[sustran] Re: PRT proposal for Delhi convinces Chief Minister

bruun at seas.upenn.edu bruun at seas.upenn.edu
Thu Apr 28 03:11:56 JST 2011


PRT is continually being pushed, but it ultimately doesn't really make
sense. It combines the low capacity of an automobile based system with the
high infrastructure costs of a rail based system. Proponents will say
it costs a LOT less per mile than rail modes, but there are two  
counter arguments: 1) It needs a LOT more miles of construction, and  
2) costs don't
go down in direct proportion to size or capacity.

Furthermore, even if the finances made sense, PRT networks physically  
can't be constructed in any size. Grade separation is required where  
ever lines cross, thus necessitating cloverleaf interchanges or  
something similar. The space requirements preclude doing this in very  
many places.

The Pod Car (even more so the dual mode PRT showing a rubber tired car  
on the track that is on the cover of the book) is another case of  
someone or some company believing in a perfect mode that solves many  
problems. Instead, each mode has a different optimum domain, and in  
the case of cities like Delhi, the Metro, the underdeveloped regional  
rail, the BRTS that is in its infancy, and even regular bus routes,  
bicycle routes and pedestrian pavements all need steady improvement  
and/or expansion.

Eric Bruun



Quoting Lee Schipper <schipper at berkeley.edu>:

> I will copy this to Sarath Guttikunda
> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting of
> Delhi. Can the Moderator admit him?
> he has some amazing MoUD data on accessibility and mobility (number of
> people traveling less than 15 minutes to work) for dozens of Indian
> cities, and the number taking mass transit. The largest cities in India
> fail..its a mess..the medium sized cities (like Pune) are doing a bit
> better, but the "small" cities (ahem, small compared to Delhi or Mumbai)
> offer more near=by access, consistent with what Ashok Dator said.
> --
> Lee Schipper, Ph.D
> Project Scientist
> Global Metropolitan Studies
> http://metrostudies.berkeley.edu/
>
> Street/Mail Address:
> UC Berkeley Global Metropolitan Studies
> 1950 Addison 2nd floor, Berkeley.
> Berkeley CA 94704-2647
>
>
> +1 510 642 6889,
> FAX +1 510 642 6061
> Cell +1 202 262 7476
>
> skype: mrmeter
>
>
>
>> it is a very lively and serious debate on this new "toy" , may be good for
>> very select uses at airports etc but cant be a sensible option for other
>> major areas in any large and complex city.
>> in fact, we need to have overall restraint policy for the urbanization as
>> such all over
>> if we want to cope with congestion, pollution, energy and sustainabiliy
>> I think the cities need to degrow beyond a certain level
>> they must remain within ground level transportation - preferably bussing (
>> i.e. when u cant walk or bike )
>> hopefully for most worktrips and other regular trips for education as well
>> -
>> it should be walking or biking oriented and then the BRTS
>> and only in rare cases, taxies and hired personal cars for occasional uses
>> so that we go towards miniimizning private, individually owned cars and
>> provide more dense but low carbon impact and sustaibly green habitat
>> we cant have all comforts which are based on personal car and then try to
>> reject it
>> we need to work towards alternate design of living especially in
>> sustainable
>> manner as global availability of energy, food, water is going to be
>> liimited
>> and need to equitably available and transport is a crtical element in the
>> way we live especially in large urban societies based on exploitation of
>> rural pop which can also be more sustainabale and "urban" with new
>> techonlogies
>> can we think altogether differently - not too radically
>> ashok datar
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 3:13 PM, eric britton
>> <eric.britton at ecoplan.org>wrote:
>>
>>> This is a nice lively discussion, and I thought it might add a bit of
>>> value
>>> if we posted it to World Streets (even if we are supposed to be closed
>>> as we
>>> seek financial support to keep going) and popped a poll in there for
>>> your
>>> voting pleasure. You will see the full story at
>>> http://worldstreets.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/prt-proposal-for-delhi-convinces-chief-minister-but-does-it-convince-you-see-poll-results/
>>>
>>> Let's see what kind of consensus, divergence, trends if any we get here.
>>>
>>> What is more beautiful and encouraging than informed active citizens who
>>> make their voices heard.
>>>
>>> Vote!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------
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>>> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
>>> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
>>> (the 'Global South').
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Ashok R.Datar
>> Mumbai Environmental Social Network
>> 20 Madhavi, Makarand Society, S.V.S.Marg, Mahim-400 016
>> 98676 65107/0222 444 9212 see our website : www.mesn.org
>>
>> * I hear, then I forget.  I see, then I remember. I do, then I
>> understand.*
>> --------------------------------------------------------
>> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit
>> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>>
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>> If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to
>> http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the real
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>>
>> ================================================================
>> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
>> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
>> (the 'Global South').
>>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit
> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to  
> 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').




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