More than half the people on earth now live in cities, and this share will grow to 60 percent by 2030. While cities function as powerful engines of economic growth and poverty alleviation, rapid urbanization is exerting pressure on all urban systems and services. Mobility and accessibility are deteriorating in most cities because increasing motorization overwhelms the system, with negative effects on urban structure, health, and safety, and with serious implications for the welfare of the urban poor and the effective functioning of cities.

Join our panel of academic and technical experts as they discuss how the World Bank Group can strengthen its support and make use of its influence to help establish inclusive, well-managed, and sustainable urban transport systems in its client countries, particularly in high priority areas, such as Sub-Saharan Africa. The event will also highlight findings from IEG’s recent evaluation on urban transport.

Please find more information on the speakers below.

Watch the re-play of the live event.

View the presentation Lessons from assessing the World Bank Group’s Support to Urban Transport in the last two decades – An IEG Review

 

Read Mobile Metropolises: Urban Transport Matters

 

WELCOME REMARKS

Caroline Heider
Director-General, IEG, and
Senior Vice President
World Bank Group

OPENING REMARKS

José Luis Irigoyen
Senior Director, Transport Global Practice
World Bank Group

PRESENTATION
Lessons from assessing the World Bank Group’s Support to Urban Transport in the last two decades – An IEG Review

Andrew Stone
Adviser to the Director, Sustainable, Financial and Private Sector Development
Independent Evaluation Group

Fang Xu
Senior Evaluation Officer
Independent Evaluation Group

MODERATOR

José Carbajo Martinez
Director, Financial, Private Sector & Sustainable Development Department
Independent Evaluation Group
World Bank Group

PANEL

Arturo Ardila-Gomez
Lead Transport Economist
World Bank Group

Robert Cervero
Professor
Department of City and Regional Planning
University of California - Berkeley

Melinda Hanson
Deputy Director
Global Designing Cities Initiative (hosted by the National Association of City Transportation Officials)

Patience Bongiwe Kunene
Executive Director
Angola/Nigeria/South Africa
World Bank Group

Ian Twinn
Global Head of Transportation
International Finance Corporation (IFC)

 

Additional Resources

WATCH: In Brief: Improving Urban Transport in Developing Countries

WATCH: Urban Transport Matters

 

Comments

Permalink

How can transport and urban policy makers recognise the importance of short and very short journeys in planning and investment decisions?

There is a Chinese proverb "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".
Urban mobility strategies may not be focused on the journey of a thousand miles, but are almost always predicated on the bases that the longer the journey the more important it is.
This assumption often underlies the justification of investment into large transport schemes.

Whereas focusing on Short & Very Short journeys* can make an important contribution to the health & wellbeing of almost all individuals, help communities social cohesion & local economies viability, and the long term environmental sustainability.
These are all import issues that can help the poor, women, children and older people.

*Defined as: - Very Short = 800 meters / ½ mile (10 minute walk), Short = under 8 km / 5 miles (30 minute cycle ride)

It is important to remember that the majority of journeys are short or very short, this means that the distances are within easy walking or cycling distance.

Why does this have so many benefits?
1st Individual health & wellbeing
There is now a lot of well-established research that shows regular 'exercise' is incredibly good for physical and mental well-being.
- Healthy and stable work force is more productive
- Children who walk and cycle to school achieve better academically
- There is less demand on health resources, and less illness which is needs looking after at home
2nd The communities social cohesion & local economy's viability.
- Those that walk and cycle are more likely to know their neighbours
- Busy streets are safer streets
- Local centres based within a short or very short journey create a local economy, thereby putting money and resources back into those areas
3rd Environmental sustainability.
- Walking and cycling are both nonr carbon forms of transport
- They are quiet, and leave more space for green space
- The levels of particulate pollution are significantly lower than for motorise transport

Dick Daniel richard@daniel28.co.uk

Permalink

I would like the panel to address the dilemma between urban transport and urban sprawl. It often happens that urban transport in inteneded cosquecies is to encourage settlement far away from the cities thus undermining urban density and potential efficiency gins

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