It's Environmentally Irresponsible
Transport systems have an enormous negative impact on air quality and the environment, climate change and local air pollution. Transport accounts for about a quarter of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy intensive sector. The transport sector is also responsible for increased noise levels, natural resource depletion, biodiversity and habitat loss, acidification and water pollution. All this at a time when fossil fuel depletion and climate change is the greatest challenge the world faces today!
It's a Vicious, Unsustainable Cycle
Infrastructure development is unable to keep pace with the rapid rise in motorisation. Traditionally, cities attempt to "build" their way out of congestion by widening roads and constructing flyovers at the expense of pavements, community-oriented urban spaces, trees and other street furniture perceived as impediments to traffic flow. Buses, cyclists and pedestrians are neglected as the skewed policy, often borrowed from old western models of development, spends the lion's share of the public's transportation money on infrastructure that mainly benefits car owners. Private transport is therefore perceived as easier and more advantageous as compared to other transport alternatives, resulting in more cars to saturate already widened roads.
It's Eating Up Our Cities
Urban design traditionally values mobility over access, and therefore invests heavily in car-based transport systems while neglecting the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transportation. Parks are replaced by parking lots. Commercial streets are replaced by enclosed malls. Walk-in stores are replaced by their far flung drive-in counterparts. Vibrant, multipurpose neighborhoods are replaced by isolated suburbs and concrete jungles. These decentralized, homogenous spaces require automobiles to access them, and people find themselves increasingly locked into automobile-dependent lifestyles. Personal conveyance is no longer a choice but a necessity.
It's Socially Unjust
Those who do not own automobiles – on account of income, age, health or disability – are at a disadvantage in a city where education, employment, leisure, shopping and health care are spread out all over the city. Most of the problems associated with our transport systems fall disproportionately on those who are least likely to own or drive cars. Low income households, which are situated on the city fringe are given the impossible choice between owning motorized transport they cant easily afford and having to spend many hours in uncomfortable, infrequent, difficult to access transport to their work place or schools. A bus, which takes the space of 3 cars but carries the number of passengers of around 50 cars, is forced to travel slowly because of congestion. India has the highest road accident related deaths in the world, and most of the victims are pedestrians, children and cyclists.
Why is Sustainable Transport Relevant to Me?
Sustainable transport is relevant to anyone in Bangalore (and the world) who thinks that their city is becoming more and more congested, polluted and poorly planned.
If you own a car or bike then you are part of the problem as well. But the good news is that you can be part of the solution too.
If we demand from our leaders a more sustainable transport system for Bangalore, we will find safe, efficient, environmentally friendly and easily accessible alternatives to our cars and bikes, giving us opportunities to sometimes leave our personal transportation at home and hop on a bus, or cycle, or walk instead.
So What Can I Do?
Lots! For starters, we need to examine our policy, planning, misplaced priorities and unrealistic assumption of infinite planetary resources and raise our voices in appropriate and democratic ways. By our mute acceptance of the way things currently are, we are endorsing an urban transport system that is inefficient and unsustainable with huge consequences socially, economically and ecologically.
It is time to rethink our transport policy and focus on building a city for people, not just cars.