An introduction to the idea of people-friendly cities with a focus on non-motorized transport

1. Sustainable Transport
Vision for a “people-friendly” city

2. • Severe congestion
• Conflict between
multiple modes
• Average speeds < 10
km/hr in most areas
Cities Today: Mobility Crisis

3. • 4.2 million premature
deaths every year due to
the adverse effects of the
air we breathe: WHO 2016
Cities Today: Health Crisis

4. • 1000 accidents, 200+
deaths
• Most victims are
pedestrians, cyclists, 2-
wheeler riders
Cities Today: Safety Crisis

5. About 1.25 million people die
each year on the world's roads
and between 20 and 50 million
sustain non-fatal injuries. Road
traffic injuries are the leading
cause of death among young
people, aged 15 - 29.

6. • Ever-decreasing open-
spaces, gardens …
• Cycle, walk at your own
risk!!
• Decreasing green cover
Cities Today: Quality of life Crisis

9. Walk,
tram,
horses
Cycles
and
Cars!
Cars

10. The ‘obvious’ line of thought
• Growing city  rise in vehicle
numbers inevitable
• City must provide for increased
vehicle use through
– Increasing road space
– Making parking spaces
available
– Ensuring adequate fuel supply
– …

11. But …
Pune’s growth
since 1960
Population
Increased 4
times
Road surface
Increased >5 times
Motorized Vehicles
Increased >100 times
Use of public
transport
Decreased by
60%
Fact: Mumbai has 5 times
the population of Pune …
but Pune has more vehicles
than Mumbai!!

12. But …
Increased Infrastructure
Increased
Vehicle Use
Roads [more, wider],
flyovers, parking
Vicious Circle
Latent demand
“Trying to solve
traffic jams by
building more
roads is like
trying to put out
a fire with
gasoline”
Enriqué
Peñalosa

13. Evidence
U.S – Commute
time increased
20% in last 20
years
Dubai
Los Angeles

14. Evidence
New lane filled up
in 5 years.
Bangkok
Houston

15. • For all its flexibility, the car is
not the best possible way to
get to or move around in very
busy places.” --Henry Ford
• Our national flower is the
concrete cloverleaf. - Lewis
Mumford

16. “Corn Cob”
buildings
- Chicago

18. The city becoming a parking lot

19. Conclusion
We cannot build
our way out of
Congestion!

20. Looking at Traffic & Transportation
anew
Related to every
aspect of Urban
life
It’s not about fixing
traffic problems,
it’s about fixing the
city

21. The “mantra”
. . .
design a city
for people
not for
vehicles.

23. Urban Transport Policy
Restrictions on
Personal Motorized
Vehicles
Improvement of PT
and NMT

24. Walking & Cycling
• Conducive geography
and weather in most
cities
• Cheap, healthy,
universal
• Can cover large parts of
the city
• A recognized major
mode of transport in
Europe!
ST&T policy
Parking Policy
Improve PMPML
TDM
Other
Mass Transit
Pedestrian/Cyclists
Bus Rapid
Transit

25. TDM and parking
• Parking Policy –aimed
at curbing use of
vehicles
• ERP/Congestion
Charging
• Car-free/restricted
zones
ST&T policy
Parking Policy
Improve PMPML
TDM
Other
Mass Transit
Pedestrian/Cyclists
Bus Rapid
Transit
Car-free area, Dusseldorf,
Germany

28. Action agenda: U-turn in thinking
car-friendly people-friendly
Bogota, Colombia

31. Action agenda: U-turn in thinking
car-friendly people-friendly
Seoul, South Korea

32. Situation
Today
• How to deal with trees/utilities on
footpaths
• Footpath continuity (curb cuts)
• Universal accessibility
• Location of streetlights, signages,
traffic signals etc
• Location of street vendors
• Bus stops
• Crossings (locations, zebra,
pedestrian refuge)
• Auto-rikshaw stands
• Bus stop (design and location)
• Traffic calming designs

33. Comparison with “designed” Streets
• High quality bus stops –
Pedestrians have plenty of space
• Poor quality bus stops – block
pedestrian path

34. • Hoarding block pedestrians
• Hoardings do not block
pedestrians

35. • Signages – out of pedestrian
pathway
• Signages – pedestrians forced
to duck

36. • Electric boxes – block entire
footpath
• Electric boxes (and other utilities)
in Multi-Utility Zone (MUZ)

37. • Garbage bins on the side • Dumper on the footpath

38. • Trees – providing shade • Trees – block footpath –
footpath too narrow!

39. • Greenery - trimmed • Greenery – out of control

40. • Pedestrian crossings – difficult, no
pedestrian signals, no refuge
• Pedestrian crossing – easy,
simple, no conflict with traffic

41. • Pedestrians have plenty of
space
• Pedestrian squeezed

42. • Pedestrians on the road –
accidents likely
• No pedestrians on the motor
carriageway

43. • Pleasant walking environment
– patterned walkways • Footpaths in disrepair

44. Pedestrian
Subways
and FOBs
Not preferred by pedestrians
Expensive
Requires huge amount of space
Tendency to become dirty and
abandoned
Can be unsafe for women esp. at night
Legally must be diabled compliant –
ramp/lift
NOT A GOOD OPTION

45. Pedestrian Subways and FOBs

46. Pedestrian Subways and FOBs

47. Pedestrian Subways
and FOBs

48. Design Should Solve These Issues

49. National Urban Transport Policy
Equitable allocation
of road space -
focus on people
rather than vehicles
Non-Motorized
Transport is
environmentally
friendly and must
be given their due
share
Have to address
safety concerns of
pedestrians and
cyclists
Features such as
safe bicycle parking,
shade, landscaping,
drinking & resting
stations needed

50. Legal
Mandate
• Article 21 – “Right to Life”
– Bombay High Court in PIL 71 of 2013
– The existence of roads in a
reasonable condition is included in
the right to life conferred on a citizen
under Article 21 of the Constitution
of India.
– Footpaths are part of the streets and
therefore, the same are also required
to be maintained and improved by
the Municipal Corporations.

51. Legal
Mandate
• Rights of Persons with
Disabilities Act, 2016
– Harmonised
Guidelines mandatory

52. Legal
Mandate
• Motor Vehicles Act
– IRC Guidelines made
mandatory
– Motor Vehicles Driving
Regulations 2017

53. Designed
Street

54. Street Design Guidelines – Worldwide

55. Street Design Guidelines – India
UTTIPEC,
Delhi
Bangalore
USDG,
Pune

56. Street Design Guidelines set broader policy and give clear instructions for how
to plan and implement various street elements in various situations.

58. Street Design Guidelines -
Overview
• Road Geometries
defined based on RoW
• Concept of MUZ
• Street elements
(mandatory +
recommended)
3 Major
Components

59. Road
Geometries

60. Multi-Functional Zone

61. Street Design Elements

62. Street Design Elements

63. Foothpaths
• Essential Elements
• Have to be wide
• Remove “conflicts” not “encroachments”
• Hawkers --> Hawker zones
• Trees/Greenery
• Public spaces to sit, water fountains
• Utilities
• Garbage
• Toilets
• Surface quality, cleanliness, lighting,
continuity

64. Thank You
Ranjit Gadgil – Program
Director, Parisar
ranjit@parisar.org
www.parisar.org
88050 27186