Seeing this also the traffic police who were there few minutes away checking the blue book and license turned a blind eye. The line grew like anything where the one side traffic was pounding and the other side was completely halted. The situation was so worst that people started shouting at each other.

Then an Armed police force security car came in and started to look into the matter but like said they are not the expert, they also tried their best. We few of the guys got out of our bikes and started to give way for the traffic and the flow were set back to normal. Whose fault is it? I was bound to think, what is the priority? To check the blue book and license or to relieve the traffic. The priority is what calls for emergency measures but the traffic police of Nepal fails to realize this they are bound to follow their order. If the PM was coming probably they would clear the road making the public halt but when it comes to the normal public they just know one thing how to give trouble and problem as who are we?

Everyday it’s the same story and every day people are bound to suffer and the department pays a blind eye. Is it the fault of the tax payers who pay taxes and don’t say anything or is it the problems of the civil servant who fail to realize the responsibility toward the public.

AUTHOR: Shreedeep Rayamajhi
URL: http://www.rayznews.com
E-MAIL: weaker41 [at] gmail.com

Please pause and wonder what Lagos traffic will look like in 3 – 5 years if things are left this way, with hopes still placed on more mass transit buses, rail transport and water transport. These ‘solutions’ will help, but the root of the problem will remain on most routes because the Lagos traffic problem has escalated beyond certain believed solutions.

Traffic in Lagos is seen as normal and most people schedule their movements with traffic in mind. Radio stations and the social media are helping to tell traffic on certain routes, during peak hours, giving an idea of what to expect or a lighter route to follow.

But the biggest amazement is that a problem as big as Lagos traffic, has no attention, no framework, and no outlook –publicly disclosed– for solution. Traffic is everywhere in Lagos and you just wonder, is it to be permanently endured or is there something that may happen someday to ease it everywhere.

The first solution to Lagos traffic and mostly ignored is the Press, the people privileged with being heard on a mass scale. The attention they can throw to potential solutions and how they can divert focus from stories of everything on the problem to elements of adoptable solutions will show their strength as part of the solution.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials are major solutions but still ignored. LASTMA officials are helpful to the situation, but need a reorganization that will see them contain the challenge quicker and better. More officials are needed on the team to see them split within distances on pikes during heavy traffic.

More officials will also have them split to alternative routes and help those on shifts work smartly, because recurrent overtime may lead to dawdling.  LASTMA officials should be trained, not like the orientation they get on entry, or symposiums and forums held to charge them, but perennial training that consists of situations from the field and how best they should handle it.

LASTMA needs serious help, if it needs to meet the objective that lead to its establishing, and the Lagos government should have them as priority. Wooing the private sector to help may be necessary, but it is solely the responsibility of the Lagos Government because it will have an effect on commerce, hence IGR in the state.

Security checkpoints inducing traffic in Lagos are problems lying with an ignored solution. Vary your blocks, is a message constabularies should remember, once they notice that their block is a source of traffic during peak hours. Intelligence on their job can help them nab suspected criminals, without blocking the road, stifling the doings of traffic lights and wardens.

Giving priority to construction of alternative routes, deployment of more smart traffic technologies and involving more tools to punish traffic offenders are some of the ignored solutions for traffic in Lagos. Solutions to Lagos traffic are more and with all to table, the situation can be contained.

The Lagos state government may need a committee, for Lagos traffic solution, interested organizations may also hold a forum for Lagos traffic solution where everything will be assessed and direction on how to go will emerge. Nothing, beyond the power of Lagos state government can induce traffic – even in Apapa, if willing to fight it thoroughly. So it is with the government to look at ignored solutions and see how traffic will be eased.

Related Links:

• Lagos Traffic: Short term Solutions for The Long Term
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Nigeria

AUTHOR: David Stephen
URL: http://www.trpns.com
E-MAIL: Stephen [at] trpns.com

Simple diagram of greenhouse effect.

Thank you climate change, thanks for being the factor for which Nigeria will be supported to move in direction of low carbon transport and energy efficiency. The British government listed Nigeria amongst developing nations that are beneficiaries of its International Climate Fund (ICF) this December.

Climate change is becoming a priority issue in Nigeria especially after a number of environmental anomalies in the past months  ̶  both in the Northern & Southern parts of the country. Floods, erosion, drought and desertification are some these anomalies and more are predicted for Nigeria.

Global warming is responsible for climate change and climate change is mainly caused by the action of human-induced Green House Gas (GHG) emissions that escape to the troposphere  ̶  the lowest part of the earth’s atmosphere.

The main solution to global warming is to reduce emissions; major ways of doing this is to cut and cap them. Cutting emissions involves lessening emission output from systems and saving energy; capping emissions involves trapping emissions from the atmosphere by natural systems especially plants.

Low carbon transportation is one aspect of solution for global warming since emissions from vehicles contribute to more than 20% of the total for most countries. Low carbon transportation is broad and includes use & deployment of energy efficient vehicles.

Fuel efficient transportation is the new trend for manufacturers globally and most of them use this in campaigns for new products. 23m.p.g  ̶  miles per gallon  ̶  is the current trend and 35m.p.g is projected for around 2016 while 54m.p.g for 2030.

Nigeria as a developing economy may have issues in large scale deployment of current fuel efficiency standards especially for public transport; this therefore submits an option to somehow work around this with solutions that will save millions of tons of carbon in a given period.

Mass public transportation in Nigeria is not so much in a good shape as development issues fight efforts to restructure it. The whole system is also complicated by heavy traffic in major cities; this submits that both ‘internal and external’ factors should be considered for ‘low carbon public transport’.

From the knowledge of mechanical engineering, more weight is driven by more power, this shows that rush hour extra-loaded public transport vehicles emit more while conveying people. Most small carriers usually have four people sit on a thin locally-modified bench-like roll usually inconvenient and leave passengers wiggling against each other during their journey.

Prohibiting too many standees as the cause for overloaded large buses or mandating reduction of occupants on a roll in small buses are steps that will be very hard to effect round the country anytime soon.  This again presents another hardline for ‘low carbon public transport’.

One of the effective ways to work on low carbon public transport in Nigeria is traffic reduction methods for major cities. Alternative transport means like rail and water ways diminutively used in some cities are helping road traffic situation but may hardly slash total traffic conundrum in the next 2 – 4years.

Traffic in some cities of Nigeria like Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Ota, and Onitsha can be simply solved using workable local procedures. Prioritizing road constructions and repairs of major routes or alternative routes will help; more training & enhancements for officials of traffic agencies in states will help too, use of simple traffic technologies and caution to unnecessary blocks by constabularies will drop-down total traffic intensively.

Since emissions from vehicles are part of the cause of global warming, an on-the-motion vehicle will contribute ‘lesser’ emissions to the environment for a given journey than if involved in protracted traffic. Traffic as a major issue in Nigeria requires all options for solution, a research draft submits some.

In steps towards emission reduction in Nigeria, fuel efficiency standard enforcement for vehicles coming into the country should be planned from now to effect in future. This will drop emission amounts caused by ‘current under-regulation’ for fuel efficient engines for vehicles and power generators.

As early as the first half of 2012, low carbon public transport is possible in Nigeria  ̶  but only  ̶  at selected places. Most organizations in Nigeria like other parts of the world have complexes. Mass movement of officials or staff within these complexes is done by mini or semi-mini buses.

Maximum speed inside most of these complexes is between 20 – 30km/h; this is an advantage when fuel efficiency is considered for the environment. Since total distance covered is at a fairly constant speed, fuel consumption is low and will be better if fuel efficient buses are used.

Encouraging through advertisement or with proposals to private and government owned organizations with a ‘large office area’ or complex to procure buses with fuel efficient standards to help them save finance and to save the environment will be a major  ̶  short term  ̶  step towards the low carbon transport objective.

Climate change finance has provided for Nigeria an opportunity to move in low carbon transport and energy efficiency direction. This finance is not enough for all the projects but coming as a propellant to see that Nigerian authorities understand the importance and finance it further. Most of the projects under the low carbon transport and energy efficiency direction will not only be good moves for climate change in Nigeria but is essential to improving the quality of lives in the country.

Britain may have specific projects to fund for Nigeria and Nigerian authorities will also present proposals for projects to Britain; consideration for proposals should include impact and sustainability so solutions will not be reversed  ̶  for whatever reason  ̶  after sometime. Submissions in this article present impactful and sustainable solutions; for the funds or Nigerian Government efforts, these should come.

Related Links:
* Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Nigeria
* Lagos Traffic Solution
* Low Carbon Africa: Nigeria

AUTHOR: David Stephen
URL: http://www.trpns.com
E-MAIL: Stephen [at] trpns.com

It is the latest trend and yet the only one of its kind in Africa. South Africa’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is not only being hailed as the best for crowded cities and Africa’s panacea to urban transport crises, it is also being billed as “green transport”. Using the latest technology the BRT encompasses all dynamics of a modern metropolis transport system. It has features catering for the elderly, disabled and even children. With a smart fully automated station, it is configured and standardized to address all transit concerns. In all of Johannesburg, the BRT system is well known as Rea Vaya which is local slang for “we are moving”. It has already been approved for voluntary carbon credits thanks for its massive reduction of carbon emissions.

With a fleet of 143 buses, Rea Vaya has managed to replace 545 minibuses out of Johannesburg transport circuit.

“Johannesburgis a very divided city, owing to decades of apartheid rule, with extensive sprawls all around the city. When this mass and rapid transit system was mooted we saw it as an opportunity to not only address the movement of people but we saw it as a project to unite people.” Councillor Rehanna Moosajee of Johannesburg says.

“To get people out of the comfort of their vehicles we had to come up with a transport system that is sufficiently attractive and has incentives” Moosajee says. “Rea vaya is about social cohesion and breaking all those negative social barriers.”

Way back in 2006, after holding extensive consultations, the City of Johannesburg approved a mass transit system to imporove the lives of its inhabitants by providing them safe, regular and seamless transport network incorporating both roads and railways. Before setting up this transport infrastructure, South African government working in concert with the German arm for international cooperation the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenabeit (GIZ) which offered technical support sent a delegation to Quitoin Ecuador, Jakartain Indonesia, Brisbanein Australia and Bogotain Colombia to study how they had implemented their mass transit systems. The buses move on dedicated lanes and have enclosed stations to cater for passengers needs.

GIZ posted 33 experts to offer the City ofJohannesburgtechnical support in setting up the BRT system.

“We helped design the bus routes as well as the number, size, and location of the stations as well as the time-table.” Alan Walsch, who is GIZ International Services regional director for Southern Africa says.

“Everything was of course done by the South Africans themselves. Ours was to offer support where it was needed and am glad they took our advice and today Johannesburg has yet another first forAfrica.” Walsch says.

To introduce the BRT system complete with its accompanying benefits was not easy. Opposition from vested interests within the taxi community who saw this plan being mooted as a danger to their investments was voiced.

“Some of my colleagues have paid with their lives for this change. It has been a journey full of heavy sacrifices to see the BRT system work and win over many who were initially opposed to this idea.” Says Eric Motshwane. “We had to make Rea vaya as inclusive as possible and as such we integrated many of the former taxi drivers as Rea Vaya maintenance managers and also as bus drivers. It has worked.”

“The introduction of this concept brought in unity amongst taxi operators” Motshwane who is the director of corporate affairs at Piotrans, a company subcontracted by the City of Johannesburg to run the Rea Vaya buses says. “Piotrans is made up of 300 share holders and has so far created 500 permanent jobs”

When Rea Vaya took off, young people who are normally receptive to newer ideas helped it to be more acceptable to the public. Currently the buses serving the Rea Vaya routes are all imported from Brazil but plans are underway too ensure that when the project moves to its second phase all buses will be sourced from within South Africa.

“The World Cup 2010 event gave us the first opportunity to test the viability of the Rea Vaya buses. It was a resounding success.” Moosajee says. “This new bus system definitely had an impact on culture change as it had a large number of passengers standing as opposed to the taxi system where no passengers stood. However it has brought in a better quality of life for the majority and reduced pollution on our roads.”

The tenets behind Rea Vaya according to Charles Blok who is the infrastructure director of Rea Vaya BRT are hinged on efficiency, cleanliness and security. “Rea Vaya is clean, efficient and safe at all times. The question of security was topmost in our plans when we ventured to establish the BRT system. We have a high tech control room that monitors all buses in real time. These is aimed at boosting efficiency and secure passengers with the ability of responding to any eventuality in record time. Rea vaya is a world class transport facility.” Blok says.

According to Blok, Rea Vaya is being constructed in phases. Already Phase 1A which runs from Thokoza Parkin Sowetoto Ellis Park in Doornfontein has been completed at a cost ofRand1.6billion. Through the BRT 120,000 people are moved daily to their respective destinations. There are 143 GPS-enabled Scania and Marco Polo buses serving the 26 kilometre BRT route. Blok further reveals that by 2013 BRT is expected to cover some 120kilometres and the fleet of buses is expected to rise to 805.

“The greatest element contribution of BRT other than providing employment, uniting communities and moving masses of people efficiently and quickly it’s the contribution it makes to climate change. Through the BRT system South Africais reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 40,000 tonnes per year.” Walsch surmises.

Indeed Johannesburg’s BRT system is enough module lessons for other fast growing African capitals of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Abuja, Accra, and Dar es Salaam among others still twiddling with air pollution, huge numbers of commuters, heavy traffic jams, snarl ups and completely bereft of an efficient public transport outfit.

AUTHOR: Wanjohi Kabukuru
URL: http://www.africasia.com/
E-MAIL: wanjohi [at] positiveoutcomes.org

Veolia misinforms Davis City

The Davis Human Relations Commission shared DPCR’s criticism with Veolia Water North America. Veolia responded to the Commission in a letter of 16 June. One of the issues raised by the Commission was:

Veolia supports the system of apartheid in the occupied West Bank of Palestine by operating buses solely for Jewish passengers traveling on Jewish only roads.

Veolia responded:

[T]he statement is incorrect and absolutely without merit. Veolia operates the 109 and 110 bus lines without any discrimination between the Israeli and Palestinian populations.

However, Veolia’s claim that Route 443, which is used by the two bus lines, “serves both the Israeli and Palestinian populations” is false. The Israeli human rights organization B’tselem writes about Road 443 on its website:

[T]he army continues to improperly discriminate against Palestinians, whose use of the road is greatly limited, while Israelis are permitted to travel along it freely.

I asked Kairos Palestine coordinator Rifat Kassis to comment on Veolia’s claim of non-discrimination between Palestinians and Israelis. He wrote:

Palestinians live under apartheid in the most technical definition of the word. It is impossible to ‘avoid’ discrimination when the entire occupation is predicated on it. Using the language of ’discrimination’ whitewashes the reality of occupation itself, which is a matter of colonialism, not simply prejudice. In any case, the state of Israel systematically discriminates against Palestinians; a company cannot distinguish itself from the rules and workings of the state.

Veolia runs two other bus services to settlements

Veolia tries to throw dust in the eyes of Davis City by stating that the company “does not operate other bus services in the West Bank”. Who Profits looked into Veolia’s assertion that the company is not involved in other bus services in the West Bank besides bus lines 109 and 110.

Last week, Who Profits found that Veolia operates two other bus services to settlements in the West Bank. Bus service 7 runs from Modi’in to the settlements of Hashmonaim and Kfar Ha’oranim. Veolia also operates bus 19 which runs between Modi’in and the settlement of Mevo Horon. The routes of bus service 7 and bus service 19 are published on the Veolia website.

The settlements Hashmonaim, Kfar Ha’oranim and Mevo Horon are situated in seam zones, areas which are sealed off from the occupied West Bank by the wall. Hashmonaim and Kfar Ha’oranim are built on the lands of Bil’in and Ni’lin. Beit Horon is in the Latrun enclave which was occupied in the June war of 1967. The Palestinian villages of Imwas, Yalu, and Beit Nuba were destroyed and their residents were evicted. To prevent the return of the displaced Palestinian villagers, Israel declared the Latrun enclave a closed military zone. 

It is forbidden for Palestinians from the West Bank to enter the seam zones and therefore impossible to make use of the bus services that run in this area. Veolia’s bus services 7 and 19, just like bus lines 109 and 110, serve only the Jewish settlements.

Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the annexation of East Jerusalem are illegal under international law. By operating four bus services to Israeli settlements, Veolia is directly implicated in maintaining illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

I am sure that the BDS movement will keep Veolia under pressure as long as the company continues its involvement in Israel’s violations of international law.

First published at The Electronic Intifada.

AUTHOR: Adri Nieuwhof
URL: http://www.samora.org
E-MAIL: a.nieuwhof [at] samora.org

The sudden enforcement by city authority to off-limit rickshaws in certain city streets caught nearly a million commuters off guard. Thousands of students and others going to workplace were stranded in the streets, when city shuttle buses are inadequate.

Rickshaw-pullers came to the streets in the morning and marched through the city streets demanding withdrawal of the restriction.

Sporting banners, wearing red headbands by agitating rickshaw drivers, the protesters assembled at designated square area from different corners of the city. They argued that making city streets off-limits to rickshaws have affected their meager income, they said and urged the government to cancel the decision.

Police officer Shibli Noman told online news agency banglanews.com that the irate rickshaw drivers damaged over 50 rickshaws and scores of vehicles causing huge traffic jam.

Rickshaw still remains prime mode of transport in this mega-city. While mass transit remains a far-fetched dream for some 15 million people living in the capital.

Advocates explain that rickshaws as most environment friendly mode of transport, which does not consuming fuel, imported with had-earned foreign currency.

AUTHOR: Saleem Samad
URL: http://bangladeshwatchdog.blogspot.com
E-MAIL: saleemsamad [at] hotmail.com