Indepth: Transport

Car Control

Date: 03/09/2010

Cities all over the world are trying to ease congestion on roads and check car population to free their road space. In this special report Down To Earth finds out where India is headed and what lessons can the country learn from them.

Related

Report: Traffic congestion pricing methods and technologies
In-Court: Delhi High court on congestion
Report: Congestion in Delhi - EPCA
Report: Electronic road pricing: Singapore
Report: Fiscal policies for reducing congestion
Feature: Carriage of convenience
Opinion: Before cars take over

Latest News from Down To Earth

Delhi's wake up call

One hundred and forty days before Delhi hosts the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, on May 15, called a meeting to discuss ways to control air pollution in the city.

New auto emission norms delayed

Pressure from the automobile industry is delaying implementation of tighter vehicular emission norms in cities across India. Though four-wheelers in 11 cities, including the four metros, switched from Bharat Stage (BS) III emission norms to BS IV on April 1, other cities supposed to make the switch from BS II to BS III norms have to wait.

Government Policies and Action Plans

Policy paper for pedestrian movement in the Bangalore metropolitan region

01 Dec 2008

This policy paper is devised with intent of creating a framework for regulating and co-coordinating programs as well as actions by various stakeholders such that there is increased comfort, convenience and safety to the pedestrians and their movement.

Policy paper for parking in the Bangalore metropolitan region

01 Oct 2008

The parking issues of Bangalore are intricately related to the city structure, infrastructure, traffic and management. The one way system proposed for speedy movement within the city and streamlining the traffic had facilitated clear carriageways with removal of parking from the roads.

Urban Mobility

City action: citizen’s report on air quality and urban mobility, Kanpur

Read this in-depth citizen’s report on the city of Kanpur released by CSE as part of its ongoing initiative to build city action on clean air and mobility. It captures air quality & mobility challenges in the city and details agenda for a livable city.

Source: Centre for Science and Environment

Tags: Air Quality Monitoring, Health Effects, Kanpur (T), Mobility Planning, Public Transport, Urban Air Quality, Urban Transport, Uttar Pradesh, Vehicular Pollution, Air Pollution, India, Transport
The city and the metro

This report on the recent national level round-table on metro rail systems in Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and Pune organised by Parisar presents the experiences by experts on metro rail systems in these cities and also their concerns & ways of moving forward.

Source: Parisar

Tags: Bangalore (T), Delhi, Hyderabad (T), Kochi, Metro, Mumbai, Pune (T), Urban Transport, India, Transport

Alternative Fuels

CNG bus emissions roadmap: from Euro III to Euro VI

This report focuses on heavy-duty natural gas engine technologies that can achieve Euro III, IV, V and VI emission compliance levels. It is based on a comprehensive review of technical literature regarding emission performance & technologies was performed for compressed natural gas engines of model year 2000 and newer.

Source: International Council on Clean Transportation

Tags: Advanced Vehicle Technology, CNG Buses, Diesel, Euro III, Euro IV, Euro V, Euro VI, Global, CNG, India, Transport
Euro IV norms in 13 cities, but rest of India left in the lurch

As BS IV norms for fuels and vehicles come into force from April 1, 2010 in 13 cities, the automobile industry is trying to delay implementation of BS III norms for vehicles in the rest of India. This is not acceptable, says CSE.

Source: Centre for Science and Environment

Tags: Auto Industry, CSE, Diesel, Euro IV, Fuel Quality, Petrol, Vehicles, Vehicular Pollution, Vehicular Standards, Air Pollution, India, Transport, Industry

Should hybrid vehicles be subsidized?

Source: Resources for the Future

Tags: Battery Vehicles, Fuel Efficiency, Green House Gases, Hybrid Electric, Subsidies, United States Of America (US), Vehicles, Transport
Sustainable energy security: strategic risks and opportunities for business

Source: Chatham House

Tags: Energy, Asia, Climate Change, Electricity, Energy Efficiency, Fossil Fuels, Fuel Cell, Low Carbon Economy, Oil, Renewable Energy, Uranium, India, Transport
Electric vehicles: charged with potential

Source: Royal Academy of Engineering

Tags: Battery Vehicles, Carbon Dioxide, Cars, Climate Change, Electric, Emission Targets, Hybrid Electric, Road Transport, United Kingdom (UK), Vehicles, Transport
Light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards and corporate average fuel economy standards: final rule

Source: Environmental Protection Agency

Tags: Alternative Fuels, Carbon Dioxide, Cars, Fuel Cell Vehicles, Fuel Economy Standards, Green House Gases, Hybrid Electric, Light Duty Vehicle, Public Transport, Transport
Biofuels for transport: roadmap

Source: International Energy Agency

Tags: Biodiesel, Biofuel, Biomass, Carbon Dioxide, Ethanol, Global, Green House Gases, India, Transport

Impact

Walkability in Asian cities: state and issues

This presentation by CAI-Asia Center highlights survey results of the current pedestrian infrastructure and policies in selected cities. These will be used to develop and propose pedestrian focused solutions for Asian cities.

Source: Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center

Tags: Asia, Pedestrians, Urban Transport, Walking, India, Transport

Searching high and low: study of Pune’s pedestrian crossing facilities

Source: Parisar

Tags: Non Motorised Vehicles, Pedestrians, Public Transport, Pune (T), Walking, India, Transport
Critical analysis of the Jangli Maharaj road and Fergusson College road one way scheme

Source: Parisar

Tags: Buses, Cycles, Parking Policy, Pedestrians, Public Transport, Pune (T), Urban Transport, Vehicles, India, Transport
Delhi High court order on congestion

Source: High Court of Delhi

Tags: Congestion, Cycles, Delhi, High Court, Non Motorised Vehicles, Pedestrians, Rickshaws, Transport
Bicycling and walking in the United States: 2010 benchmarking report

Source: Alliance for Biking & Walking

Tags: Cars, Cycles, Parking Pricing, Pedestrians, United States Of America (US), Urban Transport, Walking, Health, Transport
Pedestrian design guidelines

Source: Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre

Tags: Cycles, Delhi, Highways, Non Motorised Vehicles, Pedestrians, Public Transport, Roads, Urban Transport, Walking, India, Transport

Green power for electric cars: development of policy recommendations to harvest the potential of electric vehicles

The objective of this study is to establish regulatory options for the EU to ensure that climate policies in road transport result in a push for electricity from renewable sources rather than coal and nuclear or unsustainable biofuels.

Source: CE Delft

Tags: Battery Vehicles, Biofuel, Cars, Electric, European Union (EU), France, Germany, Green House Gases, Hybrid Electric, Road Transport, United Kingdom (UK), Vehicles, Transport

The globalization of traffic congestion

Source: IBM

Tags: Congestion, Congestion Pricing, Global, Public Transport, Urban Transport, India, Transport
Reducing emissions through sustainable transport (REST)

Source: Bridging the Gap

Tags: Carbon Dioxide, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Climate Mitigation, Developing Countries, Green House Gases, Urban Transport, Transport
Reducing transport greenhouse gas emissions: trends and data 2010

Source: International Transport Forum

Tags: Carbon Dioxide, Climate Change, Copenhagen Accord, Emission Targets, Fossil Fuels, Global, Green House Gases, Roads, Shipping, UNFCCC, India, Transport
Sustainable transport initiative operational plan

Source: Asian Development Bank

Tags: Asia, Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Urban Transport, India, Transport
A European strategy on clean and energy efficient vehicles

Source: European Commission

Tags: Alternative Fuels, Carbon Dioxide, Electric, Energy Efficiency, Europe, European Union (EU), Fuel Cell / Hydrogen, Vehicles, Transport

Books

Mobility crisis: agenda for action 2010

We have more roads and flyovers than ever before to address our transportation worries. But, unfortunately, roads in cities like Delhi are chock-a-block with bumper-to-bumper traffic, due to the huge ratio of cars as compared to buses. It is time to set new terms of action. Make the city more walkable. This book discusses in detail ways and means of dealing with pollution and congestion.
The leapfrog factor: clearing the air in Asian cities

Captures 10 years of action, impacts and learning to address the complex air pollution challenge in Asia. This book is a survival guide for Asian cities trying to steer their way out of the pollution haze.