Transport improvements to address women’s safety in Ranchi

23rd March 2016 by admin

Like most Indian cities, Ranchi, the fast-urbanising capital of Jharkhand, is struggling to provide efficient transport solutions to its urban population. Despite a high share of non-motorised transport modes, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure are non-existent. Lack of formal public transport systems mean that much of the population is dependant on shared auto rickshaws for commuting in the city. While these problems affect all sections of society, lack of safe mobility options acutely affect women, often forcing them to rush home before dark, severely affecting their access to education, jobs and opportunities.

Comparing modal shares for women with overall population in Ranchi reveals that commuting needs of women are significantly different from men.

A transport assessment led by ITDP last year, threw up some worrying facts. Almost 90 percent of women in Ranchi depend on walking or use semi-formal shared auto rickshaws to go to college or work. Even though almost all women surveyed said they felt unsafe in the share autos, only 1 percent said that they would consider switching to cycling. This is hardly surprising, considering 46 percent of women cyclists mentioned being teased on the roads and 59 percent were afraid of cycling down lonely roads. While this is not just a transportation issue, lack of reliable and affordable public transport, coupled with poor quality of streets and public spaces, only increase their exposure to these dangers.

ITDP presented these findings at a two-day workshop, ‘Building a strategic framework for women’s safety in Jharkhand’, organised in Ranchi on 17th and 18th February. The workshop, hosted by women’s rights organisation Jagori and supported by the Oak Foundation, brought together multiple civil society organisations from various sectors to discuss gender issues in Jharkhand.

Panelists from various organisations came together to discuss the issue of addressing women’s safety in Jharkhand.

The role of better public transport infrastructure in improving women’s safety was also reflected in the findings from women’s safety audits presented by Jagori. The audit, conducted as part of research on Women’s Safety in Public Spaces in Jharkhand, used a mobile app Safetipin to evaluate perception of safety in public spaces in two cities – Jharkhand and Hazaribagh. Using various parameters like lighting, openness, availability of transport and people density, the audit evaluated areas frequented by women and children such as bus stops, parks and marketplaces. Findings from the audit highlighted the need for well-lit streets and well-designed public spaces that provide ‘eyes on the street’. In addition, the audit also recommended the need to increase availability of public transport so as to provide comfortable and reliable services that can be used at all times of the day.

Creation of well-designed and well-lit public spaces around Ranchi’s extensive network of canals and waterways can offer transport solutions that also improve quality of life for all.

Both these studies indicate that good urban planning practices that provide better public transport facilities, improved street design with better lighting, creation of safe cycling environments can go a long way in furthering women’s access to public space. Improving public transport systems in Ranchi and creating better walking and cycling infrastructure, will not only provide affordable and sustainable transport options for all, but will also play a crucial role in empowering women by improving their access to opportunities.

Women now are claiming their right to urban spaces, to study work and lead a life free from any form of fear and sexual harassment, said Sunitha Dhar from Jagori. A collaborative effort from different organisations and stakeholders would be required to achieve this. “A core team including women’s groups should be set up to lead the process. Tribal dominated areas should also be integrated in the intervention plans,” said Reshma from AALI, a participant at the workshop.

Click here to download ITDP’s presentation on Transforming Ranchi. Complete findings from the transport assessment of Ranchi can be found in the report, Mobility for All.

Coimbatore delegation visits Chennai: Understands best practices in street design

7th March 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

As Coimbatore looks at developing 13 km of streets as ‘Model Roads’ in the city featuring high quality pedestrian environment, a team comprising officials from the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation along with empanelled architects visited Chennai for a detailed knowledge-sharing session with their peers from the Greater Chennai Corporation on 23 February.

The team, comprising of four engineers and ten architects from Coimbatore, visited various streets developed in Chennai as part of the ongoing Chennai Street Design project. ITDP facilitated the site visits and discussions with support from the Greater Chennai Corporation and local partner, Chennai City Connect Foundation.

City officials from Chennai explained various site-specific details to the visiting engineers and architects.

Over the course of the day-long program, participants visited various streets in the city and noted key design features, such as continuous footpaths at property entrances, location of bus stops, and pedestrian crossings, all of which contribute to a safe walking environment. City engineers from Chennai showcased various construction details and stressed the need for contextual design solutions that accommodate existing utilities and landscape elements. Key implementation barriers like managing parking and street vending were also discussed.

These site visits were followed by a presentation by ITDP on best practices in street design. Mr. L. Nandakumar, Superintending Engineer (Roads, Works & Bridges), Greater Chennai Corporation, outlined the various processes adopted in Chennai to build public support for better streets. In addition, he also detailed out the construction and implementation challenges faced in Chennai and how these were resolved. Subsequent discussions saw active participation from the visiting delegation, who provided positive feedback on this program.

Learnings from these site visits and discussions will directly contribute to the street design processes underway in Coimbatore, where important streets like DB Road, TV Swamy Street, NSR Road, Sanganoor Road, Race Course Road and Masakalipalayam Road are to be redeveloped at an estimated cost Rs. 26 crore.

DB Road in Coimbatore (left) is proposed to be redeveloped into a pedestrian-friendly street with wide, continuous footpaths (right).

Pune, Coimbatore and Chennai Selected as India’s ‘Smart Cities’

16th February 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Pune, Coimbatore and Chennai have been making huge progress creating sustainable cities. Each has made great strides in recent years, laying the groundwork for even bigger changes to come. Thanks to their demonstrated commitment to act, in addition to well-developed plans for next steps, all three have been selected for the first round of India’s national Smart Cities Mission.

Right now, experts predict that about 25-30 people are migrating every minute to major Indian cities from rural areas in search of better livelihood and better lifestyles. It is estimated that by 2050, Indian cities will house nearly 843 million people. This massive increase in population will put incredible pressure on India’s cities, requiring new infrastructure for transportation, energy, and safety. To address these imminent issues, the Government of India has allocated Rs 48,000 crore to create the Smart Cities Mission, a programme dedicated to helping cities invest in sustainable infrastructure and growth.

As part of the Smart Cities Mission, these three selected cities (see the full list here) have each proposed to invest over 600 Crore rupees in sustainable transport projects. By pegging this money to tangible, area-based improvements, these cities have a clear plan to transform over the next 5 years, bringing widespread socio-economic benefits to a large section of society. ITDP is proud to have partnered with Pune, Coimbatore, and Chennai to chart out their sustainable paths for the future.

ITDP has been working with these cities in different roles, providing technical support to projects, capacity building for officials, and creating community engagement at various levels. In the twin cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, ITDP helped implement the Rainbow BRT, incorporating best practices in BRT planning and design. ITDP has been instrumental in helping Chennai adopt a Non-Motorized Transport Policy and overseeing its implementation through street design and engaging with citizens through initiatives like car-free Sundays. In Coimbatore, the Namma Kovai Namakke (Our Coimbatore Ourselves) campaign, initiated by ITDP, sparked citizen demand for better pedestrian facilities, all of which formed the groundwork for the Smart City proposals developed by these cities.

In the next 5 years, Pune aims to increase the mode share of public transport from 18 percent to 50 percent by augmenting its bus fleet and improving bus services using Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS). The city also aims to expand its high quality BRT network by 30 km and improve access to transit by creating 75 km network of footpaths and cycle tracks.

To facilitate easy interchange between Rainbow BRT and other buses, a transit hub is proposed at Anudh Baner Balewadi, Pune, along the lines of the Kiwale terminal pictured above.

In keeping with its NMT policy, Chennai aims to develop ‘Complete Streets’ and build footpaths to cover 80% of its major roads. A city-wide cycle sharing system with 3000 cycles and an IT-based parking management system are also expected to give a major thrust to walking and cycling while restricting private vehicle use.

Better NMT facilities are proposed in T. Nagar, a commercial and retail hub of Chennai.

Non-motorised transport is a key focus for Coimbatore as well, where the city aims to create NMT infrastructure along 75 percent of its primary and secondary road networks before 2020. A 30 km network of greenways connecting major lakes in the city is expected to improve quality of open space for its residents. The city also aims to increase mode share of public transport from 42 percent to 60 percent by modernising and expanding public bus services.

Congratulations to these cities, and all the selected Smart Cities, for the exciting work preparing India’s cities for a more sustainable, brighter future.

Pune’s Budget Leaps Toward Sustainability

4th February 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Pune, a city of 3.5 million in western India, has been facing increasingly acute traffic congestion for the last several years. Growing population, wider sprawl and increasing income levels have poured two-wheelers and cars on Pune’s streets at a rate the city was not prepared for. Always finding itself in a reactive mode, the city tried to combat congestion with wider roads and flyovers, only to discover that the cars kept coming and the problems got worse. Despite Pune’s long history of loving the bicycle, investments that made using a car or a two wheeler easier always seemed to take precedence.

Then, in the 2016-17 budget, something happened. The city of Pune recently announced they plan to spend 50% of the transportation budget on BRT, footpaths and cycle tracks next year. This is a major leap for the city, and an example for Indian cities on how to prioritize sustainable transport of all kinds.

In earlier years, the city did spend some money improving bus stops, buying buses and building footpaths, but these projects were generally considered extra benefits for residents, rather than integral parts of the transportation infrastructure. While 20-25% went to improving footpaths and the bus service, the municipal budgets allocated a major portion of their transportation budget to benefit personal motor vehicles, and hardly anything was spent on bicycling facilities. In plans for next year’s budget, however, that number has doubled, thanks to the rising understanding and role of sustainable transportation in Pune.

In 2015, Pune got its first BRT corridor, “Rainbow”. The 8 km corridor is part of a planned 102 km network that is under construction. The system had been planned for quite a while, until the Pune Commissioner Mr Kumar recognized its benefits and decided to give it the push it needed to finish construction. Today, 12% of Rainbow’s riders have switched from other modes to the bus. It is easy to see that extending the network will boost the modal shift further. This recognition of sustainable transport’s benefits has sparked a new era of focus on BRT, cycling and walking for Pune, and the budget is the next step.

This recognition of sustainable transport’s benefits has sparked a new era of focus on BRT, cycling and walking for Pune, and the budget is the next step.

For 2016-17, Mr. Kumar realized that promoting public transport, walking and cycling is the best way to improve transportation in Pune. After many discussions with ITDP, his proposed budget allocates more resources to these modes than ever. The budget includes funds for a further 30 km of Rainbow BRT. Cycle tracks and modern footpaths are planned along the upcoming 14 km Nagar Road BRT corridor, which will make it the longest corridor in the country to support BRT with good pedestrian and cycling facilities. Mr. Kumar has allocated funds for another 70 km footpaths in other parts of Pune as well.

The funding will support the city’s impressive new plans and policies. Pune is working on a new pedestrian policy, a parking policy that aims to charge for parking spaces and use the revenue for facilities for sustainable modes, and a bicycle plan to increase the mode share of cycling in the city. In addition, Mr. Kumar is initiating reforms like establishing an Urban Transport Fund (UTF), funded by revenues from road tax, road trenching fees, and parking fees, and will be used for sustainable transportation projects.

With such a significant leap in the Commissioner’s budget for 2016-17, all are optimistic that Pune will not only be on a strong course for sustainability, but will also provide a role model and inspiration to other cities in the state and the country.

Chennai Celebrates Walking at the Sustainia Award Ceremony

4th February 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

For the past several years, the city of Chennai has been taking bold, rational, and consistent steps towards a sustainable future. New footpaths are making walking more accessible for city residents. The Corporation introduced new capacity building programs for municipal engineers. A new Car Free Sunday initiative is engaging more residents to explore their city on foot. And the progressive non-motorised transport policy adopted by the city, which allocates 60% of transport funding for non-motorized transport, has inspired many national and international cities to adopt similar policies.

For this comprehensive approach to improving sustainable transport, the Corporation of Chennai has been recognized with the 2015 Sustainia Award, presented by the Danish think tank, Sustainia. The Sustainia Awards identify innovative and demonstrated sustainable solutions from across the world. Chennai’s Street Design Project was selected as the best solution of 2015 for transforming Chennai from a car-centric to a people-friendly city and addressing safety concerns and air pollution in one go.

The award was originally presented on December 6^th at the Paris Climate Conference, and was received by ITDP CEO Clayton Lane on behalf of the city. Chennai officials were unable to attend the event, as they were responding to torrential rains that hit Chennai in early December 2015. ITDP has been one of the principal partners on the project. On January 23^rd, the Corporation of Chennai, ITDP, the Chennai City Connect, and numerous partners came together to celebrate the success of the project.

“The city has set a new example in the country by prioritising people over cars with the adoption of the non-motorized transport policy,” said Saidai Duraisamy, the proud Mayor of Chennai, as he received the award from Clayton Lane.

(Left) The Mayor of Chennai receiving the award from Clayton Lane (Right) Clayton Lane receiving the Sustania award on behalf of Chennai at the Paris award ceremony.

These new policies are necessary to combat the decline in walking and cycling in the city in recent years. “The mode share of vehicles and two wheelers have rapidly increased. Although this is a sign of economic development, it is also a matter of concern due to the rising level of pollution and road accidents. We need to work towards becoming a safer, healthier city,” stated Vikram Kapur, former Commissioner of Chennai, during whose term many projects promoting non-motorised transport were initiated.

The heightened risk of air pollution was further stressed by B Chandra Mohan, Commissioner of Chennai, who added that pollution is a problem that can wait no longer. To this end, Clayton Lane emphasized the major impact sustainable transport can have, citing ITDP research showing how “a considerable switch to walking and cycling can reduce these emissions in half.”

The speakers highlighted that the street design process needs to be balanced and include the needs of all stakeholders who are an integral part of the cityscape.

Everyone needs to come together to build a walkable Chennai, and the event brought together people who contributed to the cause in various ways—architects who assisted the city in street design, community agencies, academic institutions, media partners and the traffic police—who were felicitated at the event.

While Chennai has taken the first steps towards developing a people centric city, the next challenge will be addressing the encroachment onto footpaths by parked vehicles, and the stakeholders gathered for the Sustania Award celebration took some time to discuss best practices in parking regulation and management. “Parking is like a magnet that attracts more cars. Providing more parking is not the solution to tackle this problem,” asserted Shreya Gadepalli, Regional Director, ITDP India, as she presented some of the myths associated with on-street and off-street parking along with progressive solutions.

The panel discussion saw active participation from Kavitha Selvaraj, C.R.Narayana Rao architects; Rajesh Gurumurthy from JLL India; Dr. Sumanthran, executive committee member of Chennai City Connect; Vikram Kapur; and Clayton Lane; who all agreed on the importance of enforcing and regulating parking.

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1 parking space occupies the same space as an affordable housing unit. What should we prioritize, parking or people?

Spurred on by the successes of the non-motorized transport movement, progress on new issues looks hopeful. With strong political will and a collaborative effort from different stakeholders and policy makers, Chennai looks all set to walk into a sustainable future.

Presentation on Parking Basics

More pictures of the Sustania event

InFocus: Building climate resilience through transport

15th January 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

ITDP brings you news from around the world about sustainable transport and urban development. The past year was interesting, specially in India. Chennai’s NMT transformation, to Delhi’s odd-even car-restriction scheme, to Burdwan’s car-free days, change was in the air!

The Conference of Parties summit – popularly called COP21- held in Paris last December, saw the nations committing to maintain an increase in the world’s temperature at less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, ‘If we don’t hang together, assuredly, we shall hang separately”.

Transport accounts for a staggering 23 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions. There is NO WAY we can redress the situation without changing the way we travel. A large-scale, planned movement towards non-motorised, and public, transportation seems the only practicable way out. Let us see what Indian cities have been trying out, lately :

[Read more…]

Coimbatore’s car-free Sundays spark demand for better pedestrian facilities

23rd December 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Over the last four months, as more than one lakh citizens have stepped into the streets on car-free Sundays transforming the city’s thoroughfares into vibrant public spaces, Coimbatore residents have started strongly calling for better pedestrian facilities in the city. The dramatic success of Coimbatore’s car-free Sundays has proved that there is demand for pedestrian infrastructure, and has encouraged civic authorities to begin implementing more permanent changes on ground. As a first step, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has begun—redesigning and construction of city’s main roads with wider footpaths. In addition, the city plans to expand the car-free event to other areas such as Race Course Road.

Coimbatore’s car-free Sunday has been a huge success, and is bringing the city national attention. The comprehensive effort by CCMC was recently honored with the Best Project Award, Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) category, by India’s National Ministry of Urban Development. The national award was received by CCMC Commissioner K Vijayakarthikeyan at the Eighth Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo, 2015 held at New Delhi. Of the 40 cities that sent in entries, Coimbatore emerged the winner, recognizing both the success of the program and it’s potential to be replicated in cities across India

For decades, transport planning in India has focused on improving conditions for private vehicles at the expense of safe footpaths and cycling facilities. However, in most Indian cities at least a third of all daily trips are made by foot or cycle. In Coimbatore, rapid urbanisation is placing increasingly high pressure on the existing infrastructure. Until recently, the response to these pressures has been to widen roads and propose more flyovers, while the welfare of pedestrians and cyclists was often overlooked.

Fortunately, the success of car-free Sunday is transforming this paradigm. By creating a new platform for citizens to assert their right over the city’s public spaces, the program is sparking interest in better footpaths and safer streets. The initiative, which brought together other partners including Coimbatore City Police, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, the Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) and the Times of India, helped generate the political backing for a comprehensive programme of pedestrian improvements.

Recently, the Coimbatore Council approved redesigning 13 km of streets in the city with wide and continuous footpaths. Gathering architects for the design of these streets is already in progress, and ITDP India will continue to play a role in the process. The Corporation is also creating a network of greenways along the city’s water bodies. Work is in progress on walkways along Perur Lake, while the edges of Ukkadam-Valan Kulam lake are being cleaned and beautified. Besides the construction of new footpaths, the Corporation has also set a goal of building raised pedestrian crossings outside 80 schools and redesigning two intersections for improved safety by August 2016.

(Left) Existing and (Right) Proposed pedestrian facilities on DB Road, Coimbatore

Car-free Sundays in Coimbatore reclaim only 2km of streets from traffic. However, even this modest beginning has made citizens realise the joy of walking on their streets and empowering them to voice their demand for better pedestrian facilities. With national leaders taking notice and local leaders taking action, Coimbatore’s non motorised future now looks promising. The vision of reclaiming the city for its people—Namma Kovai Namakke—is becoming a reality.

The Paris Agreement: What’s Right and What’s Next

21st December 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

At last displaying unity and resolve equal to the challenge, the Paris Agreement represents a turning point for the world. Alone, the agreement is not enough to prevent climate change’s most devastating consequences, yet it provides the foundation and framework for continued progress for years to come. At COP21 in Paris, both cities and transportation received prominent recognition for the role they can play in reducing emissions, but further integration of transportation is necessary to achieve the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. With the world resolved to take action, responsibility now shifts to those at the local level. Cities must focus on transformative transportation strategies supported by effective financing and strong urban governance to increase our climate ambitions, slash emissions, and build a sustainable, equitable future.

The Paris Agreement marks the first time that nearly the entire world, 195 nations, declared their intention to combat climate change. The Agreement achieved many things. It affirmed the goal of keeping global temperature increases to 2 degrees, and set an aspiration of reaching a 1.5 degree scenario.

On financing, it calls for a continuation of the policy for richer nations to contribute $100 billion annually to a fund supporting sustainable growth in developing nations. Perhaps most importantly, the agreement sets a floor for action, and provides a structure for nations to increase their ambitions every five years by submitting new emissions reductions plans. While not a perfect document, the Paris Agreement sets a strong basis for continued progress.

And yet, the commitments made in Paris are not enough. With negotiations complete, the world is still on track for a 2.7 degree temperature increase – enough to cause devastating draughts, floods, and storms. It is critical that local actors take the lead and continue to push to cut more emissions, sooner.

Fortunately, more and more leaders are recognizing that transportation and sustainable development offer previously untapped opportunities to take action and limit emissions. Already in Paris, a conference of 500 Mayors released the Paris Declaration, promising to look to transportation, waste management, and urban design to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In any plan to achieve a 2 degree or less scenario, transportation will play a critical role.

Our best bet for achieving our climate goals is a focus on ‘avoid’ and ‘shift’ strategies. Until now, much of the focus on transport has centered on “improve” strategies, such as fuel efficiency and electric vehicles. While these strategies yield incremental results, they do not create the transformational change necessary to dramatically improve our climate future. Instead, leaders should encourage development plans that avoid the need to travel distances (e.g. transit-oriented development) and shift trips to low carbon modes (e.g. walking and biking). These strategies have incredible potential for environmental and financial benefits, and have the greatest potential for transformative change.

A shift toward cycling, as part of a comprehensive shift toward sustainable transport, would bring dramatic emissions and financial savings.

In addition, shifting to cycling, walking, and public transport results in many co-benefits beyond the climate impacts. Avoid-shift strategies also lead to safer streets, better air quality, and more vibrant public spaces.

Many of these outcomes are articulated as goals by the international community, including in the Sustainable Development Goals. Transport projects can contribute to progress and metrics for the world’s development and climate goals in tandem. Our challenges are too great to solve one at a time.

To make change happen, the global community must improve behind-the-scenes financing and governance systems. Expanding the options for project financing, such as the Green Climate Fund, will allow more cities to start transformative projects. At the same time, local actors must increase funding levels for transportation and stabilize funding streams to allow long term planning.

In governance, increasing institutional capacity will create more impactful transport solutions. An important piece of this puzzle will be strengthening relationships between the transport sector and the environmental and climate sectors. Improving the systems for implementing solutions will maximize results and open up new opportunities to slash emissions.

Reaching our most ambitious climate goals requires immediate and regular work. The Paris Agreement is not set to take effect until 2020. Meanwhile, it is critical that nations not lose sight of their pre-2020 commitments. By focusing on effective transportation strategies, cities can improve not only the environment, but their quality of life.

From how we see friends, build communities, and get to work, transport impacts all parts of our lives. The Paris Agreement brought the world together. Now, to assure a vibrant future, it’s time to act.

Updates from COP21: National plans integrate transport

11th December 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Throughout the Paris Climate Summit, the transportation sector has been elevated and integrated at unprecedented levels. The sector has received significant attention from both technical and high level actors as a powerful tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and national plans (INDCs) have adopted significant transport measures to support their commitments. Throughout the conference, a series of panels and side-events have highlighted the progress countries are making in integrating transport, and events like the Sustainia Award and Transport Day have further elevated the visibility of transport at COP21.

At the Transport Initiatives Day under the Lima-Paris Action Agenda event, a range of high-ranking officials lent their weight and influence to advancing the role of transport in the global discussion, bringing increased visibility to sustainable mobility. The event featured insights from leaders in the transport sector and presentations of 10 examples of successful recent projects from around the world.

Speakers noted that energy related CO2 emissions (including transport) are set to jump from one quarter of total energy-related emissions today to one-third by 2050. The projections also reveal that a 50% reduction of transport CO2 emissions compared to a “transport-as-usual” scenario can be achieved by 2050 with sustainable transport, without hampering sustainable economic growth. GEF CEO Naoko Ishii estimated that $11 trillion could be saved by 2030 by transport alone, with better systems and more emphasis on urban planning and compact, connected and coordinated cities.

Additional speakers at the event included Ségolène Royal, (French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy), Hanne Bjurstrøm, (Norway Minister, Special Envoy for Climate Change), and Manuel Pulgar-Vidal (Minister of Environment, Peru). Read more about the LPAA event

High level discussions by ministers and officials have been complemented by events highlighting specific plans that use sustainable transport to reduce nation’s emissions. A side-event moderated by ITDP, Linking Ambition to Action: Success Factors for Low Carbon Development Pathways in the Transport Sector, offered a platform to showcase best practices and inspire other countries to adopt similar measures.

Indonesia has pledged to build 29 new corridors of BRT in the coming years, while Ethiopia announced its intention to use transit-oriented development, centered around 3000 new kilometers of light rail, to spur growth while minimizing emissions impacts. These national plans can serve as models to other countries, providing incentives for others to take dramatic action and use similar tools to increase their reduction ambitions.

Transport Day

On Sunday, December 6, the 3^rd Annual Transport Day brought together over 400 participants from a wide spectrum of transport modes and interests to affirm the pivotal role the sector plays in tackling climate change. The premier community building event for the sector, the all-day event included representatives from national and local government, transport sector organizations, development organizations, UN bodies, civil society and academia.

At Transport Day, Ramon Cruz, ITDP’s International Policy Program Manger, participated in a range of discussions, including commenting on innovative financial models supporting sustainable mobility. Bernhard Ensink, (European Cycling Foundation) and Lou Fulton (UC David) presented a new report from ITDP and UC Davis, A High Shift Cycling Scenario, which explores the significant emissions and financial savings possible if the world saw a significant shift away from personal vehicles and toward increased use of cycling, public transit, walking, and other sustainable modes.

Additional speakers at Transport Day emphasized the need for all actors to increase their ambitions, calling on the public sector to enhance capacity, the private sector to bring finance, and civil society to act as a catalyst for action. With the increasing prominence of transport, hopes were high that the sector will continue to play a large role in the global discussion, and that COP21 will prove a pivotal moment when policy ideas are turned into action.

Featured speakers at the event included Michael Replogle (SLoCaT Foundation Chairman and Deputy Transport Commissioner for Policy in New York City), Pat Cox (Former President of the European Parliament), and Jean Dominique Senard (CEO at Michelin).

Rainbow BRT Opens New Section, Wins National Acclaim

7th December 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Just months into operations, the Rainbow BRT in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, India is moving a whopping 67,000 commuters per day and receiving widespread attention. The high ridership is proof of the comfort and convenience of the system, and surveys show that passengers feel safer taking the bus than before. On November 28, 2015, a new 8km, 14 station stretch of Rainbow BRT opened in Pimpri-Chinchwad, broadening access to the network. The dramatic success of Rainbow is part of why the system was recently awarded “Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Mobility” at the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards 2015.

Since the launch of the first Rainbow BRT corridor in Pune on 30th August 2015, thousands of commuters have enjoyed high quality bus rides like never before. For the first time, citizens experienced the ease of use that comes with the system’s closed stations with sliding doors, level boarding, informative displays and transit maps. For passengers, the biggest incentive has been travel time savings. Dedicated bus lanes allow Rainbow buses to travel more quickly, ensuring that commuters reach their destinations 10 to 15 minutes earlier than usual.

For the first time, citizens experienced the ease of use that comes with the system’s closed stations with sliding doors, level boarding, informative displays and transit maps.

Thanks to the BRT’s high degree of reliability and convenience, a commuter shift was natural. Surveys carried out by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) showed that 12 percent of Rainbow users switched from using other modes of transport besides bus, including two wheelers, para-transit, and even cars. Now, instead of taking personal vehicles, which contribute more to congestion and pollution, these commuters take public transit. These benefits speak to the achievement of the system, and validate the challenges it had to overcome to reach operations.

Rainbow BRT serves the neighbouring cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The two cities, with two different municipal governments, installed the BRT infrastructure with different funding sources. The processes, timelines, and aspirations of these two cities were different, and presented many planning challenges that needed to be coordinated to give users a seamless BRT experience.

For example, Pune attempted a pilot BRT system in 2006, and the new system planned to use the designs and practices of the pilot project, where possible. In contrast, Pimpri-Chinchwad was starting on a clean slate, and designing the entire system afresh. The differences in approach led to several design challenges— most notably, the choice of station design. While the Pune BRT pilot had used split stations, with platforms on both sides of the bus lanes, the Pimpri-Chinchwad BRT opted for median-aligned stations, as recommended by the BRT Standard. After many meetings and discussions with officials and media, Pune too was convinced to adopt median stations, a decision that was crucial for the success of Rainbow BRT.

Ms. Pranjali Deshpande, of ITDP India, and Mr. Rajan Patil, City Engineer of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation accept the Volvo “Outstanding Achievement Award” for Rainbow from H.E. Mr. Harald Sandberg, Ambassador of Sweden to India.

The other big challenge in designing the system was ensuring good bus frequency and a reliable schedule. To help this process, ITDP undertook a massive exercise to analyze the pre-BRT ridership of all bus routes in the two cities at multiple different times, and along different sections of each route. Based on the study, ITDP recommended that PMPML, the systems bus operator, curtail, extend and/or merge some routes, resulting in all existing trips being supported with fewer routes and higher frequency. Load factor was improved where it was low and feeder routes were introduced to serve fringe areas. This improved reliability, a key factor in attracting high use of the bus system, and in helping riders reach home sooner.

On November 25, Rainbow received acclaim on the national stage for its success. At the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards, Rainbow was awarded for its ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Mobility’, in recognition of Rainbow’s role in reducing reliance on personal motorized vehicles and offering a true mass rapid transit system that provides high quality, rapid, predictable and reliable, safe and attractive public transport to the masses. Instituted in 2011 by Volvo Buses India, the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards aim to recognize outstanding efforts in the broad area of sustainable mobility.

Just three months after Rainbow opened, a new 8km stretch in Pimpri-Chichwad debuted November 28^th. Since the recently opened corridors form only a fraction of the eventual 147 km network, the success of the system thus far will help ensure speedy implementation of the rest of the network, and more convenience for all.

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