[sustran] Re: government is planning to restrict the movement of privatecars in Dhaka to reduce nagging traffic jam.

[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 at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+lwright=vivacities.org at list.jca.apc.org] On
Behalf Of Jonathan Richmond
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:50
To: Lee Schipper
Cc: UTSG at jiscmail.ac.uk; Kanchan; cartcdc at yahoo.com; car free;
NewMobilityCafe at yahoogroups.com; carfree at lifesupportproductions.co.uk; Salil
Bijur; WorldTransport at 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" <shovan1209 at yahoo.com>
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 at yahoo.com
>> +8801552442814
>> Are private cars the ideal transport? www.dhaka-rickshaw.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>>
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-----
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 at alum.mit.edu
http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/
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