The new technologies, new methodologies and new approaches such as artificial intelligence and big data have been creating unprecedented opportunities for comprehensive urban transport management. How to grasp development opportunities to further mitigate the challenges faced by metropolises including traffic congestion, inefficient energy utilization, environmental pollution and transport safety has been a hot topic concerned by both government agencies and research organizations across the world. It is high time that we integrate experience and wisdom from multiple parties and explore the pathway to innovative transport management for the future.
The World Metropolitan Transport Development Forum (WMTDF), hosted by Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, organized by Beijing Transport Institute and supported by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and many other organizations, was held in the China National Convention Center in Beijing from October 24th to 26th, 2018. Centering on "Green, Intelligent, and Shared Transport in New Era: Innovation and Governance", the Forum invited famous transport experts, scholars and representatives of transport organizations from New York, London, Seoul, Madrid, Tokyo and other metropolises around the world. Focusing on transport-related problems faced by metropolises worldwide, the participants discussed hot transport issues while taking into account of development needs in the new era, shared experience and latest outcomes of urban transport management, looked into future development trend and contributed recommendations for transport development in metropolises to jointly tackle transport challenges brought by urban development.
Comprehensive Management Sustainable Development of Urban Transport
The Forum on Comprehensive Management and Sustainable Development of Urban Transport hosted by WRI and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group was a sub-forum of the WMTDF. The sub-forum invited experienced experts and scholars from New York, Madrid, London, the US, Beijing and Shanghai to explore how to design the methodologies and strategies to achieve comprehensive urban transport management and sustainable development. The participants also discussed how to build a comprehensive policy system on urban transport management through a series of sustainable transport measures to address the thorny problems in urban transport and achieve sustainable mobility for urban residents.
Michael Replogle, Deputy Commissioner of Policy of New York City Department of Transportation, introduced New York's major goals of sustainable transport, and shared a series of policies and measures to meet the goals, including improving streets for safe walking and cycling, promoting transition to clean energy, electric vehicles and cleaner transport tools, introducing congestion pricing, encouraging green transport, expanding travel options for all citizens and enhancing urban freight transport efficiency.
YIN Guangtao, Chief Engineer of Urban Transport Institute of China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, summarized major characteristics of China's urbanization at the current stage, and on top of that provided advice for China to practice transport governance which includes setting transport strategic goals for sustainable transport development, city cluster transport governance strategy and metropolitan circle transport governance strategy.
Juan Azcarate, Deputy Director of Energy and Climate Change Department of Madrid City Council, shared the Plan A of Madrid for encouraging electric mobility, improving air quality and tackling climate change. The plan aims to promote Madrid's electric vehicles policy and mobility through public space management, charging facilities construction, and introduction of zero-emission zones and zero-emission car sharing.
Professor FAN Yingling from the University of Minnesota talked about the relationship between travel and citizens' happiness by citing examples of Shenzhen in China and Twin Cities in the US. She said that as an important component of urban residents' daily life, tranvel has a profound impact on the accumulation of happiness. Personal attributes, travel characteristics and travel emotions and feelings can interact with each other.
Oliver Lord, Deputy Director of Department of Air Quality of Greater London Authority, shared various measures taken by London to address air pollution, including introducing healthy streets, low-emission public transport zones, ultra-low-emission zones, zero-fossil-fuel streets and electric cars. He said that these transport policies were designed not only to promote the use of cleaner vehicles, but also to reduce driving mileage of citizens.
According to WANG Ting, Director of Macro Strategy of the Strategic Research Department of Beijing Transport Institute, the total travel demand of Chinese cities would continue to rise and citizens' demand for travel services would continue to upgrade. Against this backdrop, the government needs to guide citizens to shift from private cars to green travel modes, promote the integration of regional and urban transport, provide barrier-free transport services to the vulnerable groups and enable the market to play a role in the transport supply.
Professor CHEN Xiaohong from Tongji University explained the implications of urban transport governance, suggested pathways and methodologies of urban transport governance, and explored ways to achieve comprehensive metropolitan transport governance.
The WMTDF consisted of one main forum and eight sub-forums. LIU Daizong, Director of WRI China Sustainable Cities and Transport Program, made a speech about future transport challenges, solutions and recommendations at the sub-forum themed "Thinking on the Development of Shared Transport".
This year's event is the fourth WMTDF. The biennial forum has become an important channel for cities from China and other countries to exchange transport governance experience, discuss policy design and draw urban development blueprint. It has built a sharing platform for metropolises worldwide that face problems in motorization. WRI will continue to work with Chinese partners to engage in more intensive knowledge and experience sharing and project cooperation, facilitate communication, exchange and cooperation among metropolises in China and around the world, find out solutions that fit Chinese conditions and promote sustainable transport development in China.
