[sustran] Re: Reg pedestrian policy for Hyderabad

[Madhav Badami, Prof.]

Kanthi,

A quick follow up: 

Because the objective of a demonstration pedestrianization project is to show people the benefits of pedestrianization, and have them push for more, we should also take care, for strategic reasons, not to overly put off motor vehicle users (in this part of the world, interventions to put in bike paths that result in reduction in the availability of car parking have generated resistance). The location of a demonstration project should be decided keeping this in mind. 

Also: it goes without saying that pedestrianization should take into account and integrate the needs of transit users, cyclists, and other road users.

Lastly, it seems to me that pedestrianization necessarily involves looking at parking policy (besides traffic control and other issues).

BTW, speaking of parking: a quick Google search on bike paths and parking threw up this interesting news item, from Sydney:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/clover-moores-folly-bike-path-report-calls-for-crime-risk-review/story-e6freuzi-1226328184426

Here's an excerpt from the news item: "The report, by engineering, architecture and environmental consulting company GHD, called on the council to consider 20 recommendations to fix issues caused by the bike lane.
The issues included wiping out 60 per cent of local on-street parking.
GHD called for police to investigate the crime risk in the area around the path because workers who could no longer park didn't feel safe walking to train stations in the dark.
It also called for a review into the availability of parking spots, another for businesses that had suffered because of the loss of parking, and yet another examining local parking laws to see if they were "adequate for accommodating demand"."

Interesting, isn't it, that in true media style, the headline focuses on the "crime risk", ostensibly due to motorists feeling unsafe because they can "no longer park" (right in front of their doorstep) !!!!

Cheers,

Madhav

************************************************************************

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

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 at mcgill.ca
________________________________________
From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org [sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org] on behalf of Madhav Badami, Prof. [madhav.g.badami at mcgill.ca]
Sent: 17 April 2012 07:50
To: Kanthimathi Kannan
Cc: sustran-discuss
Subject: [sustran] Re: Reg pedestrian policy for Hyderabad

Dear Kanthi,

First of all, kudos to you and your colleagues for your efforts on behalf of pedestrians. There is a lot to say, but for now, I will restrict myself to just two points:

a) The tragedy is that urban transport planning not only ignores pedestrians and cyclists, it actively discriminates against them. So, first and foremost, the powers that be should be urged to do no harm; if nothing else, the situation should not be made any worse than it already is -- by way of, for example, taking out what little infrastructure exists for pedestrians to accommodate motor vehicles.

b) The funding that they have promised should be put to maximum effect; while making the entire city pedestrian-friendly is of course to be devoutly wished for, and should be the ultimate goal, perhaps intervention measures (and zones) might need to be carefully prioritized, to which the funding will be targeted, to begin with; also, a demonstration pedestrianization project along a carefully chosen corridor would, I think be of high strategic value -- the demonstration effect will hopefully motivate the public to ask for more of the same.

Best wishes,

Madhav

************************************************************************

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

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 at mcgill.ca
________________________________________
From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org [sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org] on behalf of Alok Jain [alok.priyanka at gmail.com]
Sent: 17 April 2012 04:16
To: Kanthimathi Kannan
Cc: sustran-discuss
Subject: [sustran] Re: Reg pedestrian policy for Hyderabad

Dear Kanthi,

Some Hong Kong references for your reference below.

http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/tech_doc/hkpsg/full/ch8/ch8_text.htm

http://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/studies/sts2.htm

http://www.hkip.org.hk/HK/Content.asp?Bid=7&Sid=24&Id=143

Regards
Alok

On 17-Apr-2012, at 12:10 PM, Kanthimathi Kannan wrote:

> Dear all
>
> On April 14, 2012, CAI, India, the R2W and Vaada had a walkability dialogue
> where several officers from the government including the GHMC commissioner
> were present.
>
> The GHMC commissioner wanted us ( civil society groups in Hyderabad) to
> come forward with a proposal for making a pedestrian policy for Hyderabad.
> He will fund the policy making.
>
> Your thoughts on how we could proceed with this is most welcome
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Kanthi Kannan
>
> The Right to Walk Foundation
> --------------------------------------------------------
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>
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SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South').