From litman at vtpi.org Tue Dec 5 03:01:23 2017 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Litman) Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2017 10:01:23 -0800 Subject: [sustran] VTPI News - Fall 2017 Message-ID: <141001d36d29$f7e345f0$e7a9d1d0$@vtpi.org> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------- Fall 2017 Vol. 17, No. 4 ----------------------------------- The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation problems. The VTPI website (www.vtpi.org ) has many resources addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides consulting services. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW VTPI REPORTS =================== "Evaluating Public Transit Criticism: Systematic Analysis of Political Attacks on High Quality Transit and How Transportation Professionals Can Effectively Respond" (http://www.vtpi.org/railcrit.pdf ). High quality public transit, such as urban rail and Bus Rapid Transit, and Transit Oriented Development (TOD), can provide many benefits, including direct benefits to users and indirect benefits to other members of society. There is evidence of growing consumer demand for these options. As a result, many communities are investing significant resources to improve transit services and encourage TOD. A small but vocal group of critics attack these efforts. Critics argue that transit service improvements attract few riders, provide few benefits, are not cost effective, and are unfair to low-income residents and motorists. This report systematically evaluates these claims. Many of the critics' arguments are based on inaccurate, incomplete or biased information. This report describes appropriate responses to inaccurate criticisms. This should be of interest to transportation professionals, public transit advocates, and anybody interested in determining optimal investments in transit service improvements and TOD. "A New Traffic Safety Paradigm" (http://www.vtpi.org/ntsp.pdf ). Despite decades of effort to increase traffic safety, motor vehicle accidents continue to impose high costs, particularly in the U.S. New strategies are needed to achieve ambitious traffic safety targets such as Vision Zero. Recent research improves our understanding of how transportation and land use factors affect traffic risks, and therefore how transport and development policy decisions can help increase safety. Applying this knowledge requires a paradigm shift: The current paradigm favors targeted safety programs that reduce special risks such as youth, senior and impaired driving, a new paradigm recognizes that all vehicle travel imposes risks, and so supports vehicle travel reduction strategies such as more multi-modal planning, efficient transport pricing, Smart Growth development policies, and other TDM strategies. "Greenhouse Gas Reductions and Implementation Possibilities for Pay-to-save Transportation Price-shifting Strategies" (www.vtpi.org/G&E_GHG.pdf and www.vtpi.org/Greenberg&Evans_GHG_Policies.pdf ), by Allen Greenberg and John (Jay) Evans. This report and presentation estimate the GHG emissions reductions that could be achieved by a bundle of price-shifting policies (no net increase in consumer costs), including pay-as-you-drive-and-you-save (PAYDAYS) car insurance, parking cash-out, and the conversion of new vehicle sales taxes to mileage taxes designed to raise equivalent revenue. These policies could be implemented by federal or state legislation or regulation. The analysis indicates that this package could reduce over two-thirds of the emission reductions provided by the EPA's current Clean Power Plan Rule, and far more than the emissions reductions by a $50 per ton CO2e surcharge on transportation fuels. "Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance in BC - Backgrounder" (http://vtpi.org/PAYD%20in%20BC%20Backgrounder.pdf ). 'Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) insurance is the best transportation policy reform you've probably never heard of.' This short report describes why and how to implement PAYD insurance pricing for affordability, safety and emission reduction's sake. This is a timely issue. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) has applied for a 6.4% vehicle insurance rate increase (http://bit.ly/2BGVH4L ). As an intervener status, Todd Litman can request information and provide testimony concerning how vehicle travel affects crash rates, and therefore the actuarial justification for PAYD pricing. "Reforming Municipal Parking Policies to Align With Strategic Community Goals" (http://www.vtpi.org/vpr.pdf ). The City of Victoria is currently engaged in a parking policy review which proposes reducing some off-street parking requirements. These changes are good, but modest. This short report identifies much bolder reforms that would better align parking policies with other community goals. Although written for Victoria, the analysis and recommendations are appropriate for most municipalities. * * * * * PUBLISHED & PRESENTED ELSEWHERE ================================ "Public Transportation's Impact on Rural and Small Towns: A Vital Mobility Link" (www.trb.org/main/blurbs/176733.aspx). This report by Todd Litman for the American Public Transportation Association describes the important roles that public transit plays in small towns and rural communities, current trends that are increasing these demands, examples of rural community public transport programs, and responses to common rural transit myths. Public transportation helps rural communities become more efficient and equitable by ensuring that all residents, including non-drivers, enjoy independent mobility and receive a fair share of public spending on transportation facilities and services. Although public transit serves only a minor portion of total rural travel, many of those trips are crucial, including access to healthcare, basic shopping, employment and education. Current demographic and economic trends are increasing demands for affordable mobility options in rural communities, including ageing population, high poverty rates and a large portion of military veterans. Serving these demands can provide multiple benefits, but many of these benefits tend to be overlooked or undervalued in formal transportation planning. 'Grounding Urban Walking and Cycling Research in a Political Economy Framework,' by Meleckidzedeck Khayesi, Todd Litman, Eduardo Vasconcellos and Winnie Mitullah, published in "Non-Motorized Transport Integration into Urban Transport Planning in Africa" (http://bit.ly/2jdFEDP ). This book chapter examines the political economy that affects urban walking and cycling policy. "Transportation for Everyone: A New Accessibility Rating System" (http://bit.ly/2AMVqPY ). This Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Blog by Todd Litman describes how to determine whether a transportation system is multimodal and so can serve diverse users, including people who cannot, should not or prefer not to drive. "Determining Optimal Urban Expansion, Population and Vehicle Density, and Housing Types for Rapidly Growing Cities" (www.vtpi.org/WCTR_OC.pdf ), published in 'Transportation Research Procedia.' This study by Todd Litman examines the economic, social and environmental impacts of various urban development factors including urban expansion, population and vehicle density, housing type, roadway design and management, and recreation facility availability. The results are used to create guidelines for urban development that optimizes for various planning objectives including openspace (farmland and habitat) preservation, efficient public infrastructure and services, public health and safety, efficient transportation, affordability, economic productivity and opportunity, and urban livability (local environmental quality). This analysis indicates that to be efficient and equitable, cities should provide diverse housing and transport options which respond to consumer demands, particularly affordable housing in accessible, multimodal neighborhoods, and affordable travel modes, with pricing or roadway management that favor resource-efficient modes, plus convenient access to parks and recreational facilities. "How to Do Efficient Congestion Pricing (Or Thoughts on William Vickrey)" (http://bit.ly/2ASLp4d ). This 'Market Urbanism Website' posting is based on a summary by Todd Litman (http://www.vtpi.org/vickrey.htm ) of Nobel Prizewinning economist William Vickrey's recommendations for efficient road pricing. Without efficient pricing and suitable alternatives, such as high quality public transit traffic congestion is virtually unavoidable. When motorists say "no" to efficient road pricing they are saying "yes" to congestion. "The Million-Dollar Neighborhood: Walkable Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Can Help Families Build Wealth" (https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2017/08/07/million-dollar-neighborhood ). This article in the Congress of New Urbanism's 'Public Square' magazine summarizes VTPI research on the direct economic benefits to households from living in Smart Growth communities. Since real estate appreciates and vehicles depreciate in value, households can significantly increase their long-term wealth by purchasing a home in a walkable urban neighborhood where they spend less on transportation and investment more in real estate. A typical household can gain a million dollars in additional equity over their working life. It is based on the VTPI report, "Selling Smart Growth" (www.vtpi.org/ssg ). "Transportation and the Challenge of Future-Proofing Our Cities" (http://bit.ly/2w6v5JX ). This 'Governing Magazine' article mentions the VTPI report, "Autonomous Vehicle Implementation Projections" (www.vtpi.org/avip ). Recent Planetizen Blogs (www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ): "The Many Problems With Autonomous Vehicles" (https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/95445 ). Optimists predict that autonomous vehicles will be a transportation panacea, but there are good reasons to be skeptical. They may create as many problems as they solve. "The Future of Mobility in Cities: Multimodal and Integrated" (https://www.planetizen.com/news/2017/10/95204 ). Ten principles developed by international non-governmental organizations are designed to guide urban decision-makers toward the best outcomes for the transition to new mobility options. "Responding to Public Transit Criticism" (https://www.planetizen.com/node/94729 ). Critics often use fallacious arguments and inaccurate evidence to attack public transit and Transit Oriented Development. Here are suggestions for responding to their false claims. Let's be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now! * * * * * UPCOMING EVENTS ======================= TRB Annual Meeting (www.trb.org ) "Mind the Gap: Can Inclusive Cities Bridge Social Equity Disparities?" (https://annualmeeting.mytrb.org/Workshop/Details/7790 ), Sunday, 7 January 2018, 1:30 PM-4:30 PM, Convention Center Todd Litman will discuss qualitative and quantitative measures of transportation equity in this multifaceted workshop. This analysis is important because transport planning decisions often have significant equity impacts. "Rethinking Sustainability for Agencies: It Is Much More Than Green Transportation" (https://annualmeeting.mytrb.org/InteractiveProgram/Details/8227 ), Monday 10:15 AM- 12:00 PM, Convention Center, 152A NCHRP Report 750 noted that transportation agencies are challenged to build consensus around balancing short-term cost-effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Todd Litman will participate in this panel discussion of how organizations are making a transition to triple bottom-line sustainability. "Selling Smart Growth" (https://www.nar.realtor ), 9 January, noon-1:00pm, National Association of Realtors Washington DC headquarters. Households often make trade-offs between housing and transportation costs: they can purchase a cheaper house at the urban fringe where they must spend significantly more on transportation, or pay more for a home in a walkable urban neighborhood with lower transportation costs. In the short-run the costs often seem equal, but motor vehicles rapidly depreciate in value while urban real estate tends to appreciate, so shifting expenditures from transportation to housing tends to generate long-term household wealth. This presentation will discuss ways to measure and communicate the direct economic benefits to households, businesses and local communities that result when households choose Smart Growth, based on the report "Selling Smart Growth" (www.vtpi.org/ssg). * * * * * BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ======================= "Why Transit Oriented Development? Benefits for Everyone!" by Todd Litman, keynote presentation at the Eighth International Symposium on Transportation Demand Management (http://2017tdm.ntu.edu.tw ). "What's So Good About EcoMobility? Understanding Co-Benefits" (http://bit.ly/2xTNpYR ), presented at the 2017 EcoMobility Festival (http://www.ecomobilityfestival.org ). Also see the "Kaohsiung Strategies for the Future of Urban Mobility" (http://bit.ly/2BIW9Qa ), a twelve-step program to creating more inclusive, livable and sustainable communities. * * * * * USEFUL RESOURCES ================= "Inclusionary Housing Calculator" (http://inclusionaryhousing.org/calculator ) can help evaluate development costs and the impacts that factors such as parking regulations and inclusionary housing policies would have on the profitability of development in a particular situation. For more discussion see: http://bit.ly/2wj6IWl . Urban Amenity and Livability (http://bit.ly/2iNytp9 ), by the Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council (https://atap.gov.au ). The Australian Transport Assessment and Planning (ATAP) Guidelines provide guidance for transportation project Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and appraisal. These now include guidance on how to evaluate the extent to which community design supports quality of life, health and the general well-being of residents. The Guidance describes practical approaches and implementation of these impacts into Cost-Benefit Analysis. "It's Official: Mexico City Eliminates Mandatory Parking Minimums" (http://bit.ly/2ihUmJk ). Mexico City has taken a step that many urbanists advocate: they've eliminated parking minimums. "The policy change applies to every land use and throughout the entire city of 8.8 million residents," Angie Schmitt reports for Streetsblog USA. "The old rules mandated parking even though only about 30 percent of Mexico City residents own cars and the city has a well-developed subway system." Backers say this change will encourage more development around transit and save money for those renters and home buyers who are not interested in parking. "Forbidden City: How Los Angeles Banned Some of its Most Popular Buildings" (http://bit.ly/2f80h2q ). L.A.'s forbidden city consists of the many buildings that we inhabit, use and care about but that are illegal to build today. Some of Los Angeles' most iconic building types, from the bungalow courts and dingbats common in our residential neighborhoods to Broadway's ornate theaters and office buildings, share this strange fate of being appreciated, but for all practical purposes, banned. "Automobile Dependency as a Barrier to Vision Zero: Evidence from the States in the USA" (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2017.07.012 ), by Hamed Ahangari, Carol Atkinson-Palombo and Norman Garrick, in 'Accident Analysis and Prevention.' Using sophisticated statistical analysis of U.S. crash rates this study found that the most important factors were Vehicles per Capita and Vehicle Miles Traveled, that state-level traffic fatality rates decline with urban density and walking rates, and there is little evidence that conventional traffic safety strategies, such as graduated driver's license programs, provide significant safety benefits. "New Mobility Playbook" (http://bit.ly/2zLX6pr ), Seattle Department of Transportation. This guidebook identifies integrated policies and strategies to foster new mobility options while prioritizing safety, equity, affordability, and sustainability. "The Not-so-Secret Trick to Cutting Solo Car Commutes: Charge for Parking by the Day" (http://bit.ly/2iLwp0R ), published in the Seattle Times. Charging for parking by the day, not by the month, is one of the most powerful tools that employers have to spur their employees not to drive alone to work. "Kicking the Drive-alone Habit has been Key to Seattle's Economic Boom" (http://bit.ly/2kkFVZ6 ) and "Seattle Businesses Buy into the Vision of a Transit-driven Economy," (http://bit.ly/2iLE8Mp ). These articles by Ethan Goffman describe the economic efficiency gains provided by Seattle's multimodal transportation planning. "The Relationship Between Pedestrian Connectivity and Economic Productivity in Auckland's City Centre" (http://bit.ly/2wc0VS1 ). This study for the Auckland Council investigates the contribution that walkability makes toward urban economic productivity by facilitating face-to-face interactions that increase knowledge generation and sharing. It found statistically significant positive associations between pedestrian accessibility and labour productivity, and so concluded that city center walkability improvements support economic development. "Commute Mode Diversity and Public Health: A Multivariate Analysis of 148 US Cities" (https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2017.1321705 ) by Chad Frederick, William Riggs and John Hans Gilderbloom, published in the 'International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.' Analyzing transportation and health indicators in 148 mid-sized U.S. urban areas, this study found significantly better health outcomes where fewer commuters drive alone to work, and that multimodal transportation planning (improving walking, cycling and public transit) can significantly improve public health. "America's Addiction to Automobiles: Why Cities Need to Kick the Habit and How" (http://publisher.abc-clio.com/9781440852817 ), by Professor Chad Frederick. This new book uses detailed quantitative analysis to measure the impacts of motor vehicle travel on urban livability, public health and economic equality, examines ways that public policies contribute to excessive automobile dependency, and describes various policy responses. The book argues that multimodal and auto-dependent cities are categorically different kinds of city, and there are fundamental conflicts between higher rates of automobile travel and healthy community planning objectives. "Reducing Speeds for Better Mobility and Quality of Life" (http://bit.ly/2jL75Vd ) by Carlos Felipe Pardo. This lecture discusses the impacts of excessive urban traffic speeds and how speed management can increase efficiency and livability. "Problems and Prospects of Curbside Parking in Lahore: Policy Implications for Effective Management" (http://bit.ly/2ns0ELN ). This article by Salman Sabir and Ghulam Abbas Anjum examines why and how to improve curbside parking regulations and public transport to reduce parking problems in Lahore, India. "Street Mobility Project" (www.ucl.ac.uk/street-mobility ), includes several reports and a Toolkit for measuring community severance (roads that create barriers to walking and cycling) and improving walking conditions, particularly for seniors. "Cruel Musical Chairs (or, why is the rent so high?)" by the Sightline Institute (http://bit.ly/2nsGAsv ). This fun Sightline Institute video explains how increasing housing supply can increase housing affordability for everyone, including people who cannot afford new homes. "Cycling Towards a More Sustainable Transport Future" (http://bit.ly/2vOrWLy ). This editorial by John Pucher and Ralph Buehler published in 'Transport Reviews' describes progress in improving cycling conditions and encouraging cycling activity in many cities around the world. "Bus Stop Urban Design" (www.kjzhang.com and http://bit.ly/2AuUP33 ). This information by Kevin Jingyi Zhang aims to improve the waiting environment of bus stops and their adjacent neighbourhoods through the development and application of 9 design techniques. "Demystifying Compact Urban Growth: Evidence From 300 Studies From Across the World" (http://bit.ly/2w3mHZa ). This review by Gabriel Ahlfeldt and Elisabetta Pietrostefani for the Coalition for Urban Transitions found significant positive effects of economic density (the number of people living or working in an area) and land use mix and recommend policies that maximize benefits and minimize costs of urban infill, to ensure efficient and equitable access in compact cities. "Mapping The Effects Of Parking Minimums" (http://bit.ly/2An6tyZ ). This article by Josh McCarty uses concrete data to illustrate the economic harms caused by parking minimums. "Streets Wide Shut - A Principle for Urban Streets" (http://bit.ly/2Bw4c1E ). This article by Professor David Levinson proposes an urban design principle: 'No street should carry more than four lanes of private vehicle traffic in a city. No more than two of those lanes should go in the same direction. Most streets should be three, two, or one lane wide.' * * * * * Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our email list. And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful. Sincerely, Todd Litman (litman@vtpi.org) Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org) Office: 250-360-1560 | Mobile: 250-508-5150 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA Efficiency - Equity - Clarity --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus From patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com Wed Dec 6 15:15:00 2017 From: patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com (Sujit Patwardhan) Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2017 11:45:00 +0530 Subject: [sustran] !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Message-ID: Dear Friends, I'm surprised that the recent announcement from the Mayor of Bogota, Mr Enrique Penalosa of the city going in for a Metro Rail has evoked no response from members of this group. As a charismatic proponent of Bus Rapid Transit - the TransMilenio, Mr Penalosa has been the most prominent brand leader for BRT. His convincing arguments for proposing BRT instead of the extremely costly Metro Rail has encouraged many cities in the South to introduce the BRT and begin to tackle congestion and pollution in their cities. The example of Bogota as a city with unbelievably high 'people per hour per direction' (pphpd ) of 45,000 has a living example of how a bus based system can compete with the much more expensive Metro which particularly for the cities in developing countries was proving to be beyond their means. Despite its high cost, Metro Rail has been a coveted item of infrastructure for many cities who see it as an attractive toy that they must have at any cost. However now with Bogota going in for the Metro there will be an even greater push for cities to get a Metro - usually at the cost of the city bus service which is the only basic affordable public transport available to the city. I would welcome comments from members on this list who are aware of the dire need of an Affordable Public Transport system to counter the outdated and failed "car oriented' model. -- Sujit -- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------- ? *Parisar*? ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------ Sujit Patwardhan patwardhan.sujit@gmail.com sujit@parisar.org ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------- Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India Tel: +91 20 25537955 Cell: +91 98220 26627 ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Parisar: www.parisar.org ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ParisarLogo_Green_Sm.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 17934 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20171206/8ed5c805/ParisarLogo_Green_Sm.jpg -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ParisarLogo_Green_Sm.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 17934 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20171206/8ed5c805/ParisarLogo_Green_Sm-0001.jpg From debigoenka at gmail.com Wed Dec 6 15:31:10 2017 From: debigoenka at gmail.com (Debi Goenka) Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2017 12:01:10 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear all, I agree with Sujit. Metro Rail is perhaps the most expensive and most unaffordable form of public transport. It is also very disruptive. As we have seen in Mumbai, the Metro I project took more than 7 years to construct. The road under it is still in shambles. The private operator (Reliance) is at loggerheads with the Government partner (MMRDA), and the battle to raise fares has gone to the Supreme Court and back to the Bombay High Court. In fact, the Bombay High Court held on Monday that the fares could not be increased to Rs.110 for 10 km. I am sure Reliance will challenge this in the Supreme Court. If cheaper options are available, we should definitely go in for these, given the propensity of Governments and planning authorities to stop subsidizing public transport whilst going ahead with subsidies to fossil fuels and private transport. Debi On 06-12-2017 11:45, Sujit Patwardhan wrote: > Dear Friends, > > I'm surprised that the recent announcement from the Mayor of Bogota, Mr > Enrique Penalosa of the city going in for a Metro Rail has evoked no > response from members of this group. > > As a charismatic proponent of Bus Rapid Transit - the TransMilenio, Mr > Penalosa has been the most prominent brand leader for BRT. His convincing > arguments for proposing BRT instead of the extremely costly Metro Rail has > encouraged many cities in the South to introduce the BRT and begin to > tackle congestion and pollution in their cities. The example of Bogota as a > city with unbelievably high 'people per hour per direction' (pphpd ) of > 45,000 has a living example of how a bus based system can compete with the > much more expensive Metro which particularly for the cities in developing > countries was proving to be beyond their means. Despite its high cost, > Metro Rail has been a coveted item of infrastructure for many cities who > see it as an attractive toy that they must have at any cost. > > However now with Bogota going in for the Metro there will be an even > greater push for cities to get a Metro - usually at the cost of the city > bus service which is the only basic affordable public transport available > to the city. > > I would welcome comments from members on this list who are aware of the > dire need of an Affordable Public Transport system to counter the outdated > and failed "car oriented' model. > > -- > Sujit > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). -- Debi Goenka Mobile +91 98200 86404 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Sahakar Bhavan, 1st Floor, LBS Marg, Narayan Nagar, Ghatkopar (West) Mumbai 400086 Tel: (91-22) 25122422/20 Telefax : 25122423 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorised copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden. From alok.priyanka at gmail.com Thu Dec 7 14:42:30 2017 From: alok.priyanka at gmail.com (Priyanka Alok Jain) Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 13:42:30 +0800 Subject: [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8E070958-2C68-4A40-9908-8307F7560DD4@gmail.com> I have a slight different take on this. There is a difference between activism and pragmatism. While activism is important to control the political or economic opportunism, it should not come in the way of pragmatism. Both metros and BRT are part of urban mobility solutions and one should only complement the other. I agree that many cities are stupidly planning metros without thinking much about the need but for their monumental value and that should be stopped but can you imagine Hong Kong or Singapore without a well-functioning metro system? Bogota BRT system is bursting at its seams and has almost reached its capacity in many corridors. It is wise to plan a metro along those corridors while BRT can also expand in new corridors. Being linear, dedicated right-of-way systems, metros obviously move more people than BRT. Let?s not make Enrique Penalosa appear as a sinner but an advocate for public transport. Last thing one would want to see is more private cars on the road. ?Pricing? is a completely different issue and I will not confuse the issue by dwelling on it. Best Regards Alok > On 6 Dec 2017, at 2:31 PM, Debi Goenka wrote: > > Dear all, > I agree with Sujit. Metro Rail is perhaps the most expensive and most > unaffordable form of public transport. It is also very disruptive. As we > have seen in Mumbai, the Metro I project took more than 7 years to > construct. The road under it is still in shambles. The private operator > (Reliance) is at loggerheads with the Government partner (MMRDA), and > the battle to raise fares has gone to the Supreme Court and back to the > Bombay High Court. In fact, the Bombay High Court held on Monday that > the fares could not be increased to Rs.110 for 10 km. I am sure Reliance > will challenge this in the Supreme Court. > If cheaper options are available, we should definitely go in for these, > given the propensity of Governments and planning authorities to stop > subsidizing public transport whilst going ahead with subsidies to fossil > fuels and private transport. > Debi > > On 06-12-2017 11:45, Sujit Patwardhan wrote: >> Dear Friends, >> >> I'm surprised that the recent announcement from the Mayor of Bogota, Mr >> Enrique Penalosa of the city going in for a Metro Rail has evoked no >> response from members of this group. >> >> As a charismatic proponent of Bus Rapid Transit - the TransMilenio, Mr >> Penalosa has been the most prominent brand leader for BRT. His convincing >> arguments for proposing BRT instead of the extremely costly Metro Rail has >> encouraged many cities in the South to introduce the BRT and begin to >> tackle congestion and pollution in their cities. The example of Bogota as a >> city with unbelievably high 'people per hour per direction' (pphpd ) of >> 45,000 has a living example of how a bus based system can compete with the >> much more expensive Metro which particularly for the cities in developing >> countries was proving to be beyond their means. Despite its high cost, >> Metro Rail has been a coveted item of infrastructure for many cities who >> see it as an attractive toy that they must have at any cost. >> >> However now with Bogota going in for the Metro there will be an even >> greater push for cities to get a Metro - usually at the cost of the city >> bus service which is the only basic affordable public transport available >> to the city. >> >> I would welcome comments from members on this list who are aware of the >> dire need of an Affordable Public Transport system to counter the outdated >> and failed "car oriented' model. >> >> -- >> Sujit >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------- >> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit >> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss >> >> ================================================================ >> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). > > -- > > > Debi Goenka > Mobile +91 98200 86404 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > 5 Sahakar Bhavan, 1st Floor, LBS Marg, Narayan Nagar, Ghatkopar (West) > Mumbai 400086 Tel: (91-22) 25122422/20 Telefax : 25122423 > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient > (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any > unauthorised copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden. > > -------------------------------------------------------- > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). From eric.bruun at gmx.com Thu Dec 7 18:16:57 2017 From: eric.bruun at gmx.com (Eric Bruun) Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 10:16:57 +0100 Subject: [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: <8E070958-2C68-4A40-9908-8307F7560DD4@gmail.com> References: <8E070958-2C68-4A40-9908-8307F7560DD4@gmail.com> Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20171207/25af9a91/attachment.html From laura.lauramachado at gmail.com Thu Dec 7 19:07:12 2017 From: laura.lauramachado at gmail.com (Laura) Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 10:07:12 +0000 Subject: [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: References: <8E070958-2C68-4A40-9908-8307F7560DD4@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dears I'd like express my opinion too. Athough diverse modals transport is one solution for mobility, I think an elevated Metro isn't good for cities, they will cause much negative impacts on the city landscape. Sounds like the old high rails, nowadays transformed in parks like in New York city. Look the picture! [image: Imagem inline 1] Regards, Laura Arq. Laura Machado Doutoranda em Planejamento Urbano e Regional - PROPUR-UFRGS Grupo de pesquisa laborat?rio de estudos urbanos - LeUrb-Cnpq Laborat?rio Nacional de Engenharia Civil - LNEC - Lisboa http://sustentabilidadeurbana.blogspot.com/ 2017-12-07 9:16 GMT+00:00 Eric Bruun : > Hi all, > > I also want to add to what Alok said. > > 1) TransMilennio may have been cheap to build and is still cheap to > operate, but it offers a low quality of service with crowding almost all > day long. > > 2) If I understand correctly, the Metro is not to replace the existing > TransMilennio, but to create a new corridor at 90 degrees to it. There is > no wide boulevard available in this corridor, so BRT land acquisition cost > would be astronomical and no doubt meet intense opposition from the > communities. Rail based Metro requires less much land, so this compensates > a lot for the higher construction cost. > > Best, > Eric > *Sent:* Thursday, December 07, 2017 at 7:42 AM > *From:* "Priyanka Alok Jain" > *To:* "Debi Goenka" > *Cc:* "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" < > sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org> > *Subject:* [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in > Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > I have a slight different take on this. There is a difference between > activism and pragmatism. While activism is important to control the > political or economic opportunism, it should not come in the way of > pragmatism. > > Both metros and BRT are part of urban mobility solutions and one should > only complement the other. I agree that many cities are stupidly planning > metros without thinking much about the need but for their monumental value > and that should be stopped but can you imagine Hong Kong or Singapore > without a well-functioning metro system? Bogota BRT system is bursting at > its seams and has almost reached its capacity in many corridors. It is wise > to plan a metro along those corridors while BRT can also expand in new > corridors. Being linear, dedicated right-of-way systems, metros obviously > move more people than BRT. Let?s not make Enrique Penalosa appear as a > sinner but an advocate for public transport. Last thing one would want to > see is more private cars on the road. > > ?Pricing? is a completely different issue and I will not confuse the issue > by dwelling on it. > > Best Regards > Alok > > > On 6 Dec 2017, at 2:31 PM, Debi Goenka wrote: > > > > Dear all, > > I agree with Sujit. Metro Rail is perhaps the most expensive and most > > unaffordable form of public transport. It is also very disruptive. As we > > have seen in Mumbai, the Metro I project took more than 7 years to > > construct. The road under it is still in shambles. The private operator > > (Reliance) is at loggerheads with the Government partner (MMRDA), and > > the battle to raise fares has gone to the Supreme Court and back to the > > Bombay High Court. In fact, the Bombay High Court held on Monday that > > the fares could not be increased to Rs.110 for 10 km. I am sure Reliance > > will challenge this in the Supreme Court. > > If cheaper options are available, we should definitely go in for these, > > given the propensity of Governments and planning authorities to stop > > subsidizing public transport whilst going ahead with subsidies to fossil > > fuels and private transport. > > Debi > > > > On 06-12-2017 11:45, Sujit Patwardhan wrote: > >> Dear Friends, > >> > >> I'm surprised that the recent announcement from the Mayor of Bogota, Mr > >> Enrique Penalosa of the city going in for a Metro Rail has evoked no > >> response from members of this group. > >> > >> As a charismatic proponent of Bus Rapid Transit - the TransMilenio, Mr > >> Penalosa has been the most prominent brand leader for BRT. His > convincing > >> arguments for proposing BRT instead of the extremely costly Metro Rail > has > >> encouraged many cities in the South to introduce the BRT and begin to > >> tackle congestion and pollution in their cities. The example of Bogota > as a > >> city with unbelievably high 'people per hour per direction' (pphpd ) of > >> 45,000 has a living example of how a bus based system can compete with > the > >> much more expensive Metro which particularly for the cities in > developing > >> countries was proving to be beyond their means. Despite its high cost, > >> Metro Rail has been a coveted item of infrastructure for many cities who > >> see it as an attractive toy that they must have at any cost. > >> > >> However now with Bogota going in for the Metro there will be an even > >> greater push for cities to get a Metro - usually at the cost of the city > >> bus service which is the only basic affordable public transport > available > >> to the city. > >> > >> I would welcome comments from members on this list who are aware of the > >> dire need of an Affordable Public Transport system to counter the > outdated > >> and failed "car oriented' model. > >> > >> -- > >> Sujit > >> > >> > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------- > >> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > >> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss < > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss> > >> > >> ================================================================ > >> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). > > > > -- > > > > > > Debi Goenka > > Mobile +91 98200 86404 <+91%2098200%2086404> > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > -------------------------------------------- > > 5 Sahakar Bhavan, 1st Floor, LBS Marg, Narayan Nagar, Ghatkopar (West) > > Mumbai 400086 Tel: (91-22) 25122422/20 Telefax : 25122423 > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > --------------------------------------------- > > This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If > you are not the intended recipient > > (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender > immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any > > unauthorised copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this > e-mail is strictly forbidden. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > > > ================================================================ > > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). > > -------------------------------------------------------- > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). > > -------------------------------------------------------- > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). > -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 649405 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/public/sustran-discuss/attachments/20171207/d8b151f8/image-0001.png From zvi.leve at gmail.com Fri Dec 8 13:18:53 2017 From: zvi.leve at gmail.com (Zvi Leve) Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 23:18:53 -0500 Subject: [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail in Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In-Reply-To: References: <8E070958-2C68-4A40-9908-8307F7560DD4@gmail.com> Message-ID: The idea of a Metro-rail solution for Bogota has been discussed for more than 70 years now, and let's not forget that this is a city of over 8 million people ! One of the goals of TransMilenio was to bring 'structure' to parts of the city which were outside of the formal economy, and presumably the goal of the metro project is to add an even more powerful structuring element. It is important to note that land tenure is very opaque in many parts of Bogota. I suspect that the metro rail will serve areas which have clear title of ownership so as to stimulate 'private' development. Another point worth noting is that Penalosa seems to be facing growing discontent this term as mayor . According to this article , despite the claims about the metro project he continues to invest significantly in TransMilenio: "Despite constant complains and protests, it seems that Pe?alosa has a bigger interest on increasing the size of the Transmilenio infrastructure than building the first metro. While the metro?s bidding will begin next year, the city will work on more than 70 Transmilenio stations. Let?s make something clear: Transmilenio is not a system that is easily scalable. As the population of the capital of Colombia grows, the need for an efficient and scalable transportation system is more urgent. And it may seem like a trite discussion, but the Mayor?s Office needs to understand this." Regards, Zvi On 7 December 2017 at 05:07, Laura wrote: > Dears > > I'd like express my opinion too. > Athough diverse modals transport is one solution for mobility, I think an > elevated Metro isn't good for cities, they will cause much negative impacts > on the city landscape. Sounds like the old high rails, nowadays transformed > in parks like in New York city. > Look the picture! > > [image: Imagem inline 1] > > Regards, > Laura > > Arq. Laura Machado > Doutoranda em Planejamento Urbano e Regional - PROPUR-UFRGS > Grupo de pesquisa laborat?rio de estudos urbanos - LeUrb-Cnpq > Laborat?rio Nacional de Engenharia Civil - LNEC - Lisboa > http://sustentabilidadeurbana.blogspot.com/ > > > 2017-12-07 9:16 GMT+00:00 Eric Bruun : > > > Hi all, > > > > I also want to add to what Alok said. > > > > 1) TransMilennio may have been cheap to build and is still cheap to > > operate, but it offers a low quality of service with crowding almost all > > day long. > > > > 2) If I understand correctly, the Metro is not to replace the existing > > TransMilennio, but to create a new corridor at 90 degrees to it. There is > > no wide boulevard available in this corridor, so BRT land acquisition > cost > > would be astronomical and no doubt meet intense opposition from the > > communities. Rail based Metro requires less much land, so this > compensates > > a lot for the higher construction cost. > > > > Best, > > Eric > > *Sent:* Thursday, December 07, 2017 at 7:42 AM > > *From:* "Priyanka Alok Jain" > > *To:* "Debi Goenka" > > *Cc:* "Global 'South' Sustainable Transport" < > > sustran-discuss@list.jca.apc.org> > > *Subject:* [sustran] Re: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Metro Rail > in > > Bogota !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > > I have a slight different take on this. There is a difference between > > activism and pragmatism. While activism is important to control the > > political or economic opportunism, it should not come in the way of > > pragmatism. > > > > Both metros and BRT are part of urban mobility solutions and one should > > only complement the other. I agree that many cities are stupidly planning > > metros without thinking much about the need but for their monumental > value > > and that should be stopped but can you imagine Hong Kong or Singapore > > without a well-functioning metro system? Bogota BRT system is bursting at > > its seams and has almost reached its capacity in many corridors. It is > wise > > to plan a metro along those corridors while BRT can also expand in new > > corridors. Being linear, dedicated right-of-way systems, metros obviously > > move more people than BRT. Let?s not make Enrique Penalosa appear as a > > sinner but an advocate for public transport. Last thing one would want to > > see is more private cars on the road. > > > > ?Pricing? is a completely different issue and I will not confuse the > issue > > by dwelling on it. > > > > Best Regards > > Alok > > > > > On 6 Dec 2017, at 2:31 PM, Debi Goenka wrote: > > > > > > Dear all, > > > I agree with Sujit. Metro Rail is perhaps the most expensive and most > > > unaffordable form of public transport. It is also very disruptive. As > we > > > have seen in Mumbai, the Metro I project took more than 7 years to > > > construct. The road under it is still in shambles. The private operator > > > (Reliance) is at loggerheads with the Government partner (MMRDA), and > > > the battle to raise fares has gone to the Supreme Court and back to the > > > Bombay High Court. In fact, the Bombay High Court held on Monday that > > > the fares could not be increased to Rs.110 for 10 km. I am sure > Reliance > > > will challenge this in the Supreme Court. > > > If cheaper options are available, we should definitely go in for these, > > > given the propensity of Governments and planning authorities to stop > > > subsidizing public transport whilst going ahead with subsidies to > fossil > > > fuels and private transport. > > > Debi > > > > > > On 06-12-2017 11:45, Sujit Patwardhan wrote: > > >> Dear Friends, > > >> > > >> I'm surprised that the recent announcement from the Mayor of Bogota, > Mr > > >> Enrique Penalosa of the city going in for a Metro Rail has evoked no > > >> response from members of this group. > > >> > > >> As a charismatic proponent of Bus Rapid Transit - the TransMilenio, Mr > > >> Penalosa has been the most prominent brand leader for BRT. His > > convincing > > >> arguments for proposing BRT instead of the extremely costly Metro Rail > > has > > >> encouraged many cities in the South to introduce the BRT and begin to > > >> tackle congestion and pollution in their cities. The example of Bogota > > as a > > >> city with unbelievably high 'people per hour per direction' (pphpd ) > of > > >> 45,000 has a living example of how a bus based system can compete with > > the > > >> much more expensive Metro which particularly for the cities in > > developing > > >> countries was proving to be beyond their means. Despite its high cost, > > >> Metro Rail has been a coveted item of infrastructure for many cities > who > > >> see it as an attractive toy that they must have at any cost. > > >> > > >> However now with Bogota going in for the Metro there will be an even > > >> greater push for cities to get a Metro - usually at the cost of the > city > > >> bus service which is the only basic affordable public transport > > available > > >> to the city. > > >> > > >> I would welcome comments from members on this list who are aware of > the > > >> dire need of an Affordable Public Transport system to counter the > > outdated > > >> and failed "car oriented' model. > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Sujit > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> -------------------------------------------------------- > > >> To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > > >> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss < > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss> > > >> > > >> ================================================================ > > >> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > > (the 'Global South'). > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > Debi Goenka > > > Mobile +91 98200 86404 <+91%2098200%2086404> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > -------------------------------------------- > > > 5 Sahakar Bhavan, 1st Floor, LBS Marg, Narayan Nagar, Ghatkopar (West) > > > Mumbai 400086 Tel: (91-22) 25122422/20 Telefax : 25122423 > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > --------------------------------------------- > > > This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If > > you are not the intended recipient > > > (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender > > immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any > > > unauthorised copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in > this > > e-mail is strictly forbidden. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > > > > > ================================================================ > > > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > > (the 'Global South'). > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > > > ================================================================ > > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > > (the 'Global South'). > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > > > ================================================================ > > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > > (the 'Global South'). > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit > http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss > > ================================================================ > SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries > (the 'Global South'). > From nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org Wed Dec 13 10:00:32 2017 From: nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org (Nikola Medimorec) Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:00:32 +0900 Subject: [sustran] One Planet Summit Scales Up Action and Ambition on Transport and Climate Change: the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA) Message-ID: Dear all, The One Planet Summit, organised by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ant?nio Guterres, concluded that decarbonisation of all modes of transport by 2050, in line with the well below 2 Degree Target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change is possible but will require action now to enable a comprehensive transformation of this key sector in the decades to come. Read the full article with endorsements of the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance by the Netherlands and Portugal here: http://www.ppmc-transport.org/one-planet-summit-transport-decarbonisation-alliance/ Best regards, Nikola Medimorec Nikola Medimorec Senior Researcher Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) +82-10-8642-4453 (mobile) @ni_medi (twitter) @SLoCaTCornie (twitter) @SLoCatOfficial (facebook) nikolamedimorec (skype) www.slocat.net From yanivbin at gmail.com Tue Dec 19 04:47:35 2017 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017 01:17:35 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Can the Affluent Be Convinced to Ride Transit in Delhi? Message-ID: https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/12/can-the-affluent-be-convinced-to-ride-transit-in-delhi/547775/?utm_source=SFTwitter Can the Affluent Be Convinced to Ride Transit in Delhi? 1. ASHISH MALHOTRA DEC 11, 2017 Despite severe air pollution, higher-income residents of Delhi prefer to drive or hail cars rather than ride the metro. What will change their minds? - SHARE - TWEET - Every winter when New Delhi?s air quality reaches hazardous levels, much of the conversation about it tends to focus on two causes?the practice of crop burning by farmers in nearby states, and the bursting of firecrackers during the Hindu festival Diwali. There?s no doubt that these are both major contributors to the Indian capital?s toxic winter air. But putting these events in the spotlight can be frustrating for those who study pollution and wish there was greater public scrutiny of the issue year-round. Air-quality issues in Delhi, after all, are not restricted to October and November. According to data from India?s Central Pollution Control Board , only two days between May 2015 and October 2017 had ?good? air quality. Adding ?satisfactory? air-quality days to the ?good? ones still accounts for less than 8 percent of the two-and-a-half year period. A policeman wears a mask while controlling traffic on a road in Delhi in October 2017. (Saumya Khandelwal/Reuters ) ?The problem is that a lot of times when these conversations [about pollution] happen, it?s because of a trigger which takes it from very bad to hazardous levels,? said Amit Bhatt, the head of integrated urban transport at EMBARQ India, an arm of the World Resources Institute. ?But very bad cannot be constructed as the new good,? he said, referring to the rest of the year. If the focus shouldn?t be on crop burning or Diwali, where should it be? To road and transport specialists like Bhatt, the answer is vehicular pollution, a much more consistent source of Delhi?s severe air-quality problems. One study, released by the Indian Institute of Technology last year, recommended five separate vehicular pollution related measures to the Delhi government, each of which could significantly improve the city?s air quality. Still, the number of registered private vehicles in Delhi continues to rise. It crossed 10 million earlier this year, and almost 900,000 cars were added during India?s 2015?2016 fiscal year alone. This worries Bhatt, who believes there must be efforts to get more of Delhi?s affluent residents to move away from private vehicles and onto public transportation. ?That?s the starting point,? said Bhatt. He would initially focus on people with motorbikes, which make up more than 6.6 million of the private vehicles on Delhi?s roads, rather than car owners, who may be less inclined to give up their comfort and convenience. ?Getting people on two-wheelers is much easier than getting people with cars.? Who Rides the Delhi Metro? A cursory glance at Delhi?s metro system might suggest this wouldn?t be hard. Unlike equivalent systems in major U.S. cities, such as New York and Washington, D.C., Delhi?s metro is sleek, sophisticated, and fast, fully equipped with top-notch equipment and trains that run on time. And to be clear, many people are already using it. The system?s cumulative ridership exceeded 1 billion people during India?s most recent fiscal year, a number that could be broken down to 2.76 million riders a day. But very few of those riders come from the city?s most affluent classes. According to a survey conducted by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) last year, less than 2 percent of metro riders earn more than 100,000 rupees (about $1,540) a month. Defining classes of income levels is notoriously tricky in India , but by using the standards set by Pew in 2015 , those earning more than 100,000 rupees a month can be categorized as high-income. Passengers in an all-women compartment of a Delhi Metro train in 2013 (Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters) Even when one looks at one income level below that, ridership isn?t high. Those earning 50,000 to 100,000 rupees a month (about $770?$1,540) make up less than 10 percent of Delhi Metro riders. Most of these people would be upper-middle income by Pew?s standards. These numbers fit with the events of January 2016, when many affluent Delhiites bemoaned a 15-day partial car ban and, in some cases, found ways around it to avoid taking public transportation. India?s then-Chief Justice even went so far as to suggest more expensive ?premium? seats as a way to lure more wealthy commuters onto the metro. The aversion of some rich Delhiites to public transportation is no surprise to many others in the city, who are fully aware of its starkly drawn class lines. ?I go on the metro, I?m a poor person. ? But why would a rich person go on it, in the middle of all the crowds? They?ll hire a car or taxi or take their own car,? said Jitender, an Uber driver who works in Delhi?s National Capital Region. Just last month, though, a few hundred relatively affluent residents of Gurgaon?a city within Delhi?s National Capital Region?tried to buck the trend, participating in a Car Free Week .* ?We can complain about crop burning, we can complain about everything else,? said Manas Fuloria, a 45-year-old software company CEO who participated in the initiative. ?But if we won?t forgo these large diesel SUVs that we want to buy because we feel a petrol car won?t be right, or a smaller car won?t do the job, then we shouldn?t be surprised when a farmer thinks it?s okay to burn their fields for one or two days in the year.? (Diesel cars accounted for 27 percent of cars sold in India in the 2016?2017 fiscal year. In Delhi, diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old were recently banned .) Missing Infrastructure If the Car Free Week indicated that some affluent Indians are willing to change their transportation patterns, it also served as a reminder of the absence of infrastructure supporting them in doing so. For years, Fuloria made a point of cycling to work a few times a week, despite how unsafe the ride could be. But he hasn?t cycled regularly this year due to roadwork that has made his route twice as long and less safe. Fuloria also complains that there are few operational buses in Gurgaon, and none that would get him anywhere close to work. Delhi?s bus system hardly meets public demand, either. In 2007, the Delhi High Court mandated the city have 11,000 buses . But when the smog hit last month, Delhi?s bus fleet was just over 5,000 . No buses have been added since 2010. ?If you have a car, you are treated like a king. If you come by bus or metro, then you are a second-grade citizen.? Although the city?s metro system may be world-class, it?s never going to be as convenient as door-to-door ride-hailing apps like Uber, which recently claimed to have surpassed 500 million rides in India, or its Indian rival Ola. Such options are especially attractive in Delhi, where the metro?s ?last mile? connectivity?how people actually get to and from Metro stations?is a particular problem. This is due in part to a lack of high-quality sidewalks , a major impediment to pedestrian culture in the city. Bike lanes , where they exist, are also generally problematic, either by design or because they end up usurped by cars, motorbikes, or even street vendors. Infrastructure for vehicles continues to be built, however, which Bhatt believes sends off the wrong signal. ?We are promoting the use of private transport by giving more flyovers, by widening roads, by giving free parking,? he said. ?If you have a car, you are treated like a king. If you come by bus or metro, then you are a second-grade citizen.? Ultimately, some say it?s a combination of factors?Delhi?s existing transportation infrastructure *as well as* people?s considerations of class and status?that keeps the city?s most affluent away from public transit. ?Delhi is very much a city that?s aspirational ? that?s very aware of upward mobility and status and class,? said Mukta Naik, who focuses on urban planning at the Centre for Policy Research, a leading Indian think-tank. ?But at the same time, [people] also see the car as the most convenient way to get from Point A to Point B. ? Until we reach a point where we cannot get from point A to Point B without public transport, we?re going to be like this.? Nair and Bhatt both talk about disincentivizing the use of private transportation through policies like higher parking fees, congestion and pollution charges, and a cap on vehicle registrations. But for now, they?re encouraged by what they?ve seen through initiatives like the Car Free Week, which they feel is a sign that the mindsets of the affluent can be changed. ?There are people who have gotten away from a car-centric mindset and they?re willing to really make an effort to change,? said Bhatt. ?But for them to make a permanent change, they need some infrastructural support.? **CORRECTION: This article originally misstated the timing of Gurgaon?s Car Free Week. It was held November 20?26.* About the Author[image: Ashish Malhotra] Ashish Malhotra - @AMALHOTRA2 - FEED Ashish Malhotra is a journalist who has previously held positions at Al Jazeera English and *The Hindustan Times*. He has also worked as a correspondent for Deutsche Welle and contributed articles to Vice News and ThinkProgress from New Delhi. From nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org Tue Dec 19 11:44:41 2017 From: nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org (Nikola Medimorec) Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017 11:44:41 +0900 Subject: [sustran] Survey on City Networks in Asia Message-ID: Dear colleagues, The Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT), with the support of some major bi-lateral development agencies, is developing a comprehensive global database on existing national and international city networks and initiatives with a view to reinforce existing, active urban networks? capacity to work on urban mobility. The project also aims to expand geographic coverage of city networking activities on urban mobility to more countries and more cities. We would like to invite anyone who works for a city network/ initiative to participate in a survey. We would like to ask you some questions regarding the background of your city network/ initiative, activity priorities, and your interest in working more on urban mobility. *The link to the survey is: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YQ8L2HC * The survey targets respondents who are professionals from international or national initiatives that work with a network of local authorities and city governments. It will take about 10 minutes to complete. Following the survey ? we will follow up with networks that have an interest to work more on urban mobility issues. Thank you in advance for your attention and participation. If you have any question regarding our work on urban mobility and city networks, please contact my colleagues Mark Major (mark.major@slocatpartnership.org) and Alice Yiu (alice.yiu@slocatpartnership.org). Best regards, Nikola Medimorec Nikola Medimorec Senior Researcher Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) +82-10-8642-4453 (mobile) @ni_medi (twitter) @SLoCaTCornie (twitter) @SLoCatOfficial (facebook) nikolamedimorec (skype) www.slocat.net