A Framework for achieving sustainable urban mobility in Asia

Sophie PunteExecutive DirectorCAI-Asia Center

National University of Singapore25 January 2010

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Outline

• Sustainable transport is the only solution for Asian cities

• A Framework for achieving sustainable transport in Asian cities

• Implementing the framework

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About the Clean Air Initiative

The Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities promotes reductions of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in transport, energy and other sectors by translating knowledge to policy and action

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CAI-Asia began as a multi-stakeholder initiative by ADB, World Bank and USAID

The CAI-Asia Center was incorporated in 2007 as a non-stock, non-profit corporation in the Philippines

The CAI-Asia Partnership has 170 organizational members and 8 Country Networks in Asia

Rapid urbanization across Asia

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Explosive motorization growth across Asia

Source: 2009. ADB, CAI-Asia, Segment Y Ltd., and IEA

PM emissions reductions in Asia to be outstripped by vehicle growth

6Source: 2009. ADB, CAI-Asia, Segment Y Ltd., and IEA

Significant growth in CO2 emissions from road transport expected in Asia

Source: 2008. ADB, CAI-Asia, and Segment Y Ltd

Reasons for unsustainable transport

• Absence of a city development strategy• Unsustainable transport policies driven by meeting

demand by creating additional infrastructures• Ineffective transport planning by the experts, thus

disenfranchising users, residents and other stakeholders

• Little implementation due to a disconnect between plans and available budgets

• Little data about the success or failure of implementation in achieving policy goals

• Governance problems where politics won over technocratic advice.

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Source: ADB, 2009. Changing Course - a New Paradigm for Sustainable Urban Transport

Poor people are more affected by unsustainable transport

The essence of poverty is not only lack of material resources but also lack of power

and choice

Perspectives on Poverty. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), 2002

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Why poor people are more affected by unsustainable transport• Transportation high proportion of poor people’s costs

– Shanghai: low income groups pay as much on transport as on healthcare (5%), clothing (5%) and rent (0.8%) combined

– Rising fuel prices exacerbate this

• Poor people depend more on public transport and non-motorized transport, yet transport policies favor private vehicles thus deteriorating transport optionsfor the poor

• Poor people cannot afford to livein central areas where jobs are. Worsening traffic conditions make their travel times even longer 10

Source: Per Capita Consumption Expenditures Urban Household In Main Years - http://www.statssh.gov.cn/2003shtj/tjnj/nje07.htm?d1=2007tjnje/e0919.htm

Why poor people are more affected by air pollution from transport

• Relatively more poor people in cities travel with public transport, walk and cycle, thus they are more exposed to air pollution

• Poor people have less financial means to get medical help

• Loss of income and jobs resulting from air pollutioninduced/enhanced diseaseshave more severe consequences for the poorand their families

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Paradigm shift: Framework for achieving sustainable transport in Asian cities

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Source: CAI-Asia Center, 2009. Achieving Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asian Cities – Discussion paper

Framework provides guidance in translating thinking on sustainable urban transport into practical implementation in Asian cities

1. Planning

Vision for a livable city and city master plan

Land use planning

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Clean air Green environment

SafeEconomically vibrant

Accessible to all

Office buildings

Public spaces

Residential areas

Transport system

Transport master planmanage the demand for transport and mobility, rather than facilitate the demandAccessibility

AffordabilityHealth

SafetyAvailability

Mobility

Example: Environmental Sustainable Transport Strategy

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1. Public health

2. Road safety and

maintenance

3. Traffic noise

management

4. Social equity and gender

perspectives

5. Public transport

planning & TDM

6. Non-motorized transport

7. Environment and people

friendly infrastructure

8. Cleaner fuels

8. Strengthening road side air

quality monitoring and

assessment

10. Vehicle emissions control & standards & I/M

11. Land use planning

12. Strengthening knowledge base, awareness and

public participation

Importance of considering co-benefits of improved transport systems

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2. Design an integrated transport system

• Prioritize and select the different transportmodes within the transport system– A vision of a compact and healthy city does not rhyme with a car-

based city– A spread out city cannot be served by sidewalks and bicycle

lanes alone

• Consider options within selected transport modes– BRT systems for a growing city with a relatively large low income

group (e.g. Ahmedabad)– Metro system for a wealthy and already dense city (e.g. Hong

Kong)

• Integrate transport modes– Public transport system design to include walking and cycling

facilities and public transport feeder systems– Roads designed not only for cars but also for other transport

modes 16

Example: Integrating Cycling into Urban Transport SystemsA bicycle-friendly infrastructure has to satisfy five

main requirements: • Coherence: a complete network with a very dense mesh of

cycle lanes to connect origins and destinations• Directness: routes with minimal detours and journeys with

minimal stops (such as intersections with exclusive right of way for cyclists)

• Safety: minimum number of conflicting points or intersections with motorized vehicles or reduced intensity of conflict between cyclists and motorists (such as removing parking spaces from cycling lanes)

• Comfort: ease of finding and selecting routes and minimum nuisance such as noise, fumes, congestion, and motorized interferences

• Attractiveness: degree of visual and spatial experience of the ride during the user’s journey

17Source: Bicycle Infrastructure Design Manual for Indian Sub-continent. Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE, 2009)

Example: Key considerations in integrating 2-3 wheelers into urban transport systems

1. Limiting the number of cycle rickshaws through commercial vehicle regulation is better than banning cycle rickshaws or motor rickshaws on roads other than high-speed roads

2. Banning motorcycles or bicycles will not be successful as a traffic congestion mitigation measure

3. Banning any vehicle types is justified in zones not in compliance with an international/national recognized ambient air quality or noise standard

4. Innovative use of road user chargingshould be explored to encourage use of2- and 3-wheelers with lower weight, whichgenerate fewer emissions, less noise, and operate at slower speeds

5. Banning access is unjustified for motorcyclists (less than 125cc), bicyclists, cycle rickshaws, or motor rickshaws on specific roads based on unsafe driving and accidents 18

3. Analyze the transport system

• PEST + E analysis that is also used in macro-economic analysis: political, economic, social, technological, and environment

• Reiterative process: analysis results are used to make revisions to the design of the system, and which may require subsequent analysis.

• For a realistic transport system distinguish– “core” or essential elements– elements that are not as critical to the functioning of the

system and achievement of policy goals

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Example technical analysis: operation of Ahmedabad bus rapid transit (BRT) system

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Source: Operational Plan: Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transit System. ITDP (2009).

Operational or service plan to provide a high performance system

Identify and evaluate• Trunk routes on the segregated BRT

corridors• Feeder routes required to

complement the trunk services• Fleet required on each route based

on service frequency• Schedule for trunk and feeder buses• Terminals that buses will operate

between• Depots where buses will be

maintained• Bus parking• Fare structure for the trunk and

feeder service

Example technical analysis: walkability surveys• Walkability surveys assess the quality of pedestrian

infrastructure and supporting policies:– Field Walkability Survey: state of the pedestrian facilities– Pedestrian Interview Survey: pedestrian needs and

preferences– Government/Stakeholder Survey: the policies, roles and

responsibilities of government and stakeholders

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Results survey in Karachi, Pakistan•Field walkability survey: Karachi Road best infrastructure•Pedestrian interview survey: greater demand for walking on Tariq Road

Source: Assessing Walkability in Karachi. Arif Parvez in cooperation with CAI-Asia Center (2009). www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=198801

Example environmental analysis: e-bikesand other transport modes in China

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• E-bike emissions per passenger km when compared with:

• Bus with 50 passengers: 15% less CO2, but more PM and SO2

• Motorcycles: less CO2, but more SO2

• Cars: less CO2 and less air pollutants (PM, SO2, CO, HC, NOx)

• Reasons for higher SO2 emissions is electricity from coal-fired power

plants• E- bikes currently result in increased lead emissions – lead acid

batteries, however lithium ion battery technology can prevent this

Source: Electric Bikes in the People’s Republic of China - Impact on the Environment and Prospects for Growth. Cherry C., Weinert J., and Xinmiao Y. (2009).

Example economic analysis: financial savings from BRT system in Mexico City

• Fuel cost savings are over 60% of total financial savings

• CO2 savings relatively low, even at a high $/ton• Multi-criteria analysis is needed for co-benefits of

transport systems, as cost savings alone is not sufficient

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Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE), May 2008, “The benefits and costs of a Bus Rapid Transit System in Mexico City”. Rogers, J. and L. Schipper. 2005. Measuring the Emissions Impact of a Bus Rapid Transport Project in Mexico City.

Example social analysis: performance indicators for selected social issues of public transport systems• Accessibility: spatial distance to education, health care, services, or

the bus stop per household unit, whereby the lower the distance the higher the accessibility

• Mobility: Daily travel time to work or education per household or daily trip fare to work or education per household unit, whereby the higher the value the higher the mobility

• Availability: Types of public transport are available, number of change-overs or different types of public transport needed to reach certain destinations

• Affordability: Cost of fares for traveling to different destinations compared to household income

• Health: Noise levels expected around public transport systems compared to standards. Expected air pollution levels at bus stops compared to ambient air quality standards

• Time saving: Amount of time to reach a destination by public transport compared to private vehicles. Comparison of trip durations with one year ago

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4. Implementation and monitoring

Six conditions for successful implementationand monitoring of transport systems

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Political support

Stakeholder involvement

Institutional set up

Policies

Capacity

Financing

Example political support: Pune, India

• Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) aims to improve conditions for and promoting cycling and walking

• Non-motorized transport (NMT) cell established– Acts like an NMT watchdog– Responsible agency is the Municipal Commissioner

Office, under the PMC– Proposals originating from the NMT cell are conveyed to

the concerned departments for action – Departments must provide information, data and

personnel as needed by the NMT cell and report back on progress of action items

26http://government.wikia.com/wiki/N.M.T%28Non-Motorized_Cell%29

Example institutional set up: possible model for sustainable transport system

27Source: “Changing Course - a New Paradigm for Sustainable Urban Transport”, ADB (2009)

Example policies: Philippines EST strategy• Policies should be a mix of

– Avoid: avoiding the need to travel – Shift: shifting travel to more sustainable modes– Improve: improving the sustainability of modes

• Policy examples from Philippines EST Strategy:

28Source: EST in the Philippines - Strategies and Action Plans. Department of Transport and Communications of the Philippines (2009)

AVOID SHIFT IMPROVE Promote mixed use

development (compact, shorter trip distances)

Incorporate green architecture principles in transport infrastructure design

Travel demand management strategies

Provide non-motorized transport facilities

Integrate public transport network

Develop mass-transit systems, especially BRT

Adopt EURO IV specifications for sulfur

Strengthening road air quality management and assessment

Develop and enhance freight transport policies

Example capacity building: possible model to build capacity on sustainable urban transport• The capacity of government officials in developing countries

is limited to address challenges of rapid motorization• Components of capacity building program for sustainable

urban transport should include

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Geographical scope• City• Provincial• National

Target group• Government: decision-makers,

managers, operators• Practitioners (NGOs, academic

/research institutions) • Development agencies/donors• Public and media

Training Content• General SUT• Transport systems

(MRT, TDM, NMT)• Detailed technical

training

Type of Training• Individual training• Training with application

in practice• Training of trainers• Institutionalized training

Example financing: generation and allocation of funds for sustainable transport

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Transport Oriented Funding Mechanisms

•Fuel tax (road funds)•Vehicle taxes•Parking charges•Road pricing•Fare revenue•Public transport subsidies•Business taxes•Advertising•Land related taxes and charges•Grants, loans, tax transfers•Private sector investments

Carbon Oriented Funding Mechanisms

•Environmental taxation•CDM•ETS•GEF•Multilateral funds (e.g. WB CTF, •ADB CEFPF)•Bilateral funds (e.g. Japan Cool Earth Partnership; German International Climate Initiative)

Allocation of funds to

sustainable transport

 

Generation of funds

 

 ?Source: Chapter V. innovative financing of low-carbon and energy efficient transport. K. Sokamoto. In: Rethinking Transport and Climate Change, ADB and CAI-Asia Center (2009)

Example monitoring: performance monitoring system of bus system in Indore, India• Monitoring of scheduling, routing, user interaction, safety,

reliability, regularity of service and utilization of rolling stock.

• Allows tracking of current operations and projecting future forecasts.

• Using this information, a transport operator can re-organizing operations tocater to the evolvingdemand and passengerneeds

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Source: Partnering with Indian Institutions and organizations for sustainable urban transport: a showcase of the experience of WRI-EMBARQ in India. (2009)

Implementing the framework

• Scaling out within cities– On the ground

actions– Integrating activities

in wider urban planning

– Looking beyond single issues and aiming for sustainability

• Scaling up to thousands of Asian cities

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Implementing the framework: what is needed

• What cities need: process facilitation, technical advice, and financial support such as development loans

• Create model cities, whose experience can be replicated in other cities

• An integrated effort at the national and regional level to make the shift to sustainable transport in Asia– Decision-makers: Government agencies and policy makers– Practitioners: NGOs, academic and research institutions,

consultancies– Financial institutions, donors, development agencies– Private sector: developers, construction firms, suppliers, fuel/oil

companies, automotive manufacturers

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04/21/23 34

Sophie Punte, Executive DirectorSophie.punte@cai-asia.org

Bert Fabian, Transport Program ManagerBert.fabian@cai-asia.org

Glynda Bathan, Policy and Partnership Manager

Glynda.bathan@cai-asia.org

Unit 3510, 35th floorRobinsons-Equitable Tower

ADB Avenue, Pasig CityMetro Manila 1605

Philippines

www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia

CAI-Asia Center

This presentation is based on the paper “Achieving Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia” written by CAI-Asia Center (2009). The paper was developed as part of the Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA) program. The SUMA program is supported by the Asian Development Bank through a grant from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. SUMA is implemented by the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center (www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia), in partnership with EMBARQ - the World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport (http://embarq.wri.org), GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (www.sutp.org), Interface for Cycling Expertise (www.cycling.nl), Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (www.itdp.org), and United Nations Center for Regional Development (www.uncrd.or.jp/est)