Transportation systems are the basic movement networks of a region. Its very existence is spatial. It orients a region's physical transformation & processes and aligns varied land use and functions along with it. So, its planning is extremely crucial because of these core functions and the ecological dependencies on them.
Currently, in Mumbai and most of the South, & South East Asian Cities, integrated transportation systems are crucial as the inhabitants' everyday movements are dependent on them. It provides social inclusion, safety and security throughout travel, reaches out to the remotest ends of geography and contributes tremendously toward clean and healthy air quality.
They play an important function, especially in terms of the systemic impact that it has on the city. These impacts necessitated include:
1 Social Impacts:
a. Accessibility to the Users: In terms of price affordance, quality of services, reach, movement and easy transitions within the many mobility systems of a region and finally, in the ability of the users to choose any mode of public transport that is convenient to them.
b. Integrated Planning: In terms of its spatialization with the existing and proposed land uses and its connectedness within the many existing transportation systems in the city itself: like the trains, buses, metros, cycling and walking.
2 Economical impacts:
a. Land Value Capture: As it affects the land rent and property value, it provides tremendous opportunities for land value capture in the areas it is based.
b. Cost-effective Public Transport: As public transport services are improved, there is an intrinsic push to use these services. Many rapidly urbanizing cities are aiming toward connecting their existing transit networks
Existing Scenario in Developing Cities
1. Fragmented Transport Systems: All existing transport systems work autonomously, providing a fruitful public service, each on its own. However, there are fewer spatial or technological interconnections among these services, which makes the journey of public transport inconvenient
2. Separate Planning of Transport Systems & Land Development: Continuing from the 1st point, different transport services such as bus, metro, monorail or IPT Services are planned for exclusive of each other. The neighbouring land use is additionally not considered which in reality has tremendous opportunity to provide land value capture.
Relationship between Land Use & Transportation
The provision for these services in isolation are satisfactory, however considering the option of connecting these services (Eg: common pass) would be a bonus for public transit networks
3. Mention in Regional Planning Documents: These documents seek to provide a comprehensive guide toward planning. However, these don't specifically address transit routes. So creating documents that provide & promote Comprehensive City Level Vision for executing inter-connected transport networks would be a solution for this
Case Studies from Asian Cities
Developed cities in such as Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore have successfully implemented mass transit systems in their respective regions. This success stems from the fact that each of these has high population densities. These transit systems further pave way for prioritized pedestrian movement.
1 Tokyo: Located in an earthquake prone zone, the planning efforts is based on resilience to over come this. This is why the city also boasts engineering marvels through their infrastructure. Wide street, metro, train, buses and cycling lanes.
The city parallels its urban development by exhibiting their cultural heritage as well. Travelling the city is a treat for the residents, and tourists alike.
2. Seoul: The city has places for nature excursion. The Public Transport system makes it convenient to get around this
3. Singapore: The city has a well-established transit network connecting the metro and the bus system. Additionally, the efforts are taken to make the city more walkable - outdoor shaded walkways, small green courtyards and arcades of trees encourage the people in the city toward an active lifestyle.
The cap on Singapore's private vehicle ownership is an additional bonus while encouraging public transport usage.
4. Hong Kong: Similar to Singapore, Hong Kong is a small city with a denser population in comparison. For this reason, pedestrian movement is prioritized at ground level which is an urban common.
The transport services in Hong Kong include tramway, metro, buses and ferries even!
In all the above cases, the transport network has been integrated into the surrounding landscape. Evolving a plan from the existing site context and land use has paved way for creative use of space, promising optimum utility. There is a common pass for the transport network, contributing to user convenience to transfer from one transport type to any other.
This kind of service caters to users from all financial backgrounds as it adds to travel convenience, contributes to SDG goals of each region and reduces carbon footprint. It encourages an active lifestyle by walking and cycling
Integrating a connected Transport System into the City Fabric
1. Public Finance Prioritization: Allotting an extensive portion of the public budget toward setting, improving or reforming the existing transport system as required.
2. Evolving towards Flexible Governance Systems: Inculcating the value of shared responsibilities, transparency and easy transfer of information and permission within the existing governing system to ease the process of execution
3. Common Transport Vision: A transport vision enables a city to work towards a common aim of connecting the existing transport systems uniformly, a connected mobility network specific to the city
4. Experiential Qualities of Planning: As a connected transport system enables a mass movement for pedestrians, this must be inclusive - for people of all movement abilities, for wayfinding, for the commercial transactions as well as for leisure
5. Incorporated Planning: Keeping in mind the land use along with the transit network and promoting this as a shared space contributes to increasing space for recreation and/or ecological purpose
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