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As well as Enrique Pealosa, the Building a New City: Sustainable
Transport in Bangkok Conference at UNCC on 30-Jan-04 will feature:
H. E. Samak Sundaravej, Governor
of Bangkok. Dario Hidalgo, former (2000-2003)
Deputy General Manager of BogotsTransMilenio SA, the worlds
leading Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, who is assisting with bus
sector reforms and planning for Bangkoks first BRT system.
Michael King, a pedestrian planning expert with experience in
several Asian cities, who will present design proposals developed
with the BMA Traffic and Transport Division for improving
conditions for pedestrians in Khao San Road and in Mo Chit.
Peter Danielsson, Environment Manager, Volvo Bus, who will
compare BRT with conventional bus systems from economic and
environmental perspectives.
The Ministry of Transports Office of Traffic and Transport
Policy and Planning on Bangkoks plan for a 198km BRT system.
The Conference will also feature workshop sessions on
non-motorised transport and BRT designs. The latest program can be
seen at www.sutp.org.
Sustainable Urban Transport Project Asia implementing
partners:
For further information: Karl Fjellstrom, GTZ, SUTP-Asia Project
Coordinator, [email protected]
Worlds Leading Urban Reformer Shares New Way to Build Cities
Former Mayor Enrique Pealosa Brings "Bogot Model" to the UNCC,
Bangkok
Within three years, former Bogot, Colombia Mayor Enrique Pealosa
transformed his city of 7 million people from a seemingly
hopelessly congested, dangerous and repulsive mess into one of the
world's leading models for sustainable urban development. Now, in a
major conference at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok
on 30 January 2004, Dr. Pealosa will share this inspirational story
and describe how Asias leaders can follow "The Bogot Model" for a
livable city.
Traffic congestion, air pollution, inadequate public
transportation, poor access to jobs and services, and declining
city centre livability are increasingly problematic in Bangkok and
Hanoi as well as other large cities in Asia, and local leaders have
expressed interest in replicating Bogot's success.
The people of Bogot spent years hating their city, said Dr.
Pealosa, who is currently a Visiting Scholar at New York University
and is writing a book on a new model of development for Third World
cities. Now, the people of Bogot feel proud and have hope that
their lives will continue to improve. This is the story we are
bringing to cities across the world. Under Dr. Pealosas leadership
from 1998 to 2000, innovative transport strategies such as a
successful Bus Rapid Transit system, bicycle paths and restrictions
on car use were used to help give all citizens access to mobility
and begin to relieve the traffic congestion and air pollution that
was choking Bogot. His administration also built parks, planted
trees and promoted the use of public space.
In Bogot, we chose to build a city for people, not for
automobiles, said Dr. Pealosa. Cities built for cars' mobility
suffer from congestion and unsafe street conditions and leave many
residents with poor access to jobs. Instead of these problems, we
gave our citizens enjoyable public spaces and unprecedented
mobility. Bogot now boasts: A world-class Bus Rapid Transit system
Latin Americas largest bicycle lane network, 250 km The worlds
longest pedestrian-only street, spanning 17km; hundreds of
kilometres of
sidewalks, many through the citys poorest areas; and more than
1,000 new or reconstructed parks The planets biggest Car-Free Day,
on a regular working day twice each year, during which no
private motor vehicles are allowed to enter the entire city of
35,000 hectares.
The visit of Dr. Pealosa to Bangkok was organised by the
Sustainable Urban Transport Project Asia (www.sutp.org), a
partnership between GTZ, UNESCAP, CITYNET, and the BMA. The visits
to Bangkok and Hanoi will help officials build momentum for
existing Bus Rapid Transit system plans, and encourage the
provision of better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. A
198km Bus Rapid
UNITED NATIONS ESCAP
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19-Jan-04 2
Bogots TransMilenio BRT system has overturned traditional ideas
about mass transit systems. Built at a fraction of the cost of a
metro/subway, TransMilenio carries 35,000 passengers per hour per
direction in the peak and more than 800,000 passengers daily, with
a trunk network of 48km. At terminals (above), free transfers to
feeder buses are provided.
Every Sunday, more than 100km of main roads in Bogot are closed
to cars, and opened for cyclists & pedestrians. From 1998 to
2002, cycling increased from 0.5% to 4% of trips in the city.
Transit network for Bangkok was on 24 November 2003 approved by
the Committee for Management of Land Traffic, a committee chaired
by the Prime Minister. Hanoi is now also preparing plans for the
citys first BRT network.
Since the end of his mayoral term in December 2000, Dr. Pealosa
has travelled to Mexico City; Panama City; Lima, Peru; Guangzhou
and Hong Kong in China; Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya in
Indonesia; New Delhi in India; and Capetown, Dakar, Pretoria and
Accra in Africa. Many of these cities are now pursuing Bogot-type
Bus Rapid Transit systems, and facilities to improve conditions for
cyclists and pedestrians.
During his tenure (1998-2001) as the political and
administrative head of a city of 6.5 million inhabitants Enrique
Pealosa: Led a massive effort to improve marginal
neighbourhoods infrastructure promoting high citizen
involvement.
Created a successful Urban Land Reform institution.
Created a highly successful bus-based mass transit system,
called TransMilenio.
Spearheaded major improvements to the city centre including the
recuperation of plazas, creation of a large park in an area
previously totally taken over by crime and drugs; turned one of the
main downtown avenues into a dynamic pedestrian pubic space; and
planted more than 100,000 trees.
Built more than 100 nurseries for children aged under 5 and
assured resources for their operation. Increased child enrolment in
public schools by more than 200,000, a 34% increase in four
years;
did major improvements to more than 150 school buildings and
built 50 new schools. With an innovative scheme, turned 29 poor
neighbourhood new schools administration into some of the best
private schools in the country. He also put in place a network of
14,000 computers in all public schools connected to the Internet
and a network of 3 large new libraries and several smaller
ones.
Led the transformation of the citys attitude from one of
hopelessness to one of pride and hope.
Promoted a city model giving priority to children and public
spaces, restricting private car use; built hundreds of kilometres
of sidewalks; built more than 300km of bicycle paths, pedestrian
streets (one of which more than 17km long and 15m wide, through
some of the poorest neighbourhoods) and greenways along creeks, for
which there were also formidable decontamination efforts; more than
1,200 parks were built or totally reconstructed; a car free day was
promoted and received massive popular support; through a
referendum, people adopted a yearly car free day and decided that
from the year 2015 onwards there would be no cars during rush
hours, from 6 9 am and 4.30 7.30 pm (although this ban has since
successfully been challenged on constitutional grounds).
Bogot is providing a new transportation model which is changing
the face of the city.
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What is Bus Rapid Transit?
It sounds too good to be true. A mega-city can plan and build a
fast and efficient city-wide mass transit system at a cost 10 to
100 times less than current metro rail systems. It can be completed
in two years and it can be operated at affordable fares without
subsidies. While some may stand in disbelief, this is exactly what
has happened in major cities in Latin America with a new technology
called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
As well as in a growing number of cities in Europe, North
America, Australia and South America, BRT systems are currently
operating in Asian cities including Kunming, Taipei, Shijiazhuang,
Jakarta and several Japanese cities. Systems are under construction
in Beijing, in advanced planning in Delhi and Seoul, and in
planning in Bangkok, Chengdu, Chongqing, Huai An, Xian, Taichung,
Tainan, and other cities. (For information, photos and videos of
BRT please contact Karl Fjellstrom.)
*The following is quoted from Bus Systems for the Future, Lew
Fulton, International Energy Agency, Paris, 2002.
Bus Rapid Transit is high-quality, customer-orientated transit
that delivers fast, comfortable and low-cost urban mobility. Lloyd
Wright, ITDP.
Bus Rapid Transit in Bogot, Colombia
BRT systems are much more than simply bus lanes. They have some
or all of the following elements: Dedicated bus corridors with
strong physical separation from other traffic lanes. Modern bus
stations, with pre-board ticketing and comfortable waiting areas.
Multi-door buses that dock with bus stations to allow rapid
boarding and alighting. Large, high capacity, comfortable buses,
preferably low-emission. Differentiated services such as local and
express buses. Bus prioritisation at intersections either as signal
priority or physical avoidance (e.g., underpasses). Co-ordination
with operators of smaller buses and paratransit vehicles to create
new feeder
services to the bus stations. Integrated ticketing that allows
free transfers, if possible across transit companies and modes
(bus,
tram, metro). [Integration with existing metro lines (Blue Line,
BTS) will be an important feature of the Bus Rapid Transit system
in Bangkok.]
Real-time information displays on expected bus arrival times.
Good station access for taxis, pedestrians and cyclists, and
storage facilities for bikes. New regimes for bus licensing,
regulation and compensation of operators. Land-use reform to
encourage higher densities close to BRT stations. Park and ride
lots for stations outside the urban core. Well-designed handicap
access, including ability for wheelchair passengers to quickly
board buses. Excellence in customer service that includes clean,
comfortable and safe facilities, good information
and helpful staff. A sophisticated marketing strategy that
encompasses branding, positioning and advertising and
establishes a unique and positive image for the system.
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Sustainable Urban Transport Project Asia (www.sutp.org)
partners:
Draft Conference Program
BUILDING A NEW CITY: SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN BANGKOK
30th January 2004 Room 1, United Nations Conference Centre
Ratchadamnern Nok Ave, Bangkok
08:00 08:30 Registration
08:30 08:45 Opening Statements
08:45 09:45 Sustainable Transport and City Livability in Bangkok
Samak Sundaravej, Governor of Bangkok
PART I: BUS SECTOR REFORM AND BUS RAPID TRANSIT
09:45 10.00 Video screening: TransMilenio, Bogotas Bus Rapid
Transit system
10:00 10.45 Building a New City: the Experience of Bogot and
Ideas for Bangkok Enrique Pealosa, Visiting Scholar New York
University, former Mayor of Bogot
10:45 11:00 Morning tea break
11:00 11.15 Bus Rapid Transit: Recent Developments in Asia Karl
Fjellstrom, GTZ, Project Coordinator, SUTP-Asia
11.15 11:30 BRT vs. Conventional Bus Systems: Economic and
Environmental Aspects Peter J. Danielsson, International Bus
Systems Expert
11:30 12.15 Bus Rapid Transit in Bogota and its Potential in
Bangkok Dario Hidalgo, Consultant, Formerly Deputy GM, TRANSMILENIO
S.A., Bogot
12:15 13.00 Lunch break
13:00 13.45 Planning for Bangkoks 198km Bus Rapid Transit System
Chalermsak Rabilwong, Director, Transport and Traffic System Devt.
Division, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning,
Ministry of Transport
PART II: IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS IN BANGKOK
13.45 14.15 Pedestrian Improvements in Demonstration Locations
in Bangkok Nathanon Thavisin, Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok
Metropolitan
Administration and Chitchanok Kemavuthanon, Director General of
Department of Traffic and Transportation, Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration
14:15 14:45 Improving Conditions for Pedestrians in Bangkok:
Design Proposals for Two Demonstration Locations Michael King,
Consultant
14:45 - 15:00 Afternoon tea break
PART III: WORKSHOPS / PANEL DISCUSSIONS: (i) Bus Rapid Transit;
(ii) Pedestrian improvements
15:00 16:00 Workshops / Panel Discussions
16:00 16:30 Report of Workshops / Panel Discussions to
Plenary
16:30 Closing of Conference
UNITED NATIONS ESCAP