Urban Road Transport in Asia’s Developing Countries: Safety and Efficiency Strategy

Abstract

Most of the world’s population and economic growth is occurring in the developing countries (DC) of the Asia-Pacific region. DCs will experience most of the world’s urban growth. Motor vehicles are growing at two to three times the population rate. Road safety and congestion are major concerns. As a consequence, DCs now face alarming urban road transport challenges, which are expected to continue for some years. The supply of transport services has not matched the increased demand, because of insufficient infrastructure development. No comprehensive strategy exists to address the safety and efficiency of the urban transport system. A review is presented of the development of an integrated road safety strategy to address such key concerns as the need to establish a national road safety council, transport data system, and road safety monitoring and enforcement system. An urban road transport strategy is introduced that has been developed to address the overall transport problem, including assessment, objectives, and implementation. The strategy encompasses a wide range of issues, in a comprehensive framework, to create a competitive and sustainable approach to address problems, improve institutional capacity, optimize resource use, and link the road system to community benefits and expectations. Government leadership and sponsor involvement are addressed.