sustainability in transport sector
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Sustainability Aspects of Urban Public Transportation
Dr. J.N.JhaDepartment of Civil Engineering
Guru Nanak Dev Engineering CollegeLudhiana
Index Introduction Sustainability Changing Urban Pattern Worldwide Motorization & Urbanization Trends Automobile Dependency and Urban Transit Sustainable Transportation Indicators Implication of Sustainable Transportation Criticism of Sustainability and Sustainable
Transportation
Cont……. Can Transit Ensure Sustainability Role of Technology Innovation Conclusion References
Introduction Sea Change in Surface Transportation:
Horse drawn street railway to Underground heavy rail line
What is the motivation of this Sea Change? Answer:
Desire of user to find faster and more reliable form of transportation (Which was available at that time)
Cont…. Predominance of Automobile is the result of this
motivation Advantages
i) Unprecedented mobility levelii) Personal Freedom
Disadvantagei) Paid little attention to Social and Environmental sustainability
Cont…..
National Academy of Engineering (NAE 2000)Automobile Ranked as 2nd greatest engineering achievement after electricity
How ranking is decided?Impact on quality of life
Cont…. Rapid motorisation raises serious concern about the
sustainability of transportation system (Developing world).
Developing world :Poorly maintained vehicleSlow moving trafficExpanding urban boundaries making work trips excessively long and expensive (Poor)
Sustainability U.N. World Commission on Environment and
Development (UNWCED 1987):
A sustainable condition for this planet is one in which there is stability for both social and physical systems, achieved through meeting the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generation
Cont…. Themes sustainable development (2004)
Sustainable development is the achievement of continued economic development without detriment to environmental and natural resources
Cont…. MOST (1999)
The goal of sustainable transportation is to ensure that environment, social and economic considerations are factored into decisions affecting transportation activity
Cont…. Transportation and Research Board (1997)
Sustainability is not about threat analysis, sustainability is about system analysis, specially it is about how environmental, economic and social systems interact to their mutual advantage or disadvantage at various spaced-based scales of operation
Range of issues covered (Sustainability) Main issue of sustainable transportation (World Bank,
1996) Economic and Financial
(cost effectiveness of the system) Environmental
(pollution, land use, energy consumption, wild life) Social
(safe and adequate service to all segment of society)
Changing Urban Pattern Changing urban pattern provides important lesson
e.g. India Cities in India grew around urban core(1980) in
successive layers of high density concentric rings Leapfrogging pattern (1990) due to all weather roads
and single family dwelling unit[Leap frog: Game in which players vault (arched roof) with parted legs over others bending down]
Cont…. Result of leapfrogging phenomenon
Urban sprawls uncoordinated ribbon developments along major highway corridors deep into rural agricultural areas.
Automobile oriented metropolitan expansion:Attractive way of life who wanted space and less crowded environment
Cont…. Large infrastructure cost High commuting time and cost Congestion High dependency on automobiles Air pollution and other environmental problems If not addressed properly can threaten the economic
productivity, environmental sustainability and social well being of nation.
World wide Motorization and urbanization Trends Motorization and urbanization-A world wide
phenomenon
Urban population –Increasing much faster rate than total population
Growth in automobile-Soaring compared to automobile fleet growth
Developing Countries
Vehicle growth Increasing at a higher rate than the gross national product (GNP)Increasing at a much higher pace than the annual growth in GNP per capita
Explosion of urban population growthCreating an increasing number of mega cities (>10 million inhabitants)
Cont…
Lagos (Nigeria) and Dhaka (Bangladesh)Urban population expected to increase by 50% by 2010Ranked 3rd and 6 th most populated cities in worldNow half of the population is urbanBy 2030 60% world population will be living in cities (UNCHS 2001)
Cont….
Motorization goes hand in hand with urbanization
Rapid motorization and urbanization many environmental risks
Can seriously jeopardize the sustainability of cities
Cont….
Risk and problems much greater in developing countries
Overwhelming scale and speed of urbanization compared to available resources
Automobile Dependency and Urban Transit Automobile dependency increasing at a rapid
pace in developing countries
In 1980 in India automobile transformed from a recreational vehicle into most popular mode of transportation
Middle class welcomed enthusiastically Maruti 800 and other affordable models
Cont….
Urban dwellers were dissatisfied with the public transport system
Reason- Unresponsive and obsolete
In 1990’s automobile became the mode of transportation
Cont….
Public transport relegated to secondary means conveyance left for people who do not have the access to automobiles
Lack of rapid transit option in many cities
Transit fleet consists of buses often stuck in traffic
Cont….
To improve travel speed public opted for motorized vehicles if they can afford
In Seoul automobile ownership increased 33 fold in 30 years
In 21st centuries cities in India is seeing:Rapid urban population growth
Cont….
Rising personal income
A general willingness of the public to have travel choices
Decrease in transit level of service
Urban Sprawl (Spread out in straggling fashion)
Cont….
Some deliberate measures to curb the growth of automobiles through pricing and other measures (Taken by some countries)
Singapore best example for this effort
Cont….
Ownership and use of automobile in Singapore continue to grow despite centralized planning and strong government control
Attraction of private vehicles over public transportation is overwhelming
Level of urban transit service needs dramatic improvement to attract travelers
Sustainable Transportation Indicators
Evaluation of Sustainability : By a set of measurable indicators
Selection of indicators influences result analysis
Important to avoid confusing goals and objectives
Cont….
Goals: What society ultimately wants
Objective : Things that help in achieving goals but are not end in themselves
Decision makers: Focuses on easy to measure impacts and objectives while overlooking more difficult to measure impacts and goals
Cont….
Conventional Transport Indicators
Simple Sustainability Indicators
Comprehensive Sustainability Transportation Indicators
Conventional Transport Indicators
Roadway level of service: A higher rating is considered better
Average traffic speed: Assumes higher is better
Parking convenience and price: Increased convenience and lower price is better
Crash rates per vehicle mile: lower the better
Simple sustainability Indicators
Transportation fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emission: Less is better
Vehicle pollution emission: Less is better Per capita motor vehicle mileage: Less is
better Mode split: Higher transit rider ship is better
Cont….
Traffic crash injury and deaths: Less is better Transport land consumption: Less is better Roadway aesthetic condition
(People are more inclined to care for environments that they consider beautiful and meaningful)
Comprehensive Sustainability Transportation Indicators
Economic
Social
Environment
Economic Accessibility-commuting:-Av. Commute travel
time :Less is better Accessibility-land use mix : within 30 minute
travel distance of residents: More is better Accessibility-smart growth: More is better Transport diversity: Mode split: portion of
travel made by walking, cycling, rideshare, public transit and telework: More better
Cont….
Affordability: Portion of household expenditures devoted to transport by 20% lowest-income households :Less is better
Facility costs: Per capita expenditures on roads, traffic services and parking facilities(Less better)
Freight efficiency: Speed and affordability of freight and commercial transport (More better)
Cont….
Planning: Degree to which transport institutions reflect least cost planning (More is better)
Social Safety Health and fitness Community livability Equity-fairness Equity-non-drivers Equity-disabilities Non-motorized transport planning Citizen involvement
Environment
Climate change emissions Other air pollution Noise pollution Water pollution Land use impacts Habitat protection Resource efficiency
Implications of Sustainable Transportation
Transportation decision making Automobile dependency Transportation equity Community livability Land use
Transportation Decision Making
Decisions that more accurately reflect community values by giving people more opportunities to affect decisions
Decisions that contribute to more equitable transportation decisions by giving disadvantaged groups more involvement in decisions that affect them.
Decisions to create more public support for policies that require behaviour changes or sacrifice in a community
Automobile Dependency
Dedicated funding for highway facilities that encourages roadway construction
Generous parking and road capacity standards
Zoning laws and development practices that favour automobile-oriented land use patterns
Cont….
Unpriced roads and parking
Inexpensive automobile use since most vehicles costs are fixed
A lack of travel alternatives, including poor transit service and road conditions that are unfavourable for walking and cycling
Transportation Equity
• Horizontal equity implies that externalities of transportation should be reduced except where they are specifically justified.
• This includes reducing pollution emissions and accident risk from motor vehicle use, or compensating those who bear such external costs.
Cont….
Horizontal equity also implies that user’s should get what they pay for and pay for what they get.
That could involve more road and parking fees, more accurate insurance pricing and other pricing reforms
Cont….
• Vertical equity implies that access options should improve for people who are economically, socially and physically disadvantaged.
• This can include improved transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking conditions and discounted prices for disadvantaged people.
Community Livability Local environmental quality
Quality of community interactions
Community cohesion
Ability of community to satisfy the basic needs of residents
Land Use
low density development, Hierarchical street pattern, Generous road and parking supply Automobile oriented site design tends to
increase automobile dependency leading to high levels of per capita motor vehicle mileage
Reduction in the quality of travel alternatives (transit, walking and cycling).
Cont….
Higher density land use patterns that accommodate alternative modes
Cities with higher density neighborhoods developed around passenger rail transit systems are most sustainable model for urban areas.
Can Transit Ensure Sustainability?
Increased transit use is associated with overall sustainability.
Key to increased transit use and transportation sustainability is urban population density (Activity density - population and jobs).
Cont….
Increased density is associated with: Less ownership and use of automobiles Less road and parking facilities High transit use. To induce higher walking and other
nonmotorized trips (Contributing to sustainability)
Cont….
Issue is then how can we arrest the progression of low urban sprawl?
General response to congestion is to invest in highways.
investment policies should be redirected from highways to mass transit.
Transit oriented developments (TOD),
Key to reversing the current trend of bondless sprawl and dying cities
urban growth would be accommodated : Development of compact, pedestrian-scale communities centered on transit stations Linked with one another by a regional transit system
Transit systems could become the critical elements in metropolitan planning and design.
Traffic and the demand for travel can be controlled by deliberate guiding land use.
Cont…. Transit’s viability depends on urban density
Essential to pursue a combination of efforts to achieve sustainable transportation system.
Mere improving the level of services only will not make much difference unless these initiatives are supported by other factors:
6. Policies which encourages mixed land uses and higher population densities
7. That internalizes the societal costs of private modes of transportation and urban sprawl
Role of Technology Innovation
Emerging information and communication technologies can play an important role in improving transit levels of service
Debatable whether the expected benefit in terms of increased ridership would be justified for the cost of implementing these technologies
Cont….
Particularly relevant for the cities in most developing countries where cost becomes the determining factor in implementation of these technologies.
Innovative and cost effective approach shall be encouraged to make transit more attractive.
Rapid bus transit (busways) of Curitiba (Brazil) is one such example.
Thank you