning of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transport System) is to understand the extent of congestion, the existing walkability within the city and an appreciation of the fact, as to whether the capacity of the surface transport has been exhausted to its limits. Interestingly, according to the ?Ministry of Urban Development? official report, Chandigarh has zero (0) congestion index, which is the least in the country. Chandigarh also has the highest walkability index of 0.91 in the entire country. We have still not exhausted our surface transport options. The ?City Bus Transport Supply Index (CBTSI)? for Chandigarh is just 17.54, which is quite low for organised cities of this size. For example, the CBTSI for Trivandrum is 20, Madurai is 42.7, Hyderabad is 31, Chennai is 39, Delhi is 43, Kolkata is 26. A mere perusal of this data shows that there is no requirement for Metro or Monorail in Chandigarh. Global studies and experience has shown that Metro is a desirable option only for high density corridors and with long trip length of an average of more than 14Km. In Chandigarh the average journey time using private mode of transport is between 5 minutes to 17.5 minutes. This reflects that the majority of the trips generated in the city are short trips in the order of 2.5 to 9.6 km in length. In Chandigarh nearly 71 percent of the motor vehicle is two-wheelers. Around 83 percent of all trips are those work trips which are accessible in 15 minutes time. Clearly Metro is not a feasible option on this count too. Another thing to be considered for feasibility of Metro is the ?Per Hour Peak Direction Trips (PHPDT),? which is the average number of people in any particular area (corridor) travelling during the peak traffic time. While rejecting the proposal of Metro for Chandigarh, the eleven membered committee set up by the Central Government to asses an appropriate MRTS for the region mentioned that, ?Whatever be the merits of a conventional metro system, whether below or above the ground or on the surface, such a mode is justified only when the demand is 60-70,000 PHPDT.? In case of Chandigarh the maximum traffic demand estimated by the year 2041 is 30,000 PHPDT, which does not justify spending public money on Metro. Even the Metro expert E. Sreedharan has rejected the option of Metro for Chadnigarh. The cost of constructing and running Metro too must be considered. Even if part financing comes from the central government, still Chandigarh will have to spend over a couple of thousand Crores for the construction alone. One of the options given by the officials (and the 2009 RITES report) is that, ?Funds are proposed to be retained through property development, i.e. sale of Commercial plots in Chandigarh, the property/ plots earmarked for this purpose may be transferred by the Chandigarh Administration.? This is sure way to disaster. Not only will this disturb the entire planning of Chandigarh but it will then bring in disastrous chaos as a result of the new commercial plots put for sale for constructing Metro. The miseries will not end here, besides the initial development cost of Rs. 150 crores per km. there would be a prohibitive recurring cost of running the Metro, which means, that the public has to bear the losses from year-to-year even if the average trip cost is kept at Rs. 50 compared to Rs. 10 for a bus-ride. Instead of wasting thousands of Crores on Metro, Chandigarh must use a bus based rapid transport system which is capable of carrying 30,000 PHPDT very comfortably. (See the table) Most of the chaos created in Chandigarh is mainly because of not following the Master Plan made by Le Corbusier, disturbing the sanctity of ?Chandigarh?s periphery? shifting of the bus-stand and plying the buses irrationally. If viable, rational, reliable, effective and fast bus transport system is given to the people of Chandigarh, it would be easily able to meet the cities need for another 40 years. Many bureaucrats are proposing Metro for Chandigarh just because they see good money and spill-over coming to them through sale of land, showrooms and contracts executed in the name of Metro. Bureaucrats, who are spending public money on reports and consultants to push the idea for Metro in Chandigarh after two successive committees of the Central Government have said that Metro for Chandigarh is not feasible, are wasting public resources besides cheating the public. *Hemant Goswami* http://hemantgoswami.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/metrochandigarh/ From operations at velomondial.net Fri Dec 31 22:54:13 2010 From: operations at velomondial.net (Pascal van den Noort) Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:54:13 +0100 Subject: [sustran] A safe and secure 2011 Message-ID: <195ba3f9143eca7e5ca34b4d001119b2@velomondial.net> Dear Colleague and Friend, Velo Mondial wishes you a sustainable and ?Happy New Year?with lots of safety and security while on the road! ? Pascal van den Noort operations@velomondial.net http://velomondial.blogspot.com ? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 25476 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20101231/b11fe82a/attachment-0001.jpe