[sustran] Re: Transit in India - to air-condition or not?

[Karthik Rao-Cavale]

Copy-pasting an excellent comment by Ian Perry:

"This reminds me of my time in Sydney, Australia, when I changed my mode of
transport from train to bus, which had air conditioning. My reason for the
modal change was that the train relied on the movement of air to keep
passengers cool, but the service encountered many delays, leaving passengers
exposed to extreme heat with no breeze and once I was on a train that became
stationary between stations, I could not get off and walk as I could (and
did) when travelling on the air-conditioned bus.

What I have found on my many travels around the world is that keeping public
transport moving, and thus a natural breeze cooling passengers on hot days,
is more important that air-conditioning.
This is even the case in London, where the roofs of the buses have been
painted white to reflect the sun and the numbers of opening windows
increased, rather than spend money on air-conditioning that would be of
little use most of the time. Passengers are cool enough unless the bus gets
stuck in traffic….

Of the 8,500 buses in the London fleet 6,356 have white roof panels which
help to reflect the heat. New buses must have insulated roof and side panels
which reflect heat along with tinted side glass. All new double-deck buses
are now fitted with air cooling systems and all double-deck buses in
London’s fleet have been fitted with extra opening windows.

In Tokyo, shivering train passengers enjoy the doors opening at stations as
the warmer air outside enters their carriage! There were only a few days in
the year I spent in Tokyo when I thought I needed air-conditioning in order
to use public transport – but at home a fan creating a breeze was enough to
keep me cool, allowing the noisy air-conditioning unit to remain switched
off.

I agree that air-conditioning is “addictive” and also usually unnecessary.
It’s much better to have open windows and a frequent, reliable public
transport service that keeps the vehicles moving!

Below are a couple of links to heat problems suffered in the UK in 2003.
Stationary and slow moving, crowded vehicles appear to be the problem – or
air-conditioning breaking down on sealed carriages…

Heat brings commuter meltdown
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-5756632-heat-brings-commuter-meltdown.do

Passengers sweat on broken train
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/3127447.stm"
On Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 10:10 AM, eric britton <eric.britton at ecoplan.org>wrote:

> Well done Karthik. And kind thanks for brining this good blog to my
> attention. We'll short list it for World Streets.
>
> What about designs that use low cost, low maintenance schemes for improving
> fresh air circulation and perhaps some kind of simple water- or other
> cooling system that passes the cost-maintenance tests, which really have to
> be draconian if those responsible are to meet the challenge?
>
> Eric Britton
>
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-- 
karthik
vishwakarman.wordpress.com