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Ken Livingstone’s fare message

A mayor riding a suburban train straphanging during rush hour would be virtually impossible to imagine in India, but London mayor Ken Livingstone must be congratulated for venturing to try out a crowded Mumbai local and earlier the Delhi Metro. The mayor, who has a hard-won reputation for protecting the interests of commuters at home, is arguably the best known ambassador for another innovation — congestion charge. Under this system, which he has pursued vigorously i n the face of opposition from a section of motorists, Londoners are paying a special charge for the privilege of driving their cars in designated central areas of the city; the proceeds are used for improving public transport. The U.S. Department of Transportation found the system a “demonstrated success” last year and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to launch his own equivalent. Mayor Livingstone’s vision has greater relevance today, when there are serious environmental concerns over rising automotive emissions; his re-election in 2004 should dispel any doubts about the popularity of green policies. There is surely a lot of merit in the London model for Indian metros. Four per cent of travellers in that city shifted from private cars to public transport and bus ridership rose significantly after the congestion charge was introduced.

The London results show that walkable cities with a dependable, safe, and affordable public transport as the backbone actually help trade and commerce by eliminating perpetual gridlock. The two million additional bus rides a day made possible by an improved system have contributed in part to London outperforming the rest of Britain in retail trade. Patronage for art and cultural events has gone up. On the other hand, gridlock is expensive; New York loses $1.3 billion a year on that count. In Indian cities, the lack of good public transport, excessive motorisation and rickety pedestrian infrastructure restrict the flow of people and goods. As Mayor Livingstone has observed, the opening of a modern metro rail system in Delhi is helpful. A host of other cities are also to get similar rail networks; some are building high capacity bus systems. But the growth of public transport and the movement of pedestrians in India remains stunted for want of political commitment. Without farseeing leadership, a well integrated system funded handsomely by congestion charging will remain remote.

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