Urban Transport News

杭州 • 公共自行车成杭州交通活络油 July 26 • 羊城晚报 • Bike Sharing 统计表明，杭州公共自行车日最高租用量达到32万人次，相当于每辆车每天被租借6次。按照日均租用量25万人次计算，相当于每天减少62000辆小汽车在路上行驶，减少废气污染物31000公斤左右。
广州 • 广州18米BRT公交车首次演练可载客160人 July 24 • 信息时报 • BRT Vehicles 记者从广州市交委获悉，6台18米“巨无霸”BRT公交车计划下个月在B1线投入试运营。18米车载客量约160人，是12米普通公交车容量的两倍，将缓解目前部分BRT线路车厢拥挤的问题，提高市民的乘车舒适度。
广州 • 18米“巨无霸”BRT进市区路面行驶和站台停靠演练 July 23 • 广州日报 • BRT Vehicles 昨天凌晨，6辆18米“巨无霸”BRT进入专用车道进行路面行驶和站台停靠的适应性演练。
London • London gears up for bike share launch July 22 • CNN • Bike Sharing Six thousand matching black, silver and blue bicycles are about to hit the streets of London as the city joins others around the world in launching a public bike sharing scheme.
广州 • 亚运广州：广州耗资7亿兴建快速公交系统 July 21 • 凤凰网 • BRT Studies & Proposals 2010年2月10日，广州的中山大道上，耗资7个亿兴建的BRT工程开始正式运营，在道路中央开辟一条公交专用道，可以避免公交车和私家车互相抢道，是BRT最显著的特点，又被称为路面上的地铁，对于高密度人口的广州来说，老旧的城市公交系统已经不堪重负，升级换代迫在眉睫。
Guangzhou • 广州BRT巨无霸公交车将投入试运营 (articulated BRT buses coming in August) July 20 • 信息时报 • BRT Vehicles
Guangzhou • Chinese Cities Find Bus-Only Lanes an Alternative to Cars and Subways July 16 • New York Times • Bus Rapid Transit 'Ridership has already shattered the figures of other bus systems in Asia. Now the system beats out the ridership of every metro line in mainland China except Beijing's.'
Sydney • Engineer was critical of CBD Metro plan July 07 • SMH • Rail Industry & Financing A key government adviser was highly critical of the CBD Metro well before the state government had decided to shelve the $5.2 billion project, arguing it could not be justified. Detailed financial information about the CBD Metro released yesterday indicated that revenues would total only about $100 million a year over the first 25 years or so of the project, leaving the government more than $3.3 billion out of pocket just to operate the metro, apart from the $5.2 billion construction cost.
Guangzhou • BRT cooling system: 6℃ cooler in the station July 05 • Life of Guangzhou • Stations & Terminals Although the system does use water the fans are extremely efficient, requiring only 40 liters per day per station.
Bangkok • Cross town traffic June 19 • Bangkok Post • Bus Rapid Transit The Bangkok Post asks: "In its attempt to decrease congestion with the new BRT system, has the government actually made things worse?" The answer is probably 'yes'.
Zaozhuang • Kinglong BRT buses Pass a test in Zaozhuang June 17 • Chinabuses.com • BRT Vehicles
China • CSR set to make rapid strides in global arena June 08 • China Daily • Rail Industry & Financing CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co, a subsidy of China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corp (CSR), the largest listed railway equipment maker in China, is manufacturing locomotives for countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Singapore and Turkey. The Hunan-based company has secured $500 million of new orders so far this year and is now competing with global industry giants such as France's Alstom, Canada's Bombardier and Germany's Siemens for contracts in many nations and regions. Parent company CSR, the worlds' No 4 rail equipment maker, secured $1.2 billion in overseas orders in 2009, up 60% year-on-year. Among the orders, value-added products include bullet trains and subways, accounting for 70% of the total, indicating the company's competitiveness in the world's high-end vehicle market. Meanwhile CSR's major rival, China Northern Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry Corp (CNR), another domestic high-speed train provider, is also spreading its wings overseas. Its most recent overseas orders were from Pakistan and Argentina, worth a total of 4.1 billion yuan.
China • Passenger vehicle sales continue to decline in May June 08 • China Daily • Vehicle Industry A total of 1 million cars, multi-purpose vehicles, sports-utility vehicles and minivans were sold in China in May 2010, up 23.2% from a year earlier. In 2009, automobile sales surged 46% to 13.6 million units assisted by a series of government stimulus measures, making China the world's biggest automobile market. Implausibly, car industry insiders aided by the news media are presenting this massive 23% increase from May 2009 as a 'decline', because the rate of increase is less than in previous months, which included a 111% increase in car sales in January 2010 compared to a year earlier.
Los Angeles • Mayors Beat World Leaders Promoting Cycle Paths June 04 • Bloomberg • Bicycle Facilities Los Angeles plans to spend $230 million on 1,700 miles of bicycle paths. Most of the program will be completed by 2015, and includes changing rooms, showers, and bike storage areas operated by the city and private partners, the city’s Web site says.
China • China Sneaks In a Regular-Car Subsidy June 03 • Wall Street Journal • Vehicle Industry Tucked into Tuesday’s announcement on China’s decision to provide hefty subsidies of up to almost $9,000 for private purchases of electric battery cars — a measure to stimulate demand in the world’s biggest auto market — is a new incentive program for small gasoline-fueled cars.
Bangkok • BRT service starts on Sathorn May 30 • The Nation • Bus Rapid Transit Bangkok's first BRT service between Sathorn and Ratchapruek was officially opened yesterday. The service will run free of charge for a test-run period up until August 31. From September 1, the bus fare will be a flat rate of Bt10 for about four months, after which progressive rates from Bt12 to Bt20 will be enforced from January 2 onwards.
Guangzhou • Guangzhou mayor: BRT a success; will be extended to new corridors [Chinese] May 29 • New Express Daily • Bus Rapid Transit
Guangzhou • Cars Soaked, Damaged by Torrential Rains in Guangzhou May 20 • Global Times • Parking Since torrential rains started in Guangzhou in early May, some 13,000 cars have been soaked and badly damaged by the water in Guangzhou, mostly in underground parking lots. "About 60 to 70 percent of the soaked cars have now been sold on used car market." according to a person in charge of an automobile repair plant. He also said that "cars in such condition usually sell for 20 to 30 percent less than what they would normally fetch."
[Global] • The status quo of electric cars: better batteries, same range May 19 • The Oil Drum • Energy & Fuel "If today's supporters of EV's would dig into the specifications and the sales brochures of early 20th century electric "horseless carriages", their enthusiasm would quickly disappear. Fast-charged batteries (to 80% capacity in 10 minutes), automated battery swapping stations, public charging poles, load balancing, the entire business plan of Better Place, in-wheel motors, regenerative braking: it was all there in the late 1800s or the early 1900s. It did not help. Most surprisingly, however, is the seemingly non-existent progress of battery technology. The Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, two electric cars to be introduced on the market in 2010, have exactly the same range as the 1908 Fritchle Model A Victoria: 100 miles (160 kilometres) on a single charge." "A few years earlier [than 1914], members of the Electric Vehicle Association of America tried to impose a standard maximum speed of 32 km/h (20 mph) for electric vehicles, because power requirements increased rapidly above that limit. They feared that higher speeds would threaten the all-important range of the automobiles. They did not succeed. Too many manufacturers tried to compete with gasoline cars (and with each other) by designing faster electric vehicles."
Sydney • Benefits of bike network far outweigh cost, says study May 14 • SMH • Bicycle Facilities A report by AECOM, commissioned by the City of Sydney and to be released today, says the 293-kilometre network proposed by 15 councils would deliver $506 million in economic benefits to the community over 30 years, $3.88 for every dollar spent. Even if building costs were higher that expected, the benefits of the network would far outweigh the costs, with quicker trips delivering savings of $211 million, or 30.9 per cent of the total, health benefits after deductions for injuries estimated at $147 million and decongestion benefits at $98 million, the report says. It says one of the biggest economic benefits would come from improved ''journey ambience'', or cycling free from the fear of being hit by cars, a pleasure it says is worth $139 million, or nearly 20 per cent of all savings.
Guangzhou • Rainwaters Flood 1,409 Vehicles in Underground Garages May 13 • Xinhua • Parking In the greatest tragedy since the Asian Tsunami, judging by the reaction of the local car-owning elite as faithfully trumpetted in the local and even national media (Xinhua), thousands of cars in underground parking lots in Guangzhou were flooded following a torrential downpour several nights ago.
Xiamen • Kinglong 18m BRT buses introduced in Xiamen April 29 • Chinabuses.org • BRT Vehicles Six 3-door 18m BRT buses were introduced on 24 April 2010 to alleviate crowding and increase capacity on the Xiamen BRT, which is currently the 2nd highest-demand (7,400 passengers/hr/direction) BRT system in Asia, after Guangzhou (26,900 pass/hr/dir). And 6 additional 18m BRT buses are being introduced as a temporary measure to cope with high passenger demand over the 1-3 May holiday period. Kinglong 18m articulated bus
Zhengzhou • Yutong Sells 202 Double Decker Buses to Macedonia April 21 • Chinabuses.com • Bus Industry Macedonia will purchase 202 double decker buses from China's largest bus maker Zhengzhou Yutong Group for 35 million euros (US$47.5 million, or $235,000 per bus). Macedonia's Transport Minister said that 68 buses would be delivered by the end of 2011, while the remaining vehicles were expected by 2013. "The buses will have a unique, retro design only for Skopje." Zhengzhou Yutong Group is one of the biggest bus makers in Asia, producing 150 vehicles per day.
Sydney • Bid to pump life into traffic artery April 17 • SMH • Land Use & Housing The relentless roar of vehicles, the exhaust fumes, the way Parramatta Road has become a physical dividing line of Sydney makes it [...] ''a classic traffic sewer''. The Planning Institute of Australia and the Urban Development Institute of Australia are pushing the government to revive its 2001 Parramatta Road Project, which aimed to upgrade the corridor with better public transport, more housing and retailers. The planners are urging a new tunnel to divert traffic, and a very high cost, low capacity, low coverage light rail line which will magically transform everything and solve all traffic, urban development, and other issues. Boulevard of broken dreams ... derelict shops feature on Parramatta Road, but urban planners want to revive a scheme to transform the wasteland into vibrant hubs. Photo: Nick Moir
Guangzhou • Traffic curbs planned in Guangzhou to clear the air April 14 • Shenzhen Daily • Vehicle Restrictions According to a proposal by the Guangzhou's environment agency presented to the Guangzhou Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which opened Sunday, restrictions would be imposed on 800,000 of the city's 1.35 million vehicles, with the aim of reducing air pollution during the Asian Games. This would include a ban on at least 30 percent of the city's 23,000 public vehicles from Oct. 12 to Dec. 22. The Asian Games run from November 12-27 2010. Li Zhuo, director of the Guangzhou EPB, said that the Guangdong government and city governments in the Pearl River Delta would introduce similar restrictions on public vehicles to help curb air pollution.
Guangzhou • Motorcycles Banned in Guangzhou University Town April 08 • Life of Guangzhou • Motorcycles
Beijing • Beijing to extend restriction on car use April 03 • China Daily • Vehicle Restrictions Beijing's car owners are prohibited from driving one day each week based on the last digit of their license plates.
[Global] • Daimler pleads guilty to US global bribery charges April 02 • AFP • Vehicle Industry German automaker Daimler pleaded guilty to US charges of bribery and agreed to pay a 185 million US dollar settlement. Daimler had earlier admitted to making hundreds of payments worth tens of millions of dollars to government officials in at least 22 countries between 1998 and 2008. The kickbacks of cash and gifts of luxury armoured cars, golf clubs and vacations helped secure government contracts worth millions of dollars in China, Russia, Thailand, Greece, Iraq and other countries.
Lagos • UK to invest £30m in Nigerian public transport system March 31 • The Guardian • Public Transport "Over the next few years Britain will invest more than £30m increasing the number of bus routes, bringing in bigger buses and helping to build two new train lines to go through some of the most densely populated areas of Lagos. [...]The switch to investing in the urban environment rather than rural areas marks a significant shift in approach to combating poverty. Until very recently most aid has been directed at rural areas to try and stem the flow of people to cities and boost agriculture. But there is a new understanding that hunger in large cities and poverty is now as bad in cities as in rural areas." Photo: Pius Utomi Ekpei /AFP/Getty Images
Hong Kong • Air Quality in Hong Kong Seen as Possible Liability March 31 • New York Times • Health & Air Pollution "For Hong Kong, pollution is not just about poor visibility and canceled school athletics. Many analysts and business people say the failure to push ahead on controlling emissions also risks tarnishing Hong Kong’s reputation of being one of Asia’s most advanced cities. [...] A survey conducted in 2008 by the American Chamber of Commerce found that about 40 percent of companies in Hong Kong had experienced difficulty recruiting professionals to come and work in the city. Many more said they knew of people who had turned down job opportunities here or were thinking of leaving because of the environment."

杭州 • 公共自行车成杭州交通活络油
July 26 • 羊城晚报 • Bike Sharing
统计表明，杭州公共自行车日最高租用量达到32万人次，相当于每辆车每天被租借6次。按照日均租用量25万人次计算，相当于每天减少62000辆小汽车在路上行驶，减少废气污染物31000公斤左右。

广州 • 广州18米BRT公交车首次演练可载客160人
July 24 • 信息时报 • BRT Vehicles
记者从广州市交委获悉，6台18米“巨无霸”BRT公交车计划下个月在B1线投入试运营。18米车载客量约160人，是12米普通公交车容量的两倍，将缓解目前部分BRT线路车厢拥挤的问题，提高市民的乘车舒适度。

广州 • 18米“巨无霸”BRT进市区路面行驶和站台停靠演练
July 23 • 广州日报 • BRT Vehicles
昨天凌晨，6辆18米“巨无霸”BRT进入专用车道进行路面行驶和站台停靠的适应性演练。

London • London gears up for bike share launch
July 22 • CNN • Bike Sharing
Six thousand matching black, silver and blue bicycles are about to hit the streets of London as the city joins others around the world in launching a public bike sharing scheme.

广州 • 亚运广州：广州耗资7亿兴建快速公交系统
July 21 • 凤凰网 • BRT Studies & Proposals
2010年2月10日，广州的中山大道上，耗资7个亿兴建的BRT工程开始正式运营，在道路中央开辟一条公交专用道，可以避免公交车和私家车互相抢道，是BRT最显著的特点，又被称为路面上的地铁，对于高密度人口的广州来说，老旧的城市公交系统已经不堪重负，升级换代迫在眉睫。

Guangzhou • 广州BRT巨无霸公交车将投入试运营 (articulated BRT buses coming in August)
July 20 • 信息时报 • BRT Vehicles

Guangzhou • Chinese Cities Find Bus-Only Lanes an Alternative to Cars and Subways
July 16 • New York Times • Bus Rapid Transit
'Ridership has already shattered the figures of other bus systems in Asia. Now the system beats out the ridership of every metro line in mainland China except Beijing's.'

Sydney • Engineer was critical of CBD Metro plan
July 07 • SMH • Rail Industry & Financing
A key government adviser was highly critical of the CBD Metro well before the state government had decided to shelve the $5.2 billion project, arguing it could not be justified. Detailed financial information about the CBD Metro released yesterday indicated that revenues would total only about $100 million a year over the first 25 years or so of the project, leaving the government more than $3.3 billion out of pocket just to operate the metro, apart from the $5.2 billion construction cost.

Guangzhou • BRT cooling system: 6℃ cooler in the station
July 05 • Life of Guangzhou • Stations & Terminals
Although the system does use water the fans are extremely efficient, requiring only 40 liters per day per station.

Bangkok • Cross town traffic
June 19 • Bangkok Post • Bus Rapid Transit
The Bangkok Post asks: "In its attempt to decrease congestion with the new BRT system, has the government actually made things worse?" The answer is probably 'yes'.

Zaozhuang • Kinglong BRT buses Pass a test in Zaozhuang
June 17 • Chinabuses.com • BRT Vehicles

China • CSR set to make rapid strides in global arena
June 08 • China Daily • Rail Industry & Financing
CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co, a subsidy of China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corp (CSR), the largest listed railway equipment maker in China, is manufacturing locomotives for countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Singapore and Turkey. The Hunan-based company has secured $500 million of new orders so far this year and is now competing with global industry giants such as France's Alstom, Canada's Bombardier and Germany's Siemens for contracts in many nations and regions.
Parent company CSR, the worlds' No 4 rail equipment maker, secured $1.2 billion in overseas orders in 2009, up 60% year-on-year. Among the orders, value-added products include bullet trains and subways, accounting for 70% of the total, indicating the company's competitiveness in the world's high-end vehicle market. Meanwhile CSR's major rival, China Northern Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry Corp (CNR), another domestic high-speed train provider, is also spreading its wings overseas. Its most recent overseas orders were from Pakistan and Argentina, worth a total of 4.1 billion yuan.

China • Passenger vehicle sales continue to decline in May
June 08 • China Daily • Vehicle Industry
A total of 1 million cars, multi-purpose vehicles, sports-utility vehicles and minivans were sold in China in May 2010, up 23.2% from a year earlier. In 2009, automobile sales surged 46% to 13.6 million units assisted by a series of government stimulus measures, making China the world's biggest automobile market. Implausibly, car industry insiders aided by the news media are presenting this massive 23% increase from May 2009 as a 'decline', because the rate of increase is less than in previous months, which included a 111% increase in car sales in January 2010 compared to a year earlier.

Los Angeles • Mayors Beat World Leaders Promoting Cycle Paths
June 04 • Bloomberg • Bicycle Facilities
Los Angeles plans to spend $230 million on 1,700 miles of bicycle paths. Most of the program will be completed by 2015, and includes changing rooms, showers, and bike storage areas operated by the city and private partners, the city’s Web site says.

China • China Sneaks In a Regular-Car Subsidy
June 03 • Wall Street Journal • Vehicle Industry
Tucked into Tuesday’s announcement on China’s decision to provide hefty subsidies of up to almost $9,000 for private purchases of electric battery cars — a measure to stimulate demand in the world’s biggest auto market — is a new incentive program for small gasoline-fueled cars.

Bangkok • BRT service starts on Sathorn
May 30 • The Nation • Bus Rapid Transit
Bangkok's first BRT service between Sathorn and Ratchapruek was officially opened yesterday. The service will run free of charge for a test-run period up until August 31. From September 1, the bus fare will be a flat rate of Bt10 for about four months, after which progressive rates from Bt12 to Bt20 will be enforced from January 2 onwards.

Guangzhou • Guangzhou mayor: BRT a success; will be extended to new corridors [Chinese]
May 29 • New Express Daily • Bus Rapid Transit

Guangzhou • Cars Soaked, Damaged by Torrential Rains in Guangzhou
May 20 • Global Times • Parking
Since torrential rains started in Guangzhou in early May, some 13,000 cars have been soaked and badly damaged by the water in Guangzhou, mostly in underground parking lots. "About 60 to 70 percent of the soaked cars have now been sold on used car market." according to a person in charge of an automobile repair plant. He also said that "cars in such condition usually sell for 20 to 30 percent less than what they would normally fetch."

[Global] • The status quo of electric cars: better batteries, same range
May 19 • The Oil Drum • Energy & Fuel
"If today's supporters of EV's would dig into the specifications and the sales brochures of early 20th century electric "horseless carriages", their enthusiasm would quickly disappear. Fast-charged batteries (to 80% capacity in 10 minutes), automated battery swapping stations, public charging poles, load balancing, the entire business plan of Better Place, in-wheel motors, regenerative braking: it was all there in the late 1800s or the early 1900s. It did not help. Most surprisingly, however, is the seemingly non-existent progress of battery technology. The Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, two electric cars to be introduced on the market in 2010, have exactly the same range as the 1908 Fritchle Model A Victoria: 100 miles (160 kilometres) on a single charge." "A few years earlier [than 1914], members of the Electric Vehicle Association of America tried to impose a standard maximum speed of 32 km/h (20 mph) for electric vehicles, because power requirements increased rapidly above that limit. They feared that higher speeds would threaten the all-important range of the automobiles. They did not succeed. Too many manufacturers tried to compete with gasoline cars (and with each other) by designing faster electric vehicles."

Sydney • Benefits of bike network far outweigh cost, says study
May 14 • SMH • Bicycle Facilities
A report by AECOM, commissioned by the City of Sydney and to be released today, says the 293-kilometre network proposed by 15 councils would deliver $506 million in economic benefits to the community over 30 years, $3.88 for every dollar spent. Even if building costs were higher that expected, the benefits of the network would far outweigh the costs, with quicker trips delivering savings of $211 million, or 30.9 per cent of the total, health benefits after deductions for injuries estimated at $147 million and decongestion benefits at $98 million, the report says. It says one of the biggest economic benefits would come from improved ''journey ambience'', or cycling free from the fear of being hit by cars, a pleasure it says is worth $139 million, or nearly 20 per cent of all savings.

Guangzhou • Rainwaters Flood 1,409 Vehicles in Underground Garages
May 13 • Xinhua • Parking
In the greatest tragedy since the Asian Tsunami, judging by the reaction of the local car-owning elite as faithfully trumpetted in the local and even national media (Xinhua), thousands of cars in underground parking lots in Guangzhou were flooded following a torrential downpour several nights ago.

Xiamen • Kinglong 18m BRT buses introduced in Xiamen
April 29 • Chinabuses.org • BRT Vehicles
Six 3-door 18m BRT buses were introduced on 24 April 2010 to alleviate crowding and increase capacity on the Xiamen BRT, which is currently the 2nd highest-demand (7,400 passengers/hr/direction) BRT system in Asia, after Guangzhou (26,900 pass/hr/dir). And 6 additional 18m BRT buses are being introduced as a temporary measure to cope with high passenger demand over the 1-3 May holiday period.

Kinglong 18m articulated bus

Zhengzhou • Yutong Sells 202 Double Decker Buses to Macedonia
April 21 • Chinabuses.com • Bus Industry
Macedonia will purchase 202 double decker buses from China's largest bus maker Zhengzhou Yutong Group for 35 million euros (US$47.5 million, or $235,000 per bus). Macedonia's Transport Minister said that 68 buses would be delivered by the end of 2011, while the remaining vehicles were expected by 2013. "The buses will have a unique, retro design only for Skopje." Zhengzhou Yutong Group is one of the biggest bus makers in Asia, producing 150 vehicles per day.

Sydney • Bid to pump life into traffic artery
April 17 • SMH • Land Use & Housing
The relentless roar of vehicles, the exhaust fumes, the way Parramatta Road has become a physical dividing line of Sydney makes it [...] ''a classic traffic sewer''. The Planning Institute of Australia and the Urban Development Institute of Australia are pushing the government to revive its 2001 Parramatta Road Project, which aimed to upgrade the corridor with better public transport, more housing and retailers. The planners are urging a new tunnel to divert traffic, and a very high cost, low capacity, low coverage light rail line which will magically transform everything and solve all traffic, urban development, and other issues.

Boulevard of broken dreams ... derelict shops feature on Parramatta Road, but urban planners want to revive a scheme to transform the wasteland into vibrant hubs. Photo: Nick Moir

Guangzhou • Traffic curbs planned in Guangzhou to clear the air
April 14 • Shenzhen Daily • Vehicle Restrictions
According to a proposal by the Guangzhou's environment agency presented to the Guangzhou Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which opened Sunday, restrictions would be imposed on 800,000 of the city's 1.35 million vehicles, with the aim of reducing air pollution during the Asian Games. This would include a ban on at least 30 percent of the city's 23,000 public vehicles from Oct. 12 to Dec. 22. The Asian Games run from November 12-27 2010. Li Zhuo, director of the Guangzhou EPB, said that the Guangdong government and city governments in the Pearl River Delta would introduce similar restrictions on public vehicles to help curb air pollution.

Guangzhou • Motorcycles Banned in Guangzhou University Town
April 08 • Life of Guangzhou • Motorcycles

Beijing • Beijing to extend restriction on car use
April 03 • China Daily • Vehicle Restrictions
Beijing's car owners are prohibited from driving one day each week based on the last digit of their license plates.

[Global] • Daimler pleads guilty to US global bribery charges
April 02 • AFP • Vehicle Industry
German automaker Daimler pleaded guilty to US charges of bribery and agreed to pay a 185 million US dollar settlement. Daimler had earlier admitted to making hundreds of payments worth tens of millions of dollars to government officials in at least 22 countries between 1998 and 2008. The kickbacks of cash and gifts of luxury armoured cars, golf clubs and vacations helped secure government contracts worth millions of dollars in China, Russia, Thailand, Greece, Iraq and other countries.

Lagos • UK to invest £30m in Nigerian public transport system
March 31 • The Guardian • Public Transport
"Over the next few years Britain will invest more than £30m increasing the number of bus routes, bringing in bigger buses and helping to build two new train lines to go through some of the most densely populated areas of Lagos. [...]The switch to investing in the urban environment rather than rural areas marks a significant shift in approach to combating poverty. Until very recently most aid has been directed at rural areas to try and stem the flow of people to cities and boost agriculture. But there is a new understanding that hunger in large cities and poverty is now as bad in cities as in rural areas."

Photo: Pius Utomi Ekpei /AFP/Getty Images

Hong Kong • Air Quality in Hong Kong Seen as Possible Liability
March 31 • New York Times • Health & Air Pollution
"For Hong Kong, pollution is not just about poor visibility and canceled school athletics. Many analysts and business people say the failure to push ahead on controlling emissions also risks tarnishing Hong Kong’s reputation of being one of Asia’s most advanced cities. [...] A survey conducted in 2008 by the American Chamber of Commerce found that about 40 percent of companies in Hong Kong had experienced difficulty recruiting professionals to come and work in the city. Many more said they knew of people who had turned down job opportunities here or were thinking of leaving because of the environment."

China BRT

ITDP-China

Photo Library