From tkpb at barter.pc.my Tue Nov 3 14:18:42 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:18:42 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: [transport-l] chinese take-bikes-away Message-ID: >From: frank@aseed.antenna.nl >To: traffic-l@eyfa.org, transport-l@oudenaarden.nl >X-Link: WINDMAIL for LAN and standalone PC (aseed.antenna.nl) >Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 19:55:21 +0100 >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Subject: [transport-l] chinese take-bikes-away >Sender: owner-transport-l@freeteam.xs4all.nl >Precedence: bulk > >- A SEED Europe Transport Mailinglist >- >CHINESE TAKE-BIKES-AWAY > >The world capital of the bicycle is giving way to the car. Everywhere >in the world, the car is being pushed out of the city centres. Except >for Beijing. On the busy Xisi Dong Da Jie, the reverse happened. >This "West Four East Road" is, as the name predicts, een eastern >side street of the fourth street west of the royal palaces of the >Forbidden City. From 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. it is not allowed to ride a >bicycle there any longer. Suddenly, the street has become a four- >lane highway. >Unaware of this fact, cyclists turn into the Xisi Dong Da Jie, >surrounded by cars, buses and trolleys. There they are halted by a >policeman or a 'traffic assistant'. Dumbfounded they get off their >bikes. If they want to continue, they'll have to walk, or else return. >No exceptions are being made for the inhabitants and shopkeepers >in the street. >"The cyclists understand the measure and therefore they don't >protest", claims one of the traffic assistants, a former employee of >a state company and now working for 140 DM a month. True, >during half an hour of abservation on a Saturday afternoon, nobody >is protesting. But one of the 'victims' likes to state that he thinks >the biking prohibition is ridiculous in the weekend. The shops on >Xisi Dong Da Jie are virtually empty. "If this continues, we'll lose >our customers", some shopkeepers say. >On the same street is the police information desk. But information >about the anti-bicycle regulations is being refused. Only the >highest chief is allowed to say something about that. One of the >policemen in the street also regards the question for information as >the attempt to filch a state secret from him. Angrily he walks off. A >colleague is easier:" The next street is being renovated, so the bus >& trolley lines are being moved to this street. The traffic also needs >the bike lanes." >But the Chinese press foresees a scenario in which the bicycle will >be banned permanently from Xisi Dong Da Jie, and that more >streets will follow. Because despite all pollution and traffic >digestion, cars are much more important for the economic progress >than all 9 million Beijing bikes together. This is why the cars have >managed for the first time to chase the bikes off the street. >Until recently, bikes in Beijing ruled the streets. Bikes are still >cheap. You can get one at 40 DM. A nice and expensive one used >to be a status symbol. That role is being taken over by the car. The >cheapest car still costs about 18.000 DM. On imported cars there >is a 100% import tax. Ideal for China's 'new rich'. They prefer to >drive around in lenghty limousines, that are used outside China >only by kings and mafiosi. With a mixture of respect and jealousy, >the biking part of the public gives way to its car-driving elite. > >(source: De Volkskrant 27/10/98 (2nd biggest Dutch daily)) > >Frank van Schaik >Transport Campaign Coordinator >A SEED Europe >PO Box 92066 >1090 AB Amsterdam >The Netherlands >tel: +31-20-6682236 >fax: +31-20-6650166 >email: > From tkpb at barter.pc.my Tue Nov 3 14:18:40 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:18:40 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: Relationship between GDP and mobility Message-ID: An interesting exchange on the utsg list that may help to clarify some issues for some of us on sustran-discuss. >X-Sender: litman@mail.IslandNet.com >Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 09:50:52 -0800 >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Subject: Relationship between GDP and mobility >From: Todd Litman >To: utsg@mailbase.ac.uk, John Brooks > >At 09:45 AM 11/2/98 +0000, John Brooks wrote: >> >>The West European, North American, and several other economies ALL have >>an inherent and critical dependence on the manufacture, marketing, >>maintenance, use of, and ultimately, disposal of wheeled vehicles and >>most particularly private cars. It is unlikely that any measures that >>would reduce that dependence could do so without causing at least a >>slowdown in growth of GDP. So do not expect any effective measures >>anytime soon. :=( > >One of my wise old college professors often said that the most interesting >discussions often begin by examining issues that are often considered so >obvious that they are not usually considered worth discussing. The >relationship between economic development and vehicle travel is a good >example. Many people, including some economists who should know better, >assume that this relationship is always positive, so constraints on vehicle >travel are bad for the economy. This assumption is worthy of some critical >examination. > >In fact, both the theoretical and emperical evidence is that beyond a >certain point, increases in per-capita motor vehicle travel appear to be >economically harmful. Even countries that are currently dependent on the >manufacture, marketing, maintenance and use of automobiles do not >necessarilly benefit from marginal increases in vehicle travel that result >from underpricing or other market distortions. I would be glad to email a >copy of the paper, "Automobile Dependency and Economic Development", that I >wrote with Dr. Felix Laube for presentation at this summers' "Moving the >Economy" conference in Toronto to anybody who is interested in this issue. >Here are some of the paper's highlights: > >* Economic efficiency is optimized when consumer prices reflect full >marginal costs. An optimal transportation market, which would include >direct charges for roads and parking, distance-based vehicle insurance, >pollution charges, improved travel choices, and removal of some other >economic distoritions, would significantly reduce automobile travel (by >40-50% according to our institute's analysis, described in our paper >"Socially Optimal Transport Prices and Markets") while increasing economic >development. > >* Automobile and petroleum purchases provide relatively little economic >activity in most communities. For example, here in British Columbia, $1 >millon spent on petroleum provides an average of about 4 jobs. The same >amount spent on public transit provides 21 jobs. Most regional economies >would benefit if consumers shifted their expenditures from automobiles to >other goods. > >* Many economies have benefited from exporting motor vehicles and >petroleum, but there is little benefit from domestic consumption. For >example, Japan experienced strong economic growth during the 1950-70s when >it produced vehicles for export but maintained relied on an efficient, >diverse transportation system. Increasing automobile dependency increases >costs and inefficiences that reduce economic productivity and growth. It is >particularly harmful to countries that import fuel. > >* The automobile and petroleum industries are currently not very >profitable, and increasing production overcapacity is expected to make >these industries even less profitable and more dependent on economic >subsidies in the future. While automobile production helped many countries >develop their heavy industry in the past, there is little reason to believe >that this is a good economic strategy now, since the market is glutted. > >* Increasing automobile dependency imposes a number of external costs, >including accident damages, congestion inefficiencies, roadway and parking >facility costs, and environmental damages, all of which create burdens to >an economy. > >* A portion of the GDP growth associated with increased automobile use >repesents increased costs that reduce social welfare. For example, human >health maximizes welfare but involves minimal "economic" activity. Crash >injuries and medical problems from pollution reduce welfare but result in >all sorts of activities that show up in conventional measures of economic >growth, such as GDP. > >It is a mistake to simply ask how many jobs and businesses in an economy >are dependent on automobile expenditures. Equally important is to ask how >many jobs and businesses would benefit if consumers spent their money on >alternative goods. Most evidence indicates that the alternative goods are a >better investment. > From tkpb at barter.pc.my Tue Nov 3 22:08:33 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 21:08:33 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] Stunt idea for sustran advocates Message-ID: >From the latest Mobilizing the Region newsletter from the New York City region (Electronic Edition Number 194 October 30, 1998). >CARS LOSING EDGE IN SUBURBAN GRIDLOCK > >RideWise, the Raritan Valley NJ transportation management >association, sponsored a contest this week between a driver and a >cyclist to see which had the faster commute. The bike lost - but only >by 15 seconds. > > The cyclist raced the driver on a 6.5 mile, approximately 18-minute >route from Branchburg to Somerville. A 1990 RideWise study showed >that less than 3 percent of Somerset County residents bike to work. >"Time is more of a concern these days," RideWise Executive Director >Anita Perez told the Courier-News. "If we could show people they >could save time by including their workout with their commute, we're >hoping it'll be a good sell." > > In a similar race in NYC several years ago, televised on Channel 13, >a bicyclist beat both a subway rider and a motorist - the latter by a >very wide margin - on a route from downtown Brooklyn to Herald >Square. If good publicity can be mustered then this kind of race can be a useful stunt for advocates of the "greener", "city-friendly" and lower-cost modes of transport. I have heard of similar races successfully organised in various cities, including one in Kuala Lumpur several years ago in which the bicycle also came first, followed by the motorcyclist. A. Rahman Paul BARTER, (PLEASE NOTE NEW MAILING ADDRESS) SUSTRAN Resource Centre P.O. Box 11501 50748 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Phone: +603 274 2590 (or fax on request) E-mail: or (personal) URL: http://www.geocities.com/Rainforest/Canopy/2853 The SUSTRAN Resource Centre hosts the Secretariat of SUSTRAN (the Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia & the Pacific). From aldizon at po.pacific.net.sg Tue Nov 3 23:03:46 1998 From: aldizon at po.pacific.net.sg (aldizon@po.pacific.net.sg) Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 22:03:46 +0800 Subject: [sustran] APEC Summit Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19981103140346.00679d9c@po.pacific.net.sg> Dear fellow listers, I will be covering the APEC meetings in Kuala Lumpur from next week on until the 19th of November. I'm just wondering what transport angle I could possibly cover in addition to the official statements and comments that will be made by the ministers and the leaders themselves? Thanks for your input. ========== AL R DIZON ========== From tkpb at barter.pc.my Thu Nov 5 08:57:39 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 07:57:39 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] Re: APEC Summit Message-ID: Al R. Dizon wrote: >I will be covering the APEC meetings in Kuala Lumpur from next week on until >the 19th of November. I'm just wondering what transport angle I could >possibly cover in addition to the official statements and comments that will >be made by the ministers and the leaders themselves? Speaking off the top of my head I can think of a few possibilities. * The whole issue of privatisations can be seen as part of the globalisation push that APEC represents. However, there have recently been some hiccups in transport infrastructure privatisation. For example, last year Mexico bailed out a number of loss-making toll roads at great public expense. The recent Renong "bailout" in Malaysia involves some privatised toll-roads and urban rail systems. On Monday the Malaysian Minister of Public Works announced that there would be more government assistance for toll-road operators that are facing low revenues at the moment. I am no expert on this particular issue but it would probably bear investigation. * The Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly (APPA - the NGO alternative summit) will have a 2-day workshop on "Privatisation and Financial Deregulation" which may touch on some of the transport infrastructure issues. Contact the organisers at appasec@tm.net.my or visit their web site at www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/8340 * APEC has sponsored a series of "experts" meetings on various issues that touch on transport such as urban air pollution, etc. Some of these may possibly bear fruit in terms of agenda items at the main summit I guess? * Free trade bullying from the US apparently sometimes has an anti-environmental bent. For example, over recent years the US has been consistently pushing South Korea to relax its high tax rates on large (>2000 cc, gas-guzzling) cars. APEC meeting may see similar arguments. * Malaysia's large car industry is the country's pride and joy but it is highly protected. Both APEC's and ASEAN's free trade pushes may represent a great threat to Proton and Perodua. I am hazy on details on this as well but it is something to watch. * There may be some positive potential for regional (or sub-regional) agreements on certain standards (eg. safety, fuel, emissions, etc) which could increase the market size for such changes. However, this is unlikely because in such a large and diverse region any such uniformity would inevitably be a big step backwards for the countries which already have strict standards (such as US and Japan). Would also be seen as favouring the industries of rich countries (unless there was money to help the South countries clean up their vehicles and fuel to meet some regional standard). Even the EU has trouble agreeing on such things..... Anyone else? I hope this helps - and please forgive any inaccuracies as I am not really up to speed on APEC and globalisation issues. A. Rahman Paul BARTER, (PLEASE NOTE NEW MAILING ADDRESS) SUSTRAN Resource Centre P.O. Box 11501 50748 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Phone: +603 274 2590 (or fax on request) E-mail: or (personal) URL: http://www.geocities.com/Rainforest/Canopy/2853 The SUSTRAN Resource Centre hosts the Secretariat of SUSTRAN (the Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia & the Pacific). From aldizon at po.pacific.net.sg Thu Nov 5 09:21:48 1998 From: aldizon at po.pacific.net.sg (aldizon@po.pacific.net.sg) Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 08:21:48 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: APEC Summit Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19981105002148.00687130@po.pacific.net.sg> Thanks, Kirk and Paul, for your input which will no doubt prove useful. I might try to contact Paul in KL. Thanks once again. ========== AL R DIZON ========== From tkpb at barter.pc.my Fri Nov 6 08:27:25 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 07:27:25 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: economic development and vehicular mobility Message-ID: I think this messaage below is of interest to the whole list but also contains a specific request that was meant for Todd Litman I think - a request for his paper (with Felix Laube) that was mentioned a few days ago. >Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 14:35:24 +0100 >From: Vereniging INZET >MIME-Version: 1.0 >To: tkpb@barter.pc.my >CC: sustran@po.jaring.my >Subject: economic development and vehicular mobility >X-Priority: 3 (Normal) > >Amsterdam, november 5 1998 > >Dear sir, >With interest I read your contribution to the SUSTRAN discussion group >of tuesday, november 3. The paper that you mentioned, "Automobile >Dependency and Economic Development" seems to critically touch on some >themes of my research. In my present function as staff member of INZET, >a Dutch development NGO, I am studying the trade of used cars between >Europe and West-Africa. I focus thereby on the case of The Netherlands >and B?nin. The research is one of the activities of INZET's Sustainable >Development programme. > >The first objective of the research is to closely examine the trade of >used cars between The Netherlands and B?nin. The desk-work to obtain >sufficient information to comprehensively reveal the structures of trade >has been completed recently. The findings were published in the article: >"Export of Exhaust-Gases: the trade of Dutch used cars to B?nin" in the >INZET Magazine (ISSN 1385-7363). After concluding the first phase of the >research, I have now moved on to the research's second phase. Its >objective is to study the economic, social and ecologic effects of the >use of used cars in B?nin. One of the key-issues of this research phase >is to study the relationship between economic development and vehicle >travel. The findings of your paper might be relevant for my attempt to >unravel the complex relations between (economic) development and >vehicular mobility in The Netherlands and in B?nin. I therefore kindly >request you to email me a copy of your paper . > >Thanks in advance, > >Yours sincerely > >J. Joost Beuving >[staff member Sustainable Development] > From sustran at po.jaring.my Fri Nov 6 14:59:04 1998 From: sustran at po.jaring.my (SUSTRAN Resource Centre) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 13:59:04 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: Programme Manager for The Urban Governance Initiative (TUGI) Message-ID: <01BE098E.0CE6A240@j40.brf73.jaring.my> -----Original Message----- From: Sri Husnaini R. S. Sofjan [SMTP:srihusnainis@hotmail.com] Sent: Thursday, November 05, 1998 10:52 AM Subject: Programme Manager for The Urban Governance Initiative (TUGI) Dear Friends, The Urban Governance Initiave (TUGI) is a programme of UNDP which seeks to assist mayors, governors and other stakeholders in building the capacity of local governments to perform their task effectively. TUGI is a response to UNDP's continuous commitments to work on urban issues, building upon its earlier investment and insights from the Urban Management Programme for Asia and the Pacific (UMPAP) and Asia Pacific 2000 (AP2000). The Asia Office of the United Nations for Project Services (UNOPS), the executing agency for TUGI is looking for a Programme Manager. Details of requirements and job description is attached for your information and retention. Kindly share this information with interested parties in your institution/network. The Programme Manager will work closely with Mr. Anwar Fazal who is currently the Senior Regional Advisor for TUGI. With best wishes Sri Husnaini Sofjan National Programme Specialist RAS/98/065 - The Urban Governance Initiative (TUGI) UN LOGO United Nations Office for Project Services PROGRAMME MANAGER The Asia Office of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which provides implementation and management services to development programmes, seeks a Programme Manager for the Regional Programme for Urbanisation, Globalisation and Urban Governance. This programme, which is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to contribute to making cities in the Asia Pacific region, more liveable for all residents by strengthening capacities, improving governance and enhancing the tools available to urban administrators and decision makers. Duties and Responsibilities The Programme Manager will fulfil the role of team leader for the Urban Governance Initiative in Asia. He/she will supervise the work of the Project Secretariat and will develop and manage the Programme within the region. He/she will be accountable to the Chief, UNOPS Asia Office and report to the Chief, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, (RBAP) - UNDP through the Principal Programme Resident Representative (PPRR) in Kuala Lumpur. Specifically, in collaboration with the project team, the Programme Manager will: * Identify indicators, tools and methodologies that constitute good urban governance in order to build capacity and strengthen relationships directly with the Mayors/Governors and city administrators. * Select participating cities and pilot projects and develop strategies to introduce lessons learned from pilot projects into national policy dialogues. Identify and support the development of regional and country institutions participating in Urban Governance Initiatives in Asia and support institutions and experts in implementing activities. * Work with leaders in influential regional institutions to introduce urban issues into their work programmes and agendas. * Support development of networks of NGOs, training institutes, private sector organizations and municipal associations concerned with urban management within the region and encourage their involvement in the Urban Governance Programme. Qualifications and Experience: The Programme Manager will have extensive knowledge and experience in urban management and preferably at least 10 years experience working in or with governments in developing countries. Knowledge and experience of systems and modalities of international and bilateral technical co-operation activities in developing countries would be a strong advantage. Language: English; knowledge of French would be an advantage. Salary: Salary will commensurate with experience based on UNDP/Malaysia's scale for senior locally recruited professional staff (NOD). Location: Kuala Lumpur with travel in the Region Duration of Project: 15 months with possible extension to 36 months Submission of Applications Interested candidates should submit detailed CV (including salary history, birth date, and nationality) to the address below by mail, fax or e-mail indicating reference number and earliest availability. Please note only short listed candidates will be contacted. Deadline for submissions is 16 November 1998. Mail: Ref: RAS/98/065 - Programme Manager United Nations Office for Project Services Wisma UN - Blok C Kompleks Pejabat Damansara Jalan Dungun - Damansara Heights 50490 Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia Fax: (603)253-1505 e-mail cosslett@unops.org From tkpb at barter.pc.my Fri Nov 6 19:29:36 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 18:29:36 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: Thai Campus transportation plan Message-ID: Dear Dr. Sompong Sirisoponsilp I am taking the liberty of forwarding your request for help to the sustran-discuss list, an email discussion list that focusses on urban transport in developing countries, especially Asia. I hope someone on sustran-discuss may be knowledgeable about the Bangkok situation and may have some suggestions. If you would like to join the list, please contact me or visit our web site. I am very happy to hear about your project. I had a strange experience at the Chulalongkorn University Campus several years ago. A friend who worked on campus and lived in the staff quarters about 500 metres away on the other side of a busy road actually drove to work everyday!!! She found the ordeal of walking through the noise/pollution and the danger of crossing the road such an ordeal that she preferred to spend 20 minutes or more in her car. The car trip involved travelling about 2 or 3 km because she had to drive some distance to reach a place to make a U-turn. To me this suggests that your study may need to examine the pedestrian (and public transport) environment in the surrounds of the campus and not just inside it. A. Rahman Paul BARTER SUSTRAN Resource Centre P.O. Box 11501 50748 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Phone: +603 274 2590 (or fax on request) E-mail: or (personal) URL: http://www.geocities.com/Rainforest/Canopy/2853 >Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1998 00:32:02 PST >Subject: Campus transportation plan >From: "Sompong Sirisoponsilp" >To: utsg@mailbase.ac.uk >Reply-To: "Sompong Sirisoponsilp" ...... > >I am developing a Master Transportation Plan for the Chulalongkorn >University which is located right in the CBD of the city of Bangkok. I >will highly appreciate if any one could share experience or provide the >information on previous studies related to the development of campus >transportation plan. I am particularly concerned about the following >aspects of the plan: > - Parking policy > - Traffic restraint policy > - Circulation plan > - Public transportation service i.e. shuttle bus. > >Regards, >Dr. Sompong Sirisoponsilp >Department of Civil Engineering >Chulalongkorn University >Bangkok 10330 >THAILAND >Tel:66-2-2186460 >Fax:66-2-2517304 >e-mail:ssompon1@hotmail.com From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Nov 6 20:17:54 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 12:17:54 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Signalling sytems for traffic accidents In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <000201be0977$32ae6240$91bdfcc1@g400> Dear Friends, This kind lady from the French Ministry of Transport is asking for some contacts in order to gather information about ways in which traffic accidents are "signaled" on roads, so that oncoming traffic is informed and warned. If anyone can help her, that would be very nice indeed. Her original note to me and her address follows. Thank you. Eric Britton ============ Pouvez-vous m'adresser des articles sur les signalisations d'urgence en cas d'accidents routiers en vigueur en Allemagne et en Hollande. Avec mes remerciements. Eliane Bazin, Documentation (mail: bazin@drast.equipement.gouv.fr) t?l. 01 40 81 14 15 - Minist?re de l'Equipement du Logement des Transports et du Tourisme Direction de la Recherche et des Affaires Scientifiques - Tour Pascal B - 92055 La D?fense C?dex - France . ============ EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society -- SUSTAINABILITY IS OUR BUSINESS -- Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org * The CarShare Consortium * Le Transport Nouveau * Children & Sustainability * 21st Turtle Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Tel. +331 4326.1323 or +331 4441.6340 Fax +331 4441.6341 or +331 4326.1323 Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) Email: postmaster@ecoplan.org From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Nov 6 21:29:01 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 13:29:01 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Wow! The Swiss!!! Message-ID: <000a01be0981$2cd154e0$91bdfcc1@g400> This is really worth a gander and a thought. Rail + public transit + shared cars + a country-wide mobility capability, all in one handy affordable package. As they put it in French " Un abonnement demi-tarif pour le train et 1000 v?hicules Mobility, que vous pouvez r?server 24 heures sur 24 et aller chercher imm?diatement. A 700 emplacements dans 300 localit?s dans toute la Suisse. Dans les gares, pr?s de votre domicile ou de votre lieu de travail. A la campagne comme en ville." For more in French, http://www.cff.ch/pv/mobility_f.htm In German: http://www.cff.ch/pv/mobility_d.htm Sorry, no English on this at the present time. If you ponder it a moment, this is in many ways a not unexpected thrust of development on the part of the rail folks. After all, transportation is increasingly and above all logistics, and 30 years ago the rail groups at the leading edge already began to come to terms with the huge number of empty rail wagons (and containers) they and their other international colleagues had sitting around doing nothing most of the time (when not altogether lost). So they used a bit of technology and were able to figure out what was where, which in pretty short order allowed most of the operators to cut their car fleets in half and more, offer better service, do less deadheading, cut costs, etc. So, they got good at it. And of course carsharing is itself almost pure logistics. Still, whatever the historical or technological reasons for it, this is really a terrific bit of pioneering and cross-modal collaboration and one can only hope that it will prosper and spread. Eric Britton PS. Should we be discussing this? And hey! Let's cross over these two carshare lists and make them into a more coherent structure and reference point. Don't you think? EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society -- SUSTAINABILITY IS ALL OUR BUSINESS -- Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org * The CarShare Consortium * Le Transport Nouveau * Children & Sustainability * 21st Turtle Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Tel. +331 4326.1323 or +331 4441.6340 Fax +331 4441.6341 or +331 4326.1323 Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) Email: postmaster@ecoplan.org From tkpb at barter.pc.my Sat Nov 7 14:01:59 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 13:01:59 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] From Eric Britton: Notice of new collaborative transportation initiative Message-ID: This initially bounced because Eric had sent it to too many people in addition to the sustran list and the majordomo software doesn't like that. >From: "Eric Britton" >To: , , > , , ......... >Cc: "- Car Share Discussion List (Sweden) (E-mail)" , > "Carsharing Mailing List (E-mail)" , > "- Sustran Discussion List (E-mail)" >Subject: Notice of new collaborative transportation initiative >Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 03:29:54 +0100 ....... > >In support of the other activities under The Commons relating to >sustainability and sustainable transportation systems more >particularly, we have just launched a new site which is intended >to support the preparation and implementation of well structured >projects aimed at Car Free Days. You will find full details and a >fairly useful first cut Web site on this topic now available at >http://www.ecoplan.org/carfreeday. > >We invite you to have a look and, if you find it useful and have a >moment, possibly let us have your views and suggestions. As you >will see, we believe that this is a seriously underused and >neglected resource. > >With all good wishes, > >Eric Britton > >EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society >-- SUSTAINABILITY IS ALL OUR BUSINESS -- >Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org > >* The CarShare Consortium * Le Transport Nouveau * Children & >Sustainability * Car Free Day * 21st Turtle * Access Bilbao 2010 > >Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France >Tel. +331 4326.1323 or +331 4441.6340 >Fax +331 4441.6341 or +331 4326.1323 >Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) >Email: postmaster@ecoplan.org > From ccordero at amauta.rcp.net.pe Sat Nov 7 19:27:45 1998 From: ccordero at amauta.rcp.net.pe (Carlos Cordero V.) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 15:27:45 +0500 (GMT) Subject: [sustran] Public Transport in Peru Message-ID: Dear sustran sucribers, Peruvian newspapers quoted today that the main public transport trade unions, which join private owned buses drivers, are ready to sue Peruvian State. One of the trade unions is asking for a compensation of 321 million peruvian soles - about US 107 million dollars- per year since 1994. The proposed Law suit is against a peruvian law wich states that University students (about 500,000) have the right to pay a half price fare, this situation represent a subsidy to the students which should be compensated by the State. According to the trade unions it is the cause for their looses as a private companies. Another present argument is that a Law with lower fares for students and free pass for uniformed police forces, is inconstitutional since is not according with a free market. Few weeks ago there was a trade union strike under the same arguments and trade unions announce new protest measures in case their reclaims are not addressed. Carlos Cordero V CICLORED Centro de Capacitacio'n y Asesori'a para el Transporte y Ambiente San Juan 242 Lima 33 tel: 51 1 4460175 (nuevo telf) fax: 51 1 4472675 e mail: ccordero@amauta.rcp.net.pe From tkpb at barter.pc.my Wed Nov 11 10:23:36 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 09:23:36 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] China Lawmakers Cool to Fuel Tax Proposal Message-ID: China Lawmakers Cool to Fuel Tax Proposal Reuters 09-NOV-98 BEIJING, Nov 9 (Reuters) - A plan to replace highway maintenance fees with fuel taxes has been harshly criticised by members of China's parliament, the China Daily said on Monday. Deputies of the standing committee of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, expressed doubts that the introduction of fuel tax proposed for next year would replace the revenue collected by the highway fee system, the newspaper said. "If the road fees were removed, the returns on investment in highways would not be guaranteed", the newspaper quoted an NPC deputy as saying. The amendment to the national highway law which calls for replacing maintenance and licensing fees with a fuel tax, still has to win parliamentary approval. Opposing lawmakers also argued that fuel taxes would impose heavy burdens on farmers who buy diesel for tractors and the hike in fuel prices would create fresh incentives for smugglers. China's State Council, which submitted the proposal, defended the plan as a method to eradicate randomly collected road fees and cut costs for businesses and individuals, the newspaper said. Various layers of Chinese governments currently impose hefty fees on highway drivers. The fuel tax would not affect toll highways backed by foreign and local investors or local governments, which could continue collecting fees, sponsors said. "The item of collecting tolls has not been cancelled in the newly drafted law," the newspaper quoted an official from the highway management department. Fuel tax would be collected by the central government and then distributed to local officials as road funds. Part of the collected revenue would be returned to farmers to compensate for the higher prices they pay for fuel. From heathm at uclink4.berkeley.edu Fri Nov 13 06:29:48 1998 From: heathm at uclink4.berkeley.edu (Heath Maddox) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 13:29:48 -0800 Subject: [sustran] Publication Announcement Message-ID: <3.0.32.19981112132948.0090b300@uclink4.berkeley.edu> Dear Colleagues: Periodically on this list and others I read publication announcements. The International Council for Local Environmental Intitiatives (ICLEI) plans to release a Local Government Guide to Parking Cash Out. I would like to post an official announcement to this list and others. Can anyone advise me of a comprehensive listing of transportation-related list-servers where it would be appropriate to announce our publication? Please respond to me directly. Thank you very much. Heath Maddox Transportation Program Assistant, ICLEI From tkpb at barter.pc.my Fri Nov 13 09:12:37 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 08:12:37 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: AFFORD project Message-ID: >Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 22:44:39 +0900 (JST) >From: owner-sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org >To: owner-sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org >Subject: BOUNCE sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org: Non-member submission >from [georgiou@hermes.civil.auth.gr] > .......... >X-Sender: georgiou@hermes.civil.auth.gr >X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) >Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 15:48:01 +0200 >To: sustran-discuss@jca.ax.apc.org >Subject: AFFORD project >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > >Dear Colleagues, > >I would like to inform you for the existence of AFFORD project, a DGVII-RTD >funded project. AFFORD project deals especially with urban transportation >pricing. More specifically, it deals with the conflict between the economic >theory, which suggests that marginal cost pricing is the right solution to >such problems, and practical experience, which suggests that such pricing >measures may be hard to implement. AFFORD Project aims to investigate that >conflict and its possible solutions, through a combination of economic >analysis, predictive modelling, attitudinal surveys, as well as the >assessment of a full range of fiscal and financial measures within a number >of case study cities in Europe. > >The AFFORD web address is: http://www.vatt.fi/afford > >Best regards, > >George Georgiou > >_____________________________________ >George Georgiou >Transport Planner, M.Sc., Ph.D. Candidate >Dep. of Civil Engineering - Transport & Organisation Section >Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece > From jhrhee at kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr Fri Nov 13 11:49:17 1998 From: jhrhee at kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr (Jongho Rhee) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 11:49:17 +0900 Subject: [sustran] Circulation Area Message-ID: <364B9E2D.29F43E27@kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr> Dear All: "Can anybody please define the term "Circulation Area" in transportation or urban planning?" Thank you much. Jongho Rhee, Ph.D. Associate Professor Dept. of Urban & Transportation Engineering Kyonggi University Seoul and Suwon South Korea Tel) +82-331-249-8761 Fax) +82-331-255-5915 E-mail) jhrhee@kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr From kwood at central.co.nz Fri Nov 13 12:38:58 1998 From: kwood at central.co.nz (Kerry Wood) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 15:38:58 +1200 Subject: [sustran] Re: Circulation Area Message-ID: Hello everybody > >"Can anybody please define the term "Circulation Area" in transportation >or urban planning?" Thank you much. > I take this to mean an area where pedestrians can walk, wait, meet, sit and perhaps eat. A large railway station will probably have a circulation area, with connection to all platforms taxi ranks and so on, and displays of train arrivals and departures. Regards Kerry Wood Transport Consultant Phone/fax + 64 4 801 5549 e-mail kwood@central.co.nz 1 McFarlane St Wellington 6001 New Zealand From jhrhee at kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr Fri Nov 13 13:56:00 1998 From: jhrhee at kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr (Jongho Rhee) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 13:56:00 +0900 Subject: [sustran] Re: Circulation Area References: Message-ID: <364BBBE0.CAB583F1@kuic.kyonggi.ac.kr> Dear Mr. Kerry Wood: Thank you very much for your help. It was an excellent definition. Jongho Rhee Kerry Wood wrote: > Hello everybody > > > >"Can anybody please define the term "Circulation Area" in transportation > >or urban planning?" Thank you much. > > > > I take this to mean an area where pedestrians can walk, wait, meet, sit and > perhaps eat. A large railway station will probably have a circulation area, > with connection to all platforms taxi ranks and so on, and displays of > train arrivals and departures. > > Regards > > Kerry Wood > Transport Consultant > Phone/fax + 64 4 801 5549 e-mail kwood@central.co.nz > 1 McFarlane St Wellington 6001 New Zealand From mobility at igc.apc.org Sat Nov 14 08:56:23 1998 From: mobility at igc.apc.org (ITDP) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 15:56:23 -0800 Subject: [sustran] UN NGO Sustainable Transport Caucus Message-ID: <364CC727.551E@igc.apc.org> APOLOGIES FOR CROSS POSTINGS Dear all: This message is an invitation to join and/or support the UN NGO Sustainable Transport Caucus. BACKGROUND: In order to better organize their input into various UN conferences and commissions, internationally active NGOs have formed a number of issue-specific caucuses. This process is currently being formalized. This presents us with an opportunity to revive interest in the currently dormant Sustainable Transport caucus. HISTORY OF THE SUSTAINABLE TRANPSORT CAUCUS: Realizing that issues of sustainable transportation, access and mobility were not sufficiently addressed in the draft documents prepared for the UN Habitat II (City Cummit) conference in 1996, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the Internatinal Union for Public Tranpsport (UITP,) together with a number of individual transport experts took the lead in the spring of 96 to form the UN NGO Sustainable Transport Caucus. PURPOSE OF THE SUSTAINABLE TRANPSORT CAUCUS: The UN NGO Sustainable Tranpsort Caucus concerns itself with all issues related to environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation, giving particular attention to the access and mobility needs of the least empowered parts of the population such as women and the poor. The caucus is also concerned about the ill effects of unchecked motorization on the global environment and human health. ACTIVITIES OF THE SUSTAINABLE TRANPSORT CAUCUS: Andy Anderson of London Transport/UITP and myself have been the coordinators for the caucus for the last two years. Our coalition of groups very sucessfully influenced transport-relevant language in the Habitat II Global Plan of Action in Istanbul, esp. raising the visibility of non-motorized transport and "polluter pays" issues. We also organized events at the Habitat NGO Forum and have been active at the annual UN CSD meetings in New York. Our activity has dwindled since Rio+5 in the summer of 1997, however, and no formal elections were held at CSD-6 in April 98. The UN NGO Sterring committee has now asked Andy and me to serve as interim coordinators until the next UN CSD(7) in April 99 and to develop a more formal membership list for the caucus. Now here's the catch (at least as I understand it): According to the new NGO Steering Committee guidelines, issues caucuses should consist of at least ten NGO with accredited NGO status at the UN. HERE IS HOW TO JOIN OR SUPPORT THE CAUCUS: just send an email, i.e: 1) If you are an NGO interested in sustainable transport issues and you already have UN ECOSOC or another valid NGO status at the UN, all you need to do is send an email to me (at mobility@igc.apc.org) and Megan Howell at the UN NGO Steering Committee (meganh@wfuna-art.com) asking to be put on the transport caucus membership list. 2) If you are not an accredited NGO but are still interested in remaining on the transporty caucus mailing list and want to provide us with input on particular issues, please send an email to me only (at mobility@igc.apc.org). (This also goes for individuals who lack a formal NGO affiliation altogether.) In either case, don't worry about crowding your mailbox with any more lengthy messages from me from now on, as there will be only very limited issue-specific activity by the caucus over the next year. In fact, all of this is really more about getting formalized and organized for the year 2000. This is when the 5 year CSD Work Program finally takes up tranpsort as one of its main topics. Please pass this message on to other groups that you think would be interested. Thanks and best regards from the Big Apple, ---Deike __________________________________ Deike Peters Director of Environmental Programs ITDP -- Access ITDP's New Website: www.ITDP.org The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy 115 W. 30th Street, Suite 1205, New York, NY 10001 (212) 629-8001 fax: (212) 629-8033 From litman at islandnet.com Sat Nov 14 10:15:24 1998 From: litman at islandnet.com (Todd Litman) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 09:15:24 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] TRB session on Optimal Level of Automobile Use Message-ID: P R E S S R E L E A S E ------------------------- 12 November 1998 For Immediate Release AUTOMOBILE DEPENDENCY: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? Debating the Optimal Level of Automobile Use Double Session on the Economic and Social Impacts of Automobile Dependency Transportation Research Board 1999 Annual Meeting Monday, January 11, 8 a.m. to 12 noon International East Room, Hilton, Washington DC DESCRIPTION: In this century, surface transport systems have become increasingly automobile dependent (defined as "High levels of per capita automobile travel, automobile oriented land use patterns, and reduced transport alternatives"). Recent research challenges the assumption that increased automobile travel is necessarily good for an economy or society. Beyond a certain level, automobile dependency appears to impose more costs than benefits. This session will explore the socially optimal level of automobile use and what this implies for transport policy and facility investment. Each presenter will discuss the following questions: 1. How can we know the optimal level of automobile dependency? 2. What do data indicate about whether particular regions are below, at, or above this optimum? 3. What does this imply for public policy? After all presentations, during the Part 2 Session, the panel will discuss areas of agreement and disagreement, and the audience will also have an opportunity to raise questions and share comments. PRESENTORS: * Don Chen Director of Research, Surface Transportation Policy Project. Title: Social Impacts of Automobile Dependency * Dr. Kenneth Green Director of Environmental Program, Reason Public Policy Institute Title: Optimality, Externality, and Things that go Bump in the Night * Frank Haight Editor, Transportation Research A & B Title: "Pollution, congestion and cost - anything else wrong with cars?" * Walter Hook Director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Title: Road Investments, Economic Growth, and Debt: Lessons from Asia and Africa * Todd Litman Director, Victoria Transport Policy Institute. Title: Automobile Dependency and Economic Development * Frank Moretti Director of Research, The Road Information Program (TRIP). Title: Meeting the Diverse Transportation Needs of the Information Age * Professor Peter Newman Director, Institute for Science and Technology Policy Title: The Costs of Automobile Dependency: A Global Survey of Cities * * * * * The Transportation Research Board is a unit of the National Research Council, which serves the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. The TRB Annual Meeting, held each January in Washington DC, attracts 6,000-8,000 participants representing a wide range of transportation professionals. For registration information visit: www.nas.edu/trb/meeting or call 301-694-5243. * * * * * For more information on this session contact: Todd Litman, Director Victoria Transport Policy Institute 1250 Rudlin Street Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560 E-mail: litman@islandnet.com Website: www.islandnet.com/~litman From jernst at loxinfo.co.th Tue Nov 17 01:57:43 1998 From: jernst at loxinfo.co.th (John Ernst) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 23:57:43 +0700 Subject: [sustran] bus losses and lawsuits Message-ID: <3.0.32.19981116224826.0080ad70@mailsvr.loxinfo.co.th> Two items from the Bangkok Post (16-Nov-98) -- First, Bangkok's "Micro-Bus" service ? privately concessioned, air-conditioned, 30-seater buses that guarantee seats (no standing) which have operated since 1992 -- are bankrupt and predicted to shut down. Not in the story are the causes behind Bangkok?s bus woes ? the rolling stock is stuck in congestion much of the time. Bangkok?s bus lanes are very limited and what exists is seldom enforced. Meanwhile, expressway construction continues throughout the city, though now joined by elevated rail and subway. A seemingly unrelated story is the settlement in the US of claims against the tobacco industry. In the US legal system, this opens up lawsuits to manufacturers of other items that damage human life. While guns are the next target in the US, the news story also mentioned cars. I recall there was already a lawsuit filed in Japan about one year ago suing a city for planning for vehicles. The basis of the suit was the health effects of the resulting air pollution. Does anyone know the status of that case? While legal action against cities is a radical approach, it may be one worth considering. The threat alone may help cities in Asia take alternatives to road-building more seriously. I think some car manufacturers are also responsible. For example, General Motors marketing strategy for Chinese cars implicitly acknowledges the cars will be operated in congested urban areas: "Shanghai GM will try to carve out a market niche by building vehicles with automatic transmissions, apparently more suited to the stop-and-go conditions in China's congested cities." [China Energy Efficiency Information Bulletin, November 1998, Vol. 4, No. 9, (http://www.pnl.gov/china)] Does anyone have more information about legal approaches? It's important for both citizen groups and governments / corporations to be aware of the possibilities. From Stephen.Browne at ss.pacific.co.jp Tue Nov 17 10:32:37 1998 From: Stephen.Browne at ss.pacific.co.jp (Stephen Browne) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 10:32:37 +0900 Subject: [sustran] Re: bus losses and lawsuits References: <3.0.32.19981116224826.0080ad70@mailsvr.loxinfo.co.th> Message-ID: <3650D233.66F4B186@ss.pacific.co.jp> John, Concerning that case in Japan, the one that I remember was settled this year in a place called Kawasaki, just outside of Tokyo. The suit was taken by a group of local residents living next to an overhead expressway, and they sued the local government for health damages. I dont have any exact details, but if I remember correctly the case took quite a while to reach a settlement, and it might have forced the governement to install some anti-pollution barriers, whatever they may be. The settlement was substantial, but as it was taken by around 300 people ( I think ) I dont know what the individual amounts were. regards, Steve From rijnsburger at waste.nl Tue Nov 17 17:09:46 1998 From: rijnsburger at waste.nl (rijnsburger@waste.nl) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 09:09:46 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Re: UN NGO Sustainable Transport Caucus Message-ID: <199811170850.AA06667@antenna.nl> Jaap Rijnsburger is away from the office until: 18 november 1998 please address urgent matters to: office@waste.nl ****************************************************** Jaap Rijnsburger, Managing Director WASTE, Advisers on Urban Environment and Development Nieuwehaven 201, 2801 CW Gouda, The Netherlands e-mail (personal): rijnsburger@waste.nl e-mail (general): office@waste.nl tel: +31 182 522625, fax: +31 182 550313 ****************************************************** From rijnsburger at waste.nl Tue Nov 17 17:09:43 1998 From: rijnsburger at waste.nl (rijnsburger@waste.nl) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 09:09:43 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Re: UN NGO Sustainable Transport Caucus Message-ID: <199811170850.AA06689@antenna.nl> Jaap Rijnsburger is away from the office until: 18 november 1998 please address urgent matters to: office@waste.nl ****************************************************** Jaap Rijnsburger, Managing Director WASTE, Advisers on Urban Environment and Development Nieuwehaven 201, 2801 CW Gouda, The Netherlands e-mail (personal): rijnsburger@waste.nl e-mail (general): office@waste.nl tel: +31 182 522625, fax: +31 182 550313 ****************************************************** From tkpb at barter.pc.my Wed Nov 18 14:03:40 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 13:03:40 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] Around the globe from MTR #196 Message-ID: This is from MOBILIZING THE REGION (A Weekly Bulletin from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign), Electronic Edition Number 196 (November 13, 1998) AROUND THE GLOBE * Police in Dortmund, Germany are teaming up with grade-schoolers to make motorists accountable for dangerous, anti-social driving. In a concentrated week- long push to spotlight safety around schools, police posted radar speed detectors at schools, and stopped drivers flagrantly exceeding the 18 mph speed limit. Instead of receiving a citation, the scofflaws were escorted to a group of fourth graders who read them the riot act. The kids plied the motorists with questions like: Do you know how fast you were driving? Did you not see the speed limit sign? The technique received high visibility in the press, and because the program occurs at local schools, there is a large chance that the students or teachers will know the drivers. Though the motorists are publicly shamed, the program creates positive reinforcement because it illustrates the negative consequences of speeding. * Police in some French jurisdictions are introducing law- breaking motorists to people who have been paralyzed or otherwise disabled in past traffic crashes. The disabled participants volunteer to spend a day riding with the police. The volunteers are presented to the apprehended speeders, who are then better able to contemplate the possible consequences of their actions at the wheel. * Variable speed limits are in operation on part of the M25, the orbital highway around London. The policy is based on the idea that at certain volumes, greater traffic flow can be achieved by reducing speed limits. The scheme is enforced with cameras and large variable message signs that tell drivers if the current limit is lower than the standard 70 mph. The project has been judged a success in terms of congestion relief and accident reduction. * In September, Copenhagen introduced a system to minimize the amount of half-empty vehicles operating in the city center. Trucks and vans must obtain a certificate to enter the inner city and must be loaded to at least 60% capacity while entering or leaving the inner city. City officials hope that the program reduces heavy traffic by 30%. Amsterdam introduced a similar certificate scheme in October with even more strenuous conditions - vehicles must be loaded to at least 80% of capacity when entering or leaving the city. From wcox at publicpurpose.com Wed Nov 18 21:33:40 1998 From: wcox at publicpurpose.com (Wendell Cox) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 06:33:40 -0600 Subject: [sustran] New Urban Rail Message-ID: <3652BEA4.D8B90D74@publicpurpose.com> Information: In 16 November Issue of "Engineering News Record" "New Urban Rail Not Justified" Viewpoint Feature Column by Wendell Cox At: http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-usr-enr.htm -- WENDELL COX CONSULTANCY International Public Policy, Economics, Labour, Transport & Strategic Planning The Public Purpose: Internet Public Policy Resource http://www.publicpurpose.com Voice +1 618 632 8507; Fax +1 618 632 8538 P.O. Box 841- Belleville, Illinois 62222 USA "To facilitate the ideal of government as the servant of the people by identifying and implementing strategies to achieve public purposes at a cost that is no higher than necessary." From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Thu Nov 19 02:01:49 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 18:01:49 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Sellective interntional WebRing for leading transport policy and practice sites In-Reply-To: <3652BEA4.D8B90D74@publicpurpose.com> Message-ID: <000301be1315$41e94480$71e48aa4@g400> To: Wendell Cox Thanks for telling us about your article. I had a look at both it and your WebSite and found both to be impressive. As I pondered it, the following thought came to mind. For our CarShare Consortium we have set up the beginnings of a WebRing which we are now trying to develop in a most selective manner to bring together only the leading sites that deal with these issues (You can see it in its present incomplete but still barebones operational http://www.ecoplan.org/carshare/cs_index.htm). We are considering doing something along these lines with the more general topic of, call it, "alternative or critical thinking about transportation policy and practices" via our World Transport Policy and Practice WebSite (at http://www.ecoplan.org/World Transport Policy and Practice). Might you wish to have The Public Purpose among the first to join our loop? I am placing this note here in public just in case others of you might have some suggestions along these lines. Once again, we wish to be highly selective, and certainly we would want no more than a couple of handfuls of the leading sources of such thinking on the Ring. There are plenty of monster lists of institutions and groups out there on the Net, but here we would like to focus a bit. Eric Britton EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) From wcox at publicpurpose.com Thu Nov 19 09:14:56 1998 From: wcox at publicpurpose.com (Wendell Cox) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 18:14:56 -0600 Subject: [sustran] Re: Sellective interntional WebRing for leading transport policy and practice sites References: <000301be1315$41e94480$71e48aa4@g400> Message-ID: <36536300.936C0382@publicpurpose.com> Eric... Would be happy to participate. Best regards, Wendell Cox Eric Britton wrote: > To: Wendell Cox > > Thanks for telling us about your article. I had a look at both it > and your WebSite and found both to be impressive. As I pondered > it, the following thought came to mind. > > For our CarShare Consortium we have set up the beginnings of a > WebRing which we are now trying to develop in a most selective > manner to bring together only the leading sites that deal with > these issues (You can see it in its present incomplete but still > barebones operational > http://www.ecoplan.org/carshare/cs_index.htm). > > We are considering doing something along these lines with the more > general topic of, call it, "alternative or critical thinking about > transportation policy and practices" via our World Transport > Policy and Practice WebSite (at http://www.ecoplan.org/World > Transport Policy and Practice). Might you wish to have The Public > Purpose among the first to join our loop? > > I am placing this note here in public just in case others of you > might have some suggestions along these lines. Once again, we > wish to be highly selective, and certainly we would want no more > than a couple of handfuls of the leading sources of such thinking > on the Ring. There are plenty of monster lists of institutions and > groups out there on the Net, but here we would like to focus a > bit. > > Eric Britton > > EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society > Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France > Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) -- WENDELL COX CONSULTANCY International Public Policy, Economics, Labour, Transport & Strategic Planning The Public Purpose: Internet Public Policy Resource http://www.publicpurpose.com Voice +1 618 632 8507; Fax +1 618 632 8538 P.O. Box 841- Belleville, Illinois 62222 USA "To facilitate the ideal of government as the servant of the people by identifying and implementing strategies to achieve public purposes at a cost that is no higher than necessary." From tkpb at barter.pc.my Fri Nov 20 10:01:27 1998 From: tkpb at barter.pc.my (Paul Barter) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:01:27 +0800 (MYT) Subject: [sustran] fwd: African Bike Experts Message-ID: This bounced initially because it was from a non-subscriber... >From: "Emmeram Rasshofer" >To: >Subject: African Bike Experts >Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 00:45:27 +0100 ....... > >Jugendhilfe Ostafrika Karlsruhe > >c/o Adelheid Schulte-Bocholt & Emmeram Ra?hofer > >Thankirchen 3 > >83623 Dietramszell, GERMANY > >Fax +49-8027-7114 > >e-mail: africa.bike@ilo.baynet.de, internet: >http://www.epo.de/jugendhilfe/index.htm > >______________________________________________________ > >To all people interested in sustainable mobility, > >in bicycle-transport, > >in Africa > >20.11.98 > >African Bicycle-Transport-Experts > >on fundrasing-tour in Europe > > >Within six years working on a bicycle sponsorship scheme, the initiative has >managed to finance nearly 4000 local type of bicycles for the rural poor in >Uganda. > >The bebeficiaries of the project are mainly women, members of >grassroot-groups of rural development and pupils. > >But professional bicycle-transporters called "boda-boda" are also using the >sponsored bikes for gaining income for their families. > >The leader of the initiative called "Bicycle Sponsorship Project & >Workshop", Richard Kisamadu will be visiting Europe in April, May and June >1999. He will be accompanied by a nurse and midwife, who can talk about the >daily work and the improvements she is witnessing with the use of a bicycle.. > >You can witness the achievements of a long-term cooperation in the field of >support of bicycle as a means of sustainable mobilty in Africa as well, if >you are interested in inviting Richard and Rose for a slide-show and >discussion about the project. > >If you are able to write an article in a bike-mag, you are most welcome for >details and pictures! > >If you are able to support the initiative by a donation, please ask for the >account-no. > >For booking and further details please contact: > >"Jugendhilfe Ostafrika e.V." > >Thankirchen 3 > >83623 Dietramszell > >Germany > >Tel and Fax 0049-8027-7114 > >africa.bike@ilo.baynet.de > >or visit our home-page at > >http://www.epo.de/jugendhilfe/index.htm From stephen.mcauley at ss.pacific.co.jp Fri Nov 20 18:23:16 1998 From: stephen.mcauley at ss.pacific.co.jp (stephen Mc Auley) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 18:23:16 +0900 Subject: [sustran] Transport Demand Management Message-ID: <36553503.A7DD4A46@ss.pacific.co.jp> To all, I was wondering if anyone could provide me with information on Transport Demand Management techniques. What i am specifically looking for are case studies in both Asia and Europe. Does anyone know where there may be such information either on the web or elsewhere. Could anyone recommend any texts or publications that cover such case studies. Regards, Stephen From craig_townsend at hotmail.com Sat Nov 21 15:21:40 1998 From: craig_townsend at hotmail.com (Craig Townsend) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 22:21:40 PST Subject: [sustran] Re: Transport Demand Management Message-ID: <19981121062141.3990.qmail@hotmail.com> Stephen, In 1995 I completed my master’s thesis entitled "People, Culture and Behaviour in the Bangkok Urban Region: Liabilities or Assets for Transportation Planning?" which involved identifying the prospects for TDM measures in Bangkok. I concluded with speculation that the old conventional wisdom (increasing supply of transportation infrastructure in an aqttempt to meet demand) and the new conventional wisdom (managing demand) are either inappicable or ineffective measures to address trasportation problems in Bangkok. My key references on transportation demand management included: Black, John A. 1992. "Policy Measures for Land Use and Transport Demand Management and Their Implications in Managing Rapidly Growing Asian Metropolises." Regional Development Dialogue. Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 3-25. Autumn. Fan, Henry S.L., A.P.G. Menon, & Piotr S. Olszewski. 1992. "Travel Demand Management in Singapore". ITE Journal. Vol. 62, No. 12. pp. 30-34. December. Giuliano, Genevieve. 1992. "Transportation Demand Management: Promise or Panacea?" Journal of the American Planning Association. vol. 58, No. 3. Summer. Harata, Noboru. 1994. "Guidelines for Urban Transportation Demand Management." Paper presented at A Symposium on Asian Urban Transportation...Bangkok Perspective. Bangkok: Asian Institute of Technology. July 27-28. Liang Huew Wang & Anthony Gar-On Yeh (eds.). 1993. Keep a City Moving: Urban Transport Management in Hong Kong. Tokyo: Asian Productivity Organization. Yordphol Tanaboriboon. 1993. "Demand Management Implementation in Southeast Asia". ITE Journal.Vol. 63, No. 9. pp. 21-28. September. Some of the above sources contain details on cases of transportation demand management in Asia: most focus on Singapore and Hong Kong. I hope that these may be of help. Good luck, Craig >To all, > >I was wondering if anyone could provide me with information >on Transport Demand Management techniques. What i am specifically >looking for are case studies in both Asia and Europe. Does >anyone know where there may be such information either on >the web or elsewhere. >Could anyone recommend any texts or publications that cover >such case studies. > >Regards, >Stephen > > ************************************************* Craig Townsend #513 Bangkok Apartment 588/3 Petchburi Road Rachatewee, Bangkok 10400 Thailand home tel: (66-2) 252-5123/5124-9 work tel: (66-2) 628-2829 work fax: (66-2) 280-0253 ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Sat Nov 21 21:35:51 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 13:35:51 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Toward sustainable transportation: The Web/Transport interface In-Reply-To: <36536300.936C0382@publicpurpose.com> Message-ID: <000101be154b$7ed26240$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> Toward sustainable transportation: The Web/Transport interface I would like to propose that anyone who might be interested here could draw to our attention Web sites that might, eventually and with some nudging and thoughtful use, actually help us to move toward more sustainable transport systems. Here is one to get us going. (And it will also give you a chance to practice your French.) http://www.cybercable.tm.fr/bonjour/123paris/transport/trans.html You may wish to note the breadth of coverage. Good as it is though, we can note that there is not (yet!) a link to * Taxis -- e.g., for Paris http://www.taxis-bleus.com/ * Strategic road information bulletins/warnings -- http://www.equipement.gouv.fr/bisonfute/circula.htm * Or the real time road traffic monitor at http://www.sytadin.tm.fr/home.html * Or package delivery or courier services * Or or Still, you can see with these the whole direction in which this is definitely heading. Kind of interesting don't you think? And if this begins to be interesting enough we could keep an updated page on the best of them somewhere on our Web site... especially if some of you urge us to do so. Eric Britton EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org * The CarShare Consortium * Le Transport Nouveau * Children & Sustainability * Car Free Day Forum * 21st Turtle Media * Access Bilbao 2010 Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Sat Nov 21 22:57:22 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 14:57:22 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Toward Sustainable Transportation: The Web/Transport Interface In-Reply-To: <000101be154b$7ed26240$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> Message-ID: <000501be1556$e01fbe20$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> One more in our Paris context for you today that just came in: it presents itself as an open transportation forum at http://www.filmenvir.org/forum/index.html Once again... not that it is (as yet) so great, but if we consider where it might in time get us to, becomes kind of thought provoking. Eric Britton EcoPlan -- Technology, Economy, Society Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org * The CarShare Consortium * Le Transport Nouveau * Children & Sustainability * Car Free Day Forum * 21st Turtle Media * Access Bilbao 2010 Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Mon Nov 23 03:49:41 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 19:49:41 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Car Free Day Web Site and Discussion Forum Message-ID: <000601be1648$e0c7cf00$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> This is to draw your attention to the new Discussion Forum on the Web that has been set up in support of the International Car Free Day Consortium. Their respective addresses follow: International Car Free Day Consortium -- Go to http://www.ecoplan.org/carfreeday Car Free Day Discussion Forum -- Go to http://egroups.com/list/carfreeday/ This is the Discussion Space for the Car Free Day Consortium (at http://www.ecoplan.org/carfreeday) that has been created on the Internet by The Commons as a free, shared central repository of information, experience and counsel for people and groups who feel that the idea of organizing a civic day without cars might be not only a pleasant event in itself, but also an instructive one at a time when many places are looking for ways out of the cities/cars impasse. It is not an anti-car or anti-technology forum (though we can point you to some pretty good ones). Rather it is proposed as a handy rallying point for those who care more about people and society than, say, the cars themselves. It is an entirely open, cooperative endeavor, off the economy, and will be as good and complete as you chose to make it. To subscribe, send a message to carfreeday-subscribe@egroups.com or go to this e-group's home page at http://www.egroups.com/list/carfreeday We feel that this is a powerful research and consensus building tool, and hope that you will have a look and share your reactions and suggestions with us all. Thanks for your attention, Eric Britton BTW, next Friday, the 27th is International Buy Nothing Day in the Western Hemisphere. Saturday the 28th is the day for Europe and whoever else in the Old World who might wish to join in. You can see more on that one at http://www.adbusters.org/ EcoPlan International -- Technology, Economy, Society: The Nexus Latest action on The Commons Web site at http://www.ecoplan.org * CarShare Consortium * Children & Sustainability * WTP&P * Le Transport Nouveau * 21st Turtle Media * Access Bilbao 2010 * Car Free Day Forum * TurningPoint 2000 Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Tue Nov 24 17:39:37 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 09:39:37 +0100 Subject: [sustran] For use and comment - Dealing with Media Message-ID: <000301be1785$fdda8b80$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> I thought that this, though intended for the more in-your-face radical people who populated the international Buy Nothing Day "critical mass" collaborative movement, offers useful counsel for any of us who wishes to engage in citizen-led projects of the sort that I personally believe to be vital to the future of sustainable transportation and sustainable development more generally. Have you ever engaged in an interview, thinking that your message was somehow going to get out, only to wake up the next mourning and find out that you and yours had devastated? It's a strange and not altogether pleasant sensation, I can tell you. So, though I have no idea who "Stu" is, we do reproduce this here with his permission. Eric Britton EcoPlan International -- Technology, Economy, Society Latest action on The Commons at http://www.ecoplan.org -----Original Message----- From: stu@ihug.co.nz Sent: Monday, November 23, 1998 12:50 PM Dealing with the media. The main reason for BND is to get messages out, not just to spend a day not spending. Thus the media is a potentially useful tool. However, we have a paradox in today's media. BND was created to gain media attention through a sort of shock value, because, apart from when you have vast quantities of money to run a wide ranging media campaign which becomes snowball-like in its collection of media coverage, the unique, quirky, confrontational, or violent subject is the one which will make them take notice. Well argued ideas, debates, and serious topics are assured media turnoffs. So like them or hate them, there's a need to deal somehow with them. A few tips (mainly aimed at phone interviews, live or taped): 1) Some interviewers treat the interviewee as a potential source of controversial opinion. Interviews are often set up with 'this side vs. that side' in an adversarial approach. The interviewee then baits each side to get the ball rolling and the juicy quotes rolling, while appearing as the neutral middle person. 2) A one on one interview often puts the interviewer in a position of power. They ask and you answer. But there's no reason not to ask them questions too, particularly when the questions really get obnoxious or personal. Or just tell them its time to get back on track. 3) Some interviewers have planned how they want the interview to go. They want to get certain replies from you, and steer you in a particular direction where they then metaphorically crucify your arguments. In a sense it is not an interview but a forum for the interviewers ego and own point of view. Your role is to provide specific answers for them. Consider this before each interview. If you are aware of this, you have more chance to take things your way rather than theirs. 4) Personal - interviewers will often try to personalise a story. This is a trend in all media, even most serious or documentary areas. Work with the issue but make it personal because viewers want that personal angle. But loss of the story, of the real issue is often the result. So be on the lookout for this personalisation when its not appropriate. Either ask the question back at the interviewer ("So is that what you think?" "what do you mean by that?") or point out to them that the question is not appropriate for the topic and perhaps they would like to rephrase it. 5) Interviewers will also often phrase a question in a vague or imprecise manner in order to get a different take on the subject. Often the answers they are dredging for are not the ones you would give if you were asked the question straightforwardly and you fall into the trap they set by giving them angles of attack. If you are uncomfortable with a question, make them ask it more precisely, or rephrase it and then give your answer. 6) If you can, treat the interviewer as an equal in terms of knowledge about the subject (in fact you may have much more knowledge on certain topics) 7) One technique of interviewers is the "drawing silence" - this simply involves allowing a pause after the interviewee thinks they have finished a point. Most people interpret this as meaning that the listener wants to hear more, and they tend to fill the gap, often with rambling, which may reveal imprecise argument that the interviewer can grab hold of. Don't be afraid of that silence. It is the interviewer's job not to have silence, so they will eventually fill it, and it will weigh on them rather than you - after all, it is their programme. 8) Postmodernism postulates that all information is personally constructed (that's a definition of mine, anyway). Statistics can be pulled out of a hat to support almost any argument. So try to be confident with your information. Use credible sources. Don't be drawn into issues you are unsure of. And be aware that there will always be an opposing view (that may be argued well or badly depending on the person presenting it). 9) And don't be afraid of admitting you don't know something or you'll consider a point(unless its your central argument!) rather that, than losing yourself in babble. Imagine listening to yourself on the radio, blundering through a bad argument, and try not to let it happen. 10) If you are to be interviewed on a station you don't know well, have a listen beforehand and get an idea of how they might angle the subject. Get an idea of their on-air personality to see how they might address you. 11) Listen in for 1/4 hour before you are on. Maybe the topic is similar or a similar argument is used (or a completely opposing one). You may be able to refer to this during your interview, which may help bridge some boundaries both with the subject and the interviewer. It may bolster your own argument. 12) Maybe you can even start with a light-hearted comment or joke with the interviewer - you'll become a little more human and warm to them and their audience. 13) Try not to rely on notes unless you are very good at reading naturally. But cue cards with particular points written clearly can be very helpful as your mind blanks down during a question. 14) This stuff can be incredibly manipulative, conniving and undermining. So much so that politicians pay lots to be trained to respond in these ways. The counter-argument is that most of us doing grassroots activism have no training at all, and are liable to sound amateurish and less well informed when we stumble or argue limply because of nervousness. So my feeling is, use these ideas to help you sound confident, but don't set out to crucify the interviewer or outfox the audience. Rely on good facts and argument. From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Thu Nov 26 02:17:14 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 18:17:14 +0100 Subject: [sustran] FW: CFD in UK on 8 June 1999 Message-ID: <000301be1897$749c9620$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> From: Richard Evans [mailto:Pascale@compuserve.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 1998 5:12 PM To: postmaster@ecoplan.org Subject: CFD in UK on 8 June 1999 Dear Car Free Day webmaster please note that ETA National Car Free Day in Britain will be on 8 June 1999 (as part of ETA Green Transport Week 5 - 13 June) please post that to your website, with a link to our site at www.eta.co.uk copy any info you want from our website, which will shortly be updated ETA National Car Free Day Tuesday 8 June We are hoping to make our biggest impact yet in 1999, to demonstrate to the government that there is great support for the DPM's White Paper and his statement that "doing nothing is not an option". We'd like to see as many organisations and individuals as possible come together for next year's Green Transport Week and National Car Free Day, working with local authorities, business and voluntary groups, transport operators and user groups, walking and cycling campaigners, hospitals, schools, universities and colleges, churches, women's institute, you name it! to convince this government that radical changes to transport policy are not only necessary to cut excessive car use - they would be positively welcomed by most voters. 75% of drivers in our 1998 Car Free Day survey said that they would welcome the banning of cars from the city centre. Next year's campaigns must reflect this widespread understanding of the issues and support for change - ETA Green Transport Week and ETA National Car Free Day offer ideal platforms for promoting and debating the issues. More details on the ETA website at www.eta.co.uk All events planned for GTW and CFD 99 should be notified to the campaigns co-ordinator Richard Evans by e-mail to Many thanks Richard Evans ETA Trust campaigns co-ordinator From j.whitelegg at lancaster.ac.uk Thu Nov 26 18:04:56 1998 From: j.whitelegg at lancaster.ac.uk (John Whitelegg) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 09:04:56 -0000 Subject: [sustran] British Transport Policy Message-ID: <01BE191B.DA10D460@ras-pptp-2.lancs.ac.uk> Dear colleagues, As there has been a lot of interest around the world in recent changes in UK transport policy I thought an up-date would be ofd interest. In July this year the government published a radical transport policy: "A new deal for transport: better for everyone" (ISBN 0 10 139502 7) ?16.50. This transport white paper (as it is referred to) sets out a strong argument for reducing our car dependency, ending the "predict and provide" approach to road infrastructure, improving walking, cycling and public transport and using the land use planning system to reduce the need to travel. It promotes integrated transport, decentralises powers to local authorities, gives them ?750 million to spend over three years on transport projects, requires them to produce transport plans running for 5 years based on targets and objectives. It proposes that local authorities should have powers to introduce road pricing and car parking taxation and keep the money to spend on improved public transport and other measures. Now comes the bad news. All of these proposals and ideas require legislation to make them work. On Tuesday this week (24 November) the government announced its legislative programme for the next 12 months and all the transport plans have been dropped. Nothing will be done to give the local authorities the powers they need. They did not even merit a draft bill which is a device to signal that the legislation will appear in full next year. So what does all this mean? The word "on the street" is that our new labour government is so cosy with big business and with the newly won-over car-owning groups that it is running scared of doing anything that will disturb the rosy picture of a "healthy" car economy with freedom and high living standards associated with widespread car use. The new transport minister (John Reid) has said he wants to widen access to the car. We have all been very badly let down by a transport policy document that promised much and then delivered nothing. It is very unlikely that any measures at all will be introduced before the next election (2002) and in the meantime we are covering the countryside in new homes (we plan to build 4.4 million new homes in the next 10-15 years) vastly expanding energy inefficient and car dependent suburbia, we are building new airport capacity (a new runway at Manchester and almost certainly a new terminal at Heathrow which will be bigger at 30 million passengers pa than Frankfurt) and we have an appalling (privatised) public transport system (one million complaints from passengers about rail travel last year), a 25% drop in bus use in cities and an appalling environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The moral of this story is beware of policy documents that tell you what you always wanted to hear and beware of "new" governments (UK and Germany) that promise great things but are still deeply locked into economic growth, inequality, poor public services and a business friendly rather than people friendly policy. John Whitelegg From wcox at publicpurpose.com Thu Nov 26 21:52:42 1998 From: wcox at publicpurpose.com (Wendell Cox) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 06:52:42 -0600 Subject: [sustran] Re: British Transport Policy References: <01BE191B.DA10D460@ras-pptp-2.lancs.ac.uk> Message-ID: <365D4F19.1135DC68@publicpurpose.com> John... What you describe is the usual way that governments eventually go... They tend to abandon their core, on the assumption that they have no practical alternative (which is largely true). Then they seek to obtain greater support in the middle and among those who might have been their natural enemies in the past. Those of us interested in lower taxes, economic growth and more efficient'/effective use of public money in the United States are as frustrated with our "revolutionary" Republican Congress --- which in transport policy has been at least as profligate as the previous Democratic bodies that were charged with being "spendthrift." Best regards, Wendell Cox John Whitelegg wrote: > Dear colleagues, > > As there has been a lot of interest around the world in recent changes in UK transport policy I thought an up-date would be ofd interest. > > In July this year the government published a radical transport policy: "A new deal for transport: better for everyone" > (ISBN 0 10 139502 7) ?16.50. This transport white paper (as it is referred to) sets out a strong argument for reducing our car dependency, ending the "predict and provide" approach to road infrastructure, improving walking, cycling and public transport and using the land use planning system to reduce the need to travel. It promotes integrated transport, decentralises powers to local authorities, gives them ?750 million to spend over three years on transport projects, requires them to produce transport plans running for 5 years based on targets and objectives. It proposes that local authorities should have powers to introduce road pricing and car parking taxation and keep the money to spend on improved public transport and other measures. > > Now comes the bad news. All of these proposals and ideas require legislation to make them work. On Tuesday this week (24 November) the government announced its legislative programme for the next 12 months and all the transport plans have been dropped. Nothing will be done to give the local authorities the powers they need. They did not even merit a draft bill which is a device to signal that the legislation will appear in full next year. > > So what does all this mean? The word "on the street" is that our new labour government is so cosy with big business and with the newly won-over car-owning groups that it is running scared of doing anything that will disturb the rosy picture of a "healthy" car economy with freedom and high living standards associated with widespread car use. The new transport minister (John Reid) has said he wants to widen access to the car. > > We have all been very badly let down by a transport policy document that promised much and then delivered nothing. It is very unlikely that any measures at all will be introduced before the next election (2002) and in the meantime we are covering the countryside in new homes (we plan to build 4.4 million new homes in the next 10-15 years) vastly expanding energy inefficient and car dependent suburbia, we are building new airport capacity (a new runway at Manchester and almost certainly a new terminal at Heathrow which will be bigger at 30 million passengers pa than Frankfurt) and we have an appalling (privatised) public transport system (one million complaints from passengers about rail travel last year), a 25% drop in bus use in cities and an appalling environment for pedestrians and cyclists. > > The moral of this story is beware of policy documents that tell you what you always wanted to hear and beware of "new" governments (UK and Germany) that promise great things but are still deeply locked into economic growth, inequality, poor public services and a business friendly rather than people friendly policy. > > John Whitelegg -- WENDELL COX CONSULTANCY International Public Policy, Economics, Labour, Transport & Strategic Planning The Public Purpose: Internet Public Policy Resource http://www.publicpurpose.com Voice +1 618 632 8507; Fax +1 618 632 8538 P.O. Box 841- Belleville, Illinois 62222 USA "To facilitate the ideal of government as the servant of the people by identifying and implementing strategies to achieve public purposes at a cost that is no higher than necessary." From matt.burke at mailbox.uq.edu.au Fri Nov 27 15:50:11 1998 From: matt.burke at mailbox.uq.edu.au (Matthew Burke) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 16:50:11 +1000 (GMT+1000) Subject: [sustran] Re: British Transport Policy In-Reply-To: <01BE191B.DA10D460@ras-pptp-2.lancs.ac.uk> Message-ID: Dear John, I know that people in both academia and the federal bureaucracy here in Australia have been watching Mr Prescott and the British reforms with some interest. Whilst we'd heard Blair had backed away from the reforms - particularly those related to road pricing - to not frighten 'Middle England', your news confirms that this raft of measures will not likely see the light of day at least in this term. I can hardly see the government introducing the harshest of the measures just prior to the next election. Keep up the good fight though! In terms of rhetoric, you are a long way ahead of ourselves, particularly if you note Australia's disastrous performance on greenhouse gas emissions at the Kyoto conference. Even in our latest tax reforms it seems likely we will be reducing petrol and diesel prices and raising the price of almost every other commodity. We barely have a 'transport debate' in this country - particularly here in Brisbane - and many of us would be delighted to have a Deputy Prime Minister such as your own. Thanks for the note. Matthew Matthew Burke Department of Geographical Sciences and Planning University of Queensland Brisbane, Qld, 4072 e-mail: matt.burke@mailbox.uq.edu.au ---- On Thu, 26 Nov 1998, John Whitelegg wrote: > Dear colleagues, > > As there has been a lot of interest around the world in recent changes in UK transport policy I thought an up-date would be ofd interest. > > In July this year the government published a radical transport policy: "A new deal for transport: better for everyone" > (ISBN 0 10 139502 7) £16.50. This transport white paper (as it is referred to) sets out a strong argument for reducing our car dependency, ending the "predict and provide" approach to road infrastructure, improving walking, cycling and public transport and using the land use planning system to reduce the need to travel. It promotes integrated transport, decentralises powers to local authorities, gives them £750 million to spend over three years on transport projects, requires them to produce transport plans running for 5 years based on targets and objectives. It proposes that local authorities should have powers to introduce road pricing and car parking taxation and keep the money to spend on improved public transport and other measures. > > Now comes the bad news. All of these proposals and ideas require legislation to make them work. On Tuesday this week (24 November) the government announced its legislative programme for the next 12 months and all the transport plans have been dropped. Nothing will be done to give the local authorities the powers they need. They did not even merit a draft bill which is a device to signal that the legislation will appear in full next year. > > So what does all this mean? The word "on the street" is that our new labour government is so cosy with big business and with the newly won-over car-owning groups that it is running scared of doing anything that will disturb the rosy picture of a "healthy" car economy with freedom and high living standards associated with widespread car use. The new transport minister (John Reid) has said he wants to widen access to the car. > > We have all been very badly let down by a transport policy document that promised much and then delivered nothing. It is very unlikely that any measures at all will be introduced before the next election (2002) and in the meantime we are covering the countryside in new homes (we plan to build 4.4 million new homes in the next 10-15 years) vastly expanding energy inefficient and car dependent suburbia, we are building new airport capacity (a new runway at Manchester and almost certainly a new terminal at Heathrow which will be bigger at 30 million passengers pa than Frankfurt) and we have an appalling (privatised) public transport system (one million complaints from passengers about rail travel last year), a 25% drop in bus use in cities and an appalling environment for pedestrians and cyclists. > > The moral of this story is beware of policy documents that tell you what you always wanted to hear and beware of "new" governments (UK and Germany) that promise great things but are still deeply locked into economic growth, inequality, poor public services and a business friendly rather than people friendly policy. > > > > John Whitelegg > > From kwood at central.co.nz Fri Nov 27 19:32:55 1998 From: kwood at central.co.nz (Kerry Wood) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 22:32:55 +1200 Subject: [sustran] Re: British Transport Policy Message-ID: Hi everybody John's news from the UK is bad but could be worse: I can tell because it IS worse in New Zealand. Government policy is to corporatise the roads (they have backed away from privatisation). ALL the roads, right down to the most minor access streets and unsealed country roads. 'Fortunately' they are unlikely to agree to anything mild enough for a minority government to get through parliament, so we shall have to wait for a new government to be elected, find its feet and decide that transport is a priority. Another round of consultation is due soon, apparently more as a delaying tactic than anything else. The objectives are reasonable enough: to improve the efficiency of transport provision. The Ministry of Transport has done some good work on transport externalities, and has identified 'most probable' environmental externalities for noise, local air quality, greenhouse gases and water quality. The roading system has been valued, at a depreciated replacement value of US$ 3500 per head of population, and an opportunity cost suggested. A major problem is the lack of any recognition that roads have uses other than as a conduit for motor vehicles. There is no explanation of how organisations required to make a profit to be prevented from converting bus lanes back to traffic lanes, removing cycle lanes and narrowing footpaths. Or charging bus operators for the traffic they take from the roading operator? Official publications contain no discussion of any objectives other than economic objectives, or of market failures in transport. The user pays principle is adopted enthusiastically, with satellite tracking proposed for all vehicles, in a country where 97% of roads are rarely congested. A minor silver lining is an Energy Efficiency Bill which is so inoffensive that it may actually get somewhere, and because it is so generalised it may even be useful. It makes no mention of any energy using sector or any policy approach, instead leaving an existing policy group to develop policy in consultation with other stakeholders. A particularly useful bit is is the authority to develop 'market transformation plans' to offset market failures (plenty of those in transport) Kerry Wood Transport Consultant Phone/fax + 64 4 801 5549 e-mail kwood@central.co.nz 1 McFarlane St Wellington 6001 New Zealand From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Nov 27 19:04:35 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 11:04:35 +0100 Subject: [sustran] FW: British Transport Policy Message-ID: <001701be19ed$581d2080$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> From: Henrik Harder Hovgesen [mailto:hhh@nt5.i4.auc.dk] Sent: Friday, November 27, 1998 10:34 AM To: 'Eric Britton' Subject: SV: British Transport Policy Thank you very much for the information We have with great interest followed the life of the life of "this transport white paper" and it is disappointing to hear what is happening now. There is no doubt that the standards set in the paper and the implementation would have inspired others countries e. g. The Danish government. Hope that you will and can inform us about the real reasons behind the change. Yours sincerely, Henrik Harder Hovgesen Traffic Research Group, Aalborg University Fibigerstraede 11, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark Tel: +45 9635 8430, Fax: +45 9815 3537 E-mail: hhh@i4.auc.dk http://www.i4.auc.dk/TRG ========= BTW, TODAY, the 27th, is International Buy Nothing Day in the Western Hemisphere. (You can see more on that one at http://www.adbusters.org/). Tomorrow the 28th is the day for Europe and whoever else in the Old World who might wish to join in. (More on Buy Nothing Day in Europe: http://www.ddh.nl/bnd) Think about it! EcoPlan International -- Technology, Economy, Society From eric.britton at ecoplan.org Fri Nov 27 19:24:46 1998 From: eric.britton at ecoplan.org (Eric Britton) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 11:24:46 +0100 Subject: [sustran] RE: British Transport Policy In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <001901be19f0$2a40fc60$9f39c6d4@g400.cybercable.fr> Hello Henrik, I immediately shuttled your note to my good friend and colleague John Whitelegg (who is also, incidentally founding editor of World Transport Policy and Practice) and whom you can eventually reach directly as below. Prof. John Whitelegg EcoLogica (and the Journal of World Transport Policy and Practice) 53 Derwent Road Lancaster LA1 3ES United Kingdom j.whitelegg@lancaster.ac.uk http://www.ecoplan.org/wtpp/index.htm But I would very much want to encourage you and the others to continue these useful critical discussions in public because I believe they constitute absolutely central issues in the move toward real sustainability (as opposed to rhetorical sustainability, which is, sadly, the preferred flavor of the day in most places). As we have seen in the past, what invariably happens in cases such as this is that the administrators and politicians in question do all that they can to encourage a comforting general amnesia, while they slither back to the good old ways of unsustainable transport. If there is ever to be sustainability in this important area of technology and practice in our daily lives, I am afraid that it will come about only because some of us are willing to serve as memory and conscience. It will not win us any popularity contests in the places that count (if money is your metric), but there you have it. It's a choice, isn't it. How best to ensure that this and other such creative critical dialogues get around? Well for now, I am channeling what we receive to the following: - Sustran Discussion List - Transport 2000 Mailing List - UTSG Mailing List - Car Share Discussion List (Sweden) - Carsharing Mailing List (Canada) Are they the best? I simply do not know, but they seem to be pretty effective and thus far no one has whined. So far, so good. But perhaps some of you have others suggestions as to how to handle this. Eric Britton BTW, TODAY, the 27th, is International Buy Nothing Day in the Western Hemisphere. (You can see more on that one at http://www.adbusters.org/). Tomorrow the 28th is the day for Europe and whoever else in the Old World who might wish to join in. (More on Buy Nothing Day in Europe: http://www.ddh.nl/bnd) Think about it! EcoPlan International -- Technology, Economy, Society Latest action on The Commons at http://www.ecoplan.org * CarShare Consortium * Children & Sustainability * WTP&P * Le Transport Nouveau * 21st Turtle Media * Access Bilbao 2010 * Car Free Day Forum * TurningPoint 2000 And soon, Rethinking Work: New Ways to Work in an Information Society Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, F-75006 Paris, France Videoconferencing/groupwork: +331 4441.6340 (1-4) From sustran at po.jaring.my Sat Nov 28 10:17:09 1998 From: sustran at po.jaring.my (SUSTRAN Resource Centre) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1998 09:17:09 +0800 Subject: [sustran] FW: Mumbai Pune Expressway Message-ID: <01BE1AB7.BC1B5DC0@j49.brf80.jaring.my> This important item came in from a new contact in India, I am sure that Sujit Patwardhan will welcome any constructive comments and help that anyone on the list can offer. Their campaign appears to deserve our support. Paul SUSTRAN Resource Centre **** PLEASE NOTE NEW POSTAL ADDRESS **** P. O. Box 11501, 50748 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel/Fax: +60 3 274 2590, E-mail: sustran@po.jaring.my Web: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/2853/ The SUSTRAN Resource Centre hosts the Secretariat of SUSTRAN (the Sustainable Transport Action Network for Asia & the Pacific). ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sujit Patwardhan 19 November 1998 Dear Friends, It is time for all of us to press for our constitutional "Right to Information". All our campaigns against wrong and environment destroying development become last minute "fire fighting battles" because authentic information is never let out by the project proponents/ Government. It is not enough to rely on Public Notifications under the Town Planning or Environmental Laws, because that is treated as a mere formality. Thorough analysis and proper study is not possible within this short period of 30 to 60 days which is all they need to give us for sending "suggestions and objections". In this context I thought the enclosed response to an article in the Times of India may be of interest to many on our list. --Sujit ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ Pari/34/Email/98 19 November 1998 To The Editor, Times of India, Bombay Dear Sir, for the Letters to the Editor Column ========================== Thank you for the excellent report "Expressway threatens to run over Katkari tribals" by Gunavanthi Balaram in Times of India, Monday 16th November 1998. In spite of increasing criticism, all (so called) developmental projects continue to be pushed through by the State and Central Government using sheer force. Project affected persons are denied their rights and forcibly thrown out of the land they have lived on for generations.Rehabilitation plans are not prepared carefully (and even if they are, they remain on paper), proper procedure under the law is not followed, full compensation costs are not included in the project reports, and yet the Government which is supposed to work in the interest of the people bulldozes all opposition from citizens and NGOs and goes ahead with its plans, whether for dams, power plants, industry or expressways. It is a sad reflection on the functioning of our Government that even fifty years after independence its priorities are dictated by those with economic or political clout than by the needs of the common citizens of this country. The Mumbai Pune Expressway is a fraud on the people of Maharashtra, who will pay through their nose for an un affordable white elephant only to please the car lobby. The present National Expressway NH4 between Mumbai and Pune has already been widened to four lanes and will meet the needs of essential road traffic for the next decade if growth in private vehicles is controlled. All over the industrially developed nations (particularly in Europe), it has now being recognized that building more and more expressways does not solve the traffic problem, but makes it worse. What is necessary is to improve the present investments in roads and highways to enable higher throughput of vehicles. This is possible by better traffic planning, re-alignments of carriageways and removing illegal obstructions (hand in hand with improving the rail system and reducing the need to travel by better planning of our urban areas). Unfortunately the government is hell-bent on constructing this expressway at any cost, even if it is non-viable. Several NGOs have been asking for authentic documents and details about this project but the authorities, particularly the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) not only refuses to give any documents but continues to spread mis-information about the benefits of the project. For example: it calls this a private enterprise project under BOT (build, operate and transfer) scheme, when actually no private industry has come forward to take up the offer because it is non-viable (Reliance Industries withdrew after being convinced that the project was full of holes). It is being built by the MSRDC which is a State Government Enterprise. The Maharashtra Government and the MSRDC also claims that travel time from Mumbai (Dadar) to Pune (Deccan Gymkhana) will be cut to two and a half hours instead of the present four to five hours along the National Highway No 4, when their own project report says that the maximum saving (for cars) will only be 49 minutes. There are many other doubts about the economic, financial and social viability of the expressway project, to say nothing of the environmental costs to the fragile ecology of this region,. But despite our constitutional right, the Government gives no information when it is asked for by individuals or NGOs. We are therefore grateful to you for this article which highlights the plight of the Katkari Tribes (who will literally be run-over by the expressway) and the total apathy of the Government and the bureaucrats. We hope you will run a series of articles highlighting the other damaging and doubtful aspects of this project also, so that its real destructive qualities become evident to the general public. S.J.Patwardhan Parisar ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ -- Sujit Patwardhan sujit@giaspn01.vsnl.net.in -------------------------------------- PARISAR, Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007 Tel: 327955 ***************************************************************** "In nature there are neither Rewards nor Punishments--- there are Consequences." ***************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- -- Sujit Patwardhan sujit@giaspn01.vsnl.net.in -------------------------------------- PARISAR, Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007 Tel: 327955 ***************************************************************** "In nature there are neither Rewards nor Punishments--- there are Consequences." *****************************************************************