<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>There are some good bicycle lanes in Tamale, in </span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Ghana</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>, some poor ones in </span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Accra</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>, and something you might call a bicycle lane in </span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>Dakar</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> along the water front.  There are lots of plans for more, but so far no big success.   We are all still trying.  </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Best</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Walter </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org@list.jca.apc.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>joshua odeleye<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Saturday, September 09, 2006 6:59 AM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [sustran] Re: Commercial motorcycles shut-down in Lagos</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Dear Walter,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In the Global North, motorcycle may not necessarily be a part of "urban transportation".But in the Global South particlarly Sub-Sahara Africa,motorcycle is a sub-system of the urban transport.For instances,it takes care of a subtiantial percentage of the travel demand, in most cities that are bedevilled by traffic congestion.As a result,it has been able to bridge the gap of long distance and short neighbourhood trekking,headloading which are still a major challenge of rural transport in this part of the world. </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Bicycle is a wonderful alternative to motorbike,apart from the fact that the infrastructure for a safe ride is not available in most countries,socially people in cities may want to despise it,but if  infrastructure like bicycle paths could be provided in cities prior funding and or distribution of bicycle,i am of the opinion that more people across gender would embrace it.But, it is unfortunate that in this part of the world nobody has ever thought of providing this infrastucture,meanwhile they want all to shift to bicycle.This may be difficult to accomplish.I will be glad if anyone can point out extensive of bicycle path infrastructure provision in West Africa as well as other part of the global south.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Regards,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>JOSHUA ODELEYE.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>ZARIA,NIGEIA</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold; font-style:italic'>Walter Hook <whook@itdp.org></span></font></i></b> wrote:</p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #1010FF 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>We need to be careful here.  Not all transportation is ‘urban’, and in Africa lack of access to basic mobility constitutes a fundamental barrier to economic development, access to employment, health care, schools, etc.  A number of thoughtful articles by John Howe and other experts indicate that the introduction of motorcycles has had enormous economic benefits in those few African cities where they have been introduced, and of course a few unfortunate externalities like more pollution, accidents, etc.  </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The problem of the ‘missing middle’ in Africa, meaning the absence of vehicle options between land rovers and women headloading, is a key component of the basic economic underdevelopment of Africa.  When a woman spends 60 hours a week taking care of basic mobility needs, how in the hell is she supposed to do much else?  When your country is very poor, the economic effects are extremely critical.  We’re doing good work introducing better bicycles, which are of course not controversial, but all the industry related problems are the same, and the economic benefits of introducing cleaner, cheapter, higher quality motorcycles would be important also.  There is no such thing as ‘public transportation’ in Africa at this point, there are only paratransit services.  A lot of African cities are very low density, and motorcycles are a reasonable option.  Ambient air pollution becomes a problem only with a certain amount of concentration of the pollutants.  The safety issues are better addressed by designing roads for slower speeds.  </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>What to do about motorcycles is certainly a critical issue.  Banning them in Africa is certainly not the solution.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Best</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Walter </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org@list.jca.apc.org [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org@list.jca.apc.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Eric Bruun<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, September 06, 2006 3:42 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> eric.britton@ecoplan.org; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport; 'Global 'South' Sustainable Transport'<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> oscar_kim2000@yahoo.co.uk; 'joshua odeleye'<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [sustran] Re: Commercial motorcycles shut-down in Lagos</span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Like I keep saying, massive numbers of motorcycles and mopeds is a symptom of neglect of public transport. If the rich can drive, are the masses really going to do without mobility if they can afford it? How could you persuade them otherwise?</span></font></p> </div> </div> <div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> </div> <div> <div style='margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: .5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Eric Bruun</span></font></p> </div> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:0in;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: .5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>-----Original Message----- <br> From: Eric Britton <br> <ERIC.BRITTON@ECOPLAN.ORG>Sent: Sep 6, 2006 11:52 AM <br> To: 'Global 'South' Sustainable Transport' <br> <SUSTRAN-DISCUSS@LIST.JCA.APC.ORG>Cc: oscar_kim2000@yahoo.co.uk, 'joshua odeleye' <br> <JOSHUAODELEYE@YAHOO.COM>Subject: [sustran] Commercial motorcycles shut-down in Lagos <br> <br> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><ZZZHTML><ZZZHEAD><ZZZMETA HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><ZZZMETA content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)" name="Generator"></ZZZHEAD><ZZZBODY lang=EN-US vlink="purple" link="blue">As Walter put it so well, they are playing with fire in the streets of  Lagos today. For the reasons that he and Joshua mention, but also because – and this is something that transport planners often simply do not take into consideration since they try to ‘solve’ their problems within a very partial systems analysis in a broadly and relentlessly systemic world – they either have no memory or no knowledge of what happens when you mess with the ‘small details’ of people’s lives. In this case as Walter points out, actually millions of people.</span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>History is strewn with the bodies of specialists who proposed ‘transportation solutions’ to inconvenient problems, only to see a fast and massive reaction on the streets that has toppled governments in very many cases. (It’s really quite a long list and at some point we might all sit down and draw it up as a sweet reminder.  Transportation is indeed dynamite!)</span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>And oh yes, I have not forgotten in this that push from the law enforcement side for whatever reasons. My best guess is though that the transport guys were just looking for  good excuse to get these guys out of circulation.</span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>This leaves us at the end of the day, however, with what is among the most ‘inconvenient truths’ of transport planning and policies in cities across the Global South today – those damn motorized two-wheelers. Certainly an enormous problem, but a far more subtle and astute response is called for. </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Eric Britton</span></font></p> </div> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </ZZZBODY></ZZZHTML> <p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>  </span></font></p> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <hr size=1 width="100%" align=center> </span></font></div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=43256/*http:/advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta">All-new Yahoo! 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