[sustran] Traffic pyramid - a discussion for Colombian urban transport policy

[Carlosfelipe Pardo]

Hi,

We (various Colombian "transport people") are in the process of supporting
the Colombian Ministry of Transport in formulating a new national urban
transport policy. To date, the policy had only been formulated for public
transport (this is why we have 8 BRTs etc etc funded up to 70% by National
government) but the aim is to include Non motorized transport and travel
demand management measures as part of a broader policy. This is a pretty
good opportunity to improve things, especially since many Colombian cities
cannot get national funding for NMT improvements because there is no law to
support such funding (this is a big problem for small cities that have
short trips and no infrastructure for cycling nor money to build it, for
example).

However, we have come to a discussion where some of us propose that non
motorized transport should have priority over other modes, and others
strongly reject that idea because they say (and I quote) that "*public
transport is the ONLY mode that youth, old, men and women, abled and
disabled, rich and poor can use, and is therefore the mode that is
accessible to all*" (caps in original!). I for one find this a bit
troubling and do not think that it should be an assumption of a national
policy of urban transport that tries to include more modes... am I wrong,
did I understand the traffic pyramid differently from what I should?

I feel that I am pretty alone in this battle (Colombia is a very pro-public
transport country, but not-so when it comes to cycling as a national
policy). I would very much appreciate if anyone can *send along arguments
and hard data that can support that cycling is also very accessible and
should be a prioritary mode*, not just in traffic crossings but in policy.
Otherwise, we'll just have a transport policy that is the same as before.

Thanks for any support on this!!

-- 
Carlosfelipe Pardo | Director Ejecutivo | despacio
pardo at despacio.org
Tel: (+571) 2484420  / Cel (+573) 21 343 3727
despacio.org