ecocity | publicity | mobility

Mapping Public Transport Flows

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:52:53 PST

Detail of Greater London, which features the UK's most dense and complex multimodal networks.
Individual vehicles are more obvious in this animation due to the smaller size of the area as compared to the previous one. It is interesting to visualise the bus network transition from night to day, the steady 'pulse' of the tube network throughout its service and the Stansted-Heathrow-Gatwick connection defined by the coach network. This movie has been generated using OpenGL. Vehicle trajectories in the animation use straight lines between stops. Waiting time in a public transport stop is defined in the dataset and so is also taken into account in the animation. Air travel data in the dataset is only available for Scotland.

This movie maps train, coach, metro (tram and tube), ferry and air trips for England, Scotland and Wales over a typical weekday in 2009. Different modes of transport are assigned different colours, and time is represented by the clock at the top left. The animation clearly highlights the complexity of the networks, the distinct transport geographies of the UK’s cities and regions, and the daily peaks of activity. The movie below shows bus trips for the same region.

Original Post

Peugeot + Phillipe Starck City Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:42:38 PST

Peugeot have made a huge effort to gain some courier street cred by recruiting world-renowned French product designer Philippe Starck for their provocative city bike design.

However, there is more than just a marketing exercise for Peugeot as the design of the "ideal city bike" was carried out in collaboration with the city of Bordeaux to whom the inhabitants will be able to loan the bikes as an expansion of the city's existing bike share scheme.

The city has over the last decade introduced many traffic reduction measures and built a hugely successful tram system and emphasis on low carbon commuting has produced a 10% bicycle modal share, a share that it is hoping to grow further in the near future.

The bike itself will be manufactured by Peugeot and is classified as a PMV. It is actually a bicycle / scooter hybrid which I personally find quite strange. This is not an electric bike but a simulacrum that is actually a scooter with a motor hidden somewhere out of view. Well done Philippe Starck. What next, a car that you can pedal with you're feet...oh yeah I remember seeing that somewhere before....

Hat tip: Fast Company

'PARK'ing Oostkamp

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:21:24 PST

H + N + S Landscape Architects, in collaboration with Artgineering and ARA, recently won the open call competition for the design and implementation of the commuter parking Oostkamp bear Brugges in Belgium. The proposal "PARK'ING Oostkamp" proposes an innovative concept to make carpooling attractive. The particular landscape location and a sophisticated road system forms the technical basis for the proposal.

Traffic Management Plan

At the height of the slip roads along the E40 in Oostkamp, a new carpool parking will be arranged in the area north of the E40 along the Kapellestraat. West-Flanders dept. of Roads and Traffic estimates the demand on parking spaces to be 80 places and asked the designers to explore the inclusion of approximately 20 parking spaces for trucks.

The site situated within one of the prominent landscape features of the area.

The area is a pasture land in the northwest bounded by a cut and wild part of the alley between the castle and Gruuthuyse Nieuwenhove. It is located within a scenic landscape of old fields, which the castle parks, forest areas and allées are the structuring landscape elements. The green design of the project can be made to restore the landscape spatial link with the surrounding forest and castle areas.

The plan represents a hybrid park / park + ride programme.

Detail cross section of the hard landscaping.

Section through the site.

A high quality design for the area to ensure that both functions - as a green area and a commuter car park - in the region reinforce each other. A spatial landscape analysis of the broader environment forms the basis for the concept design level that indicates how the area can be arranged. The wider environment is not only important from a landscape and natural point of view but also from traffic-related perspective for both cyclists and car traffic. Possibly the area include a role in the cycling network that crosses the area.

Flow management scheme. Black (Vehicular), Green (bicyclist), and Yellow (pedestrian).

Parking layout plan.

Bankside Bikeshed Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:26:28 PDT

Architects description:

The core principle of the design is to integrate a simple roof structure with the locking facilities required for the secure storage of bicycles. The result is a clean and elegant solution that is almost iconic in its simplicity and would be instantly recognisable across Bankside. By using a flexible kit of parts, the bike shelter can be adapted to different requirements for different sites across Bankside. Additional locking elements can be added to provide further levels of security. Horizontal cross bars guide the direction of bike storage and provide further stability when parking a cycle. Lockers can also be added to give increased levels of security for frequent users for over-night and long-term cycle storage. Bolt-connections and small and lightweight individual parts allow the structure to be easily assembled disassembled, moved and rebuilt across different sites.

Given the minute £10,000 budget for the design and construction of the winning prototype, it's no wonder why such a limited design won the Bankside Bikeshed competition. However, the winning entry by Studio Meda Architects does aspire to achieve a minimal architecture that is aspirational to reach the sublime heights of minimalism. The dense thicket of thin columns brings to mind Ishigami's Kait workshop. The design does bring to mind: if SANAA designed a bike shed, what would it look like? Well it certainly wouldn't look like this one thats for sure, and would must likely cost £1,000,000 rather than £10,000 if their wonderful Serpentine pavilion in anything to go by. By combining locking facilities and roof structure, the amount of visual clutter on the streets can be reduced.

The shortlisted entries for the Bankside Bikeshed can be found at the Architecture Foundation

Competition website. Via Architects: Studio Meda

Bike Parking | Zaandam, The Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:19:50 PDT

Nunc Architects have designed a warehouse for parking bicycles in the Netherlands.

Description from the architects:

Designed to release the pressure on the public space of the main shopping avenue of Zaandam, the fietsenpakhuis accommodates a daily storage of 700 bicycles. Due to a overwhelming popularity of bike use in the Netherlands, many town centers suffer congestion of the public domain. In Zaandam inhabitants are stimulated to leave the car and travel by bike.

In the golden age Zaandam functioned as the industrial area of Amsterdam. Goods were traded in Amsterdam, and refined here. Back then with the massive use of over 600 windmills. Later steam and electricity took over, leaving the Zaanstreek with a fascinating naturally grown landscape of huge factories and small wooden houses standing side by side.

The design of the Fietsenpakhuis is inspired by the archetype of the “Zaanse” warehouse. An expressive wooden structure of beams and columns supports the building and is enclosed by a shell of brickwork. The Fietsenpakhuis is designed as a public space, inviting all cyclists to enter. A huge folding door that opens completely gives access to a double-height open space with a gently inclined staircase leading to the upper floor. The street facade is transparent showing off the main function of its existence, the stored bicycles. The ground floor is paved with bricks, visually connecting the outer street with the interior. The glass panels in the street facade are stacked in overlap referring to the wooden claddings as seen on regional barns and houses since the 17th century. The transparency of the facades as well as the roof lights allows daylight to enter. On ground level a big window reveals the workshop of the mechanics. They control the free entrance of the parking, and handle the other functions; public toilets, bike repair, renting out bikes and lockers. The Fietsenpakhuis is sustainable in many ways. Fewer people travel by car. Materials are locally won, the wood used on structure and roof is certified. The building is using passive solar heating and is naturally ventilated. Electricity is generated by using solar panels on the rooftops providing almost all energy needs, keeping the ecological footprint of the building to a minimum.

via: Contemporist

architects website: Nunc Architects

Union Station Bike Parking

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:22:53 PDT

A nice bicycle parking garage for 1,000 bikes at Union Station in Washington D.C. designed by KGP design studio. Scroll down to see a great Streetfilms video on how the station is managed and some reaction from daily commuters. The structure of the station is inspired by the bicycle itself and represents an interpretation of the bicycle wheel.

The station is not just a parking garage, but also accommodates lockers, changing rooms, bike rental, and a repair shop.

Echoing a bicycle wheel’s elegance and efficiency, arched steel tubes are stabilized by a series of “spokes” or stainless steel tie rods in order to lighten up the structure. An energy efficient “skin” optimizes transparency while further moderating temperature. Further minimizing heat gain, denser graduated ceramic frit low-e glazing, opens up progressively to views of the plaza level.

Double - deck bicycle storage is great for maximizing the parking capacity per m2.

The station's iconic arc shape

And the short film about the life of the station from Streetfilms.

BMW presents The New City

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:59:10 PST

This is the first installment from the BMW Documentary Series "Wherever You Want To Go". The series is taking a look at the future of mobility. The series features some of the most influential scientists, academics, pioneers, and entrepreneurs of our time. The four-part documentary paints a unique picture of technology, culture, cities, our past, present and how it all relates to the future of mobility and not a BMW in sight! Go figure.

The Fietsappel

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 04:07:10 PST

In August of last year, the city of Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands opened the Bicycle Apple, a bicycle parking facility with a capacity of 970 bicycles. The Bicycle Apple is located next to the train station which promotes the culture of intermodality which is so prevalent in the Netherlands. Existing bicycle parking near the station, parking more than 4,000 bicycles, had already reached capacity.

Designed by architects, Wytze Patijn & Kuiper Compagnons, the main floor is spiral shaped with the steel work having a diameter of 27.5 meters and a height of 15.5 meters. The ramp on which the bikes are parked, wraps itself in a spiral (apple peel) for a cone-shaped "core" of steel columns.

Cycle Parking Lot

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:49:27 PST

Annie Scheel

This is the winning entry to a design competition for bike commuter facilities in Downtown Philadelphia. The all-in-one and masterplan designed by Columbia graduate, Annie Scheel, gives a place in the city for the exploding populations of urban cyclist commuters. The multi-storey bicycle storage facility can hold up to 690 bicycles.

Annie Scheel

From Inhabitat: Proposed for a central location at 13th & Market, BIKE is a public amenity for the people of Philly. The structure includes bike storage, a bike shop, a restaurant, a courtyard, showers, meeting rooms, bike sharing and even bike rentals for tourists. Its location provides easy access to the central business district, public transportation lines, and tourist attractions.

Scheel’s design would take over an existing parking lot, repurposing half of it into a bicycle facility and developing the other half for commercial purposes. The bike transit center consists of an L-shaped building in the back with offices, rooms, showers, stores and restaurants. The street is lined with a multi-story bike storage system, which closes off the central courtyard and green space. This courtyard design helps ease the urban heat island effect while providing natural daylighting and ventilation.

Annie Scheel

As interest in bike commuting increases, Scheel’s design has room to expand and would take over additional parking lot or infill lots strategically located throughout the city for similar facilities. The relative generic nature of this design means that it this a concept could easily be rolled out to other cities across the US. In a stagnent real estate climate, large brownfield sites in strategic city centre locations are often left idle until the upturn materializes. This design could easily occupy these sites temporarily and put them to good use, reducing congestion and pollution in the city simultaneously.

more info: view the competition results here

Copenhagen Bicycle Parking

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:05:21 PST

A nice little video featuring bicycle parking in Copenhagen, produced by Copenhagenize.com

toronto bike rack designs materialize

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:59:10 PST

The winning designs of the Ontario College of Art & Design's student bike rack competition have been installed along Queen St. West in Toronto. The jovial comic-book style speech bubble designs celebrate and animate the stationary bike, while reflecting an emerging pride in the city's cycling culture.

According to the designers, Evi Hui, Olivier Mayrand and Michael Pham who are fourth-year Design students at OCAD, " the inspiration came from Queen Street itself, and the street is a place of culture and expression. We also drew inspiration from pop culture signs and symbols."

more information: top 10 design entries from the competition

via: blogto.com

London BikeShed Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:40:27 PST

image: leon zhu | dynamic soeul

The Architecture Foundation has launched an international design competition for a portable bike shed at Bankside, south London.

Run on behalf of local business improvement district Better Bankside, the brief is for a modular, portable and secure cycle parking solution.

With up to 17 per cent of regular trips to the area made by bicycle, the competition is part of Better Bankside’s EU-funded Smart Green Business strategy which aims to boost local businesses’ eco-performance and promote further cycling in the area.

Open to architects, designers, artists, product designers and other disciplines, entrants are encouraged to produce ‘flexible and innovative yet realisable’ proposals.

A prototype of the winning entry will be built with Better Bankside keen to establish the bike shed in the western end of its zone by March.

Entries will be judged anonymously by a jury featuring Deborah Saunt of DSDHA; Ashok Sinha, chief executive of the London Cycling Campaign; Sarah Ichioka, director of the Architecture Foundation and Jonathan Bell, architecture editor at Wallpaper* magazine.

More information: Bankside BikeShed Competition

Urban Mobility Beyond the Car

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:01:07 PST

As part of the MaHS/MaUSP programme at KU Leuven, ecourb was involved in a project looking at 'Urban Mobility Beyond the Car'. We decided to create a comic book, in the style of the 'Yes is More' archicomic published last year by BIG. The results of this comic are shown here.

The comic book focuses on sustainable urban mobility models from selected cities throughout the world. Each member of the group chose one transport model that has been developed for a specific city or context. These transport system case studies offer viable alternatives to cities currently choked with vehicular traffic and congestion, most often the case caused from a huge growth in private car usage. Equally important, these case studies highlight climate change and peak oil issues, in particular, the role new models of urban mobility can play in the future development of low-carbon human settlements. The potential for the case studies to be used in other contexts will also be discussed, emphasizing the potential for south-south and south-north transference.

Some examples of case studies in the book include a very successful Bus Rapid Transit system in Bogota, shared taxis in Indonesia, bicycle infrastructures in Copenhagen and new innovative technologies emerging in China. These urban mobility models can shape the future visions of the cities that they are or can be a future part of, while at the same time discussing the past and present urban mobility conditions that have allowed that particular transport model to develop.

Peak Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 04:10:15 PST

A new study of trend in passenger transport in 8 industrialized countries recently published points to the possible existence of peak travel. Historically as GNP rose, so too did travel activity among the population. However, new evidence has come to light that suggests once a certain GNP level is reached, the passenger kilometers travelled per year per capita stagnates and in some instances, begins to fall. This prediction is completely at odds with government predictions which point to continuing growth in passenger travel well beyond 2030.

The recent christmas travel disruption throughout the northern europe and north america has highlighted not just how mobile we are as a society today, but also the vulnerability of our mobility systems when faced with extreme weather events. Resilience is a buzzword becoming increasingly popular in the climate change circles, from grassroots activists to urban designers and now even policy makers are realizing that dealing with more frequent extreme climate events will require stronger and more flexible structures. So, is a more resilient society, one which travels less?

Melinda Burns at Miller McClune describes it:

Beginning in 1970, they found, motorized passenger travel grew rapidly in all eight countries as greater prosperity led to rising car ownership and domestic air travel. But after 2000, when per capita GDP in the U.S. hit $37,000, passenger travel stopped growing. In the other countries, passenger travel leveled out at a GDP of $25,000 to $30,000 per capita.

Most of the eight countries in the study have experienced declines in miles traveled by car per capita in recent years. The U.S. appears to have peaked at an annual 8,100 miles by car per capita, and Japan is holding steady at 2,500 miles.

Worryingly, vehicle occupancy also declined, as more and more people drove alone. In the U.S, the average vehicle occupancy is 1.7 people per car, down from 2.2 in 1970, reflecting a likely shift away from carpooling.

Peak travel holds a glimmer of collateral benefits for the industrialized world. Higher prices at the pump, including higher fuel taxes, could help stimulate the manufacture of smaller, less powerful cars, change people’s driving habits and foment a renaissance in walking and bicycling, reducing carbon dioxide emissions below their present levels, Schipper said.

Delhi traffic jam

The growth of motorized travel in China, India and Brazil will reduce the overall impact of gains in the industrialized world, but they are still gains, he said. The average American car on the road today uses a third less fuel per mile than in 1973, and 20 percent less than in 1981, he said. For European cars, the savings is between 20 percent and 25 percent.

“My basic thesis is, ‘There ain’t room on the road,’” he said. “You can’t move in Jakarta or Bangkok or any large city in Latin America or in any city in the wealthy part of China. I think Manila takes the prize. Yes, fuel economy is really important, and yes, hybrid cars will help. But even a car that generates no CO2 still generates a traffic problem.

“Sadly, what is going to restrain car use the most is that you can’t move.”

More information:

+ Miller-McClune ' A road less traveled' by Melinda Burns
+ An earlier version of the study

Green Highways?

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:41:43 PST

photo: conor o'brien

Ok, I have to admit, I'm pretty bored at this stage hearing the same thing over and over again about how hydrogen and electric cars are going to change our lives forever. It's not that I'm skeptical, because I'm not, but move on people, these technologies need to be mainstreamed. In the meantime we have to fill the gap. How do we make our existing highways into green highways?

Well the first thing is turn off those excessive motorway lights, not pointing any fingers or anything...ugh....Belgium. Another European country, Finland is proposing the world's first carbon neutral highway connecting Turku in the west through Helsinki to the Russian border in the east. The 81 mile stretch of road is dedicated to electric vehicles. The service stations along the motorway, pictured below, not only provide solar electricity but also locally sourced biofuels. And back to the lighting issue, the motorway will be lit by smart lighting that switches off at entry points where no cars are present. Also the lights will adjust to compensate for the weather conditions. Add to this LED street lights which are up to 60% more efficient than traditional roadway lighting, last for 12 years and allow for cost recovery through energy savings in just three years.

solar electric car charging station along the green highway.

“The aim is to create the model for an ecological highway that could be used even on an international level,” said Aki Marjasvaara with the Loviisa municipality spearheading the project. “No other such project exists. This would set an example to the world,” he told AFP.

Car sharing services such as Zipcar and car pooling services such as Zimride have been making strides in gaining a critical mass, the later helped by the fact that is it funded by Facebook and runs it's offices out of the building next door in Paolo Alto. But what is the next big innovation?

image: EU Sartre

Over this side of the pond, the European Union's Safe Road Trains for the environment has been progressing nicely, according to Wired's Autopia.

In a road train, a platoon of cars are electronically tethered to follow closely behind a professionally driven lead vehicle — most likely a bus. While the cars can drive themselves on highways, this Sartre does have an exit and drivers can take over the wheel whenever it’s time to head to an individual destination.

With the system, Sartre engineers hope to increase aerodynamic efficiency and reduce congestion with no changes in infrastructure, while giving drivers all the benefits of carpooling with the privacy of an individual car.

After a year of concept development and simulation work, which can be seen in the video below, Sartre plans to have a real-world test with a single following car by the end of 2010. The prospect of keeping our eyes on our iPads while our cars drive themselves in formation behind a lead vehicle seemed intriguing, so we were glad to hear that the tests seemed to be going well.

“We now look forward to the next stage of the work of the project, which will see vehicle tests, initially of just of a single vehicle for sensor, actuator and control-system validation,” said Tom Robinson, project coordinator for Ricardo U.K., one of Sartre’s seven project partners. “Then of a two-vehicle platoon later this year and subsequently through the remainder of the project, a multiple-vehicle platoon in order to test, develop, validate and identify remaining implementation issues for the entire Sartre system.”

Development will continue until 2012, with a five-car road train as a final project goal.

Biking Meets Carbon Offsetting

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 05:15:18 PST

Bike sharing / Carbon Offsetting can be the future according to this nice little ditt from CityRyde Inspire. B-Cycle in the United States is already implementing the first generation of smart bikes which can track your carbon offsets from an on-board computer. I love the way they say European-style bike sharing scheme! Come on guys, we got ourselves a stat lovin'American-style bike sharing scheme on the cards here. Nice work Denver.

Video via good.is

Amsterdam Street Art

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:15:41 PST

Thanks Pim for sharing this photo with the world!

New Bicycle Path, LISBOA

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:31:22 PST

Here is a wonderful project with the promotion of urban cycling at its core, while at the same time improving the quality of urban space along the river banks of the Tagus in Lisboa. The remarkable thing about this project is the minimal interventions used, no expensive paving here, just a really nice graphic language deployed onto urban surfaces. I can't help but be reminded on Caruso St. John's wonderful Bankside Directional Signage System in London. Simple, Everyday Urbanism.

Description: This project is part of a greater strategy of a cycling network which is being developed by the municipality of Lisbon. However, the relation with the city’s harbor and the river Tagus sets forth an unique identity for this particular route. The heterogeneity of spaces and environments, the proximity or crossing of several industrial and monumental sites drive us to approach this place with caution and sobriety and, at the same time, to determine exactly what is the space through which this route wanders about.

There are conflicts because of the presence and characteristics of so many different surfaces associated with so many contexts which, on the other hand, have an important role in the construction of city’s image and memory and its relation with the river. This acknowledgment took us to pursue a careful study of the successive layers and covers which were accumulated on the river bank in order to find a common ground and to produce a clearer and intenser image.

The design lays down a reversible bicycle trail over the memory of the river bank, the city and the river itself in order to minimize conflicts with other mobility modes and to imprint an unmistakable route.

The strategy first lined out by the municipality is accepted totally and with rigour. In addiction the project interprets the clarity of its linear form with a system of signs, impressions and incisions on the vast mosaic of preexisted or introduced surfaces. Communication, displacement and experience become space attributes for the riparian city borders.

Graphic Designer: Atelier P-06

Architect: João Gomes da Silva _ global, arquitectura paisagista

Speed Camera Lottery

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:42:34 PST

Who knew reducing speed in urban areas, and consequently improving the quality of the urban environment could be, well, fun?

History of Cycle Paths in the Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:47:21 PST

Interesting video detailing the evolution of Cycle Paths in the Netherlands.

More info: A view from a Cycle Path

China: The (lost) Kingdom Of Bicycles?

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:06:46 PST

photo: Wang Wenlan

According to Wang Fuchang, the Chinese director of the Department of Equipment Industry under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, "it is estimated that automobile ownership in China will exceed 200 million in 2020, causing serious energy security and environmental issues." Currently, there is a year on year increase of approximately 30% in private car numbers.

The Star reports that while morning rush hour in Beijing and Shanghai used to be rivers of cyclists flowing in a majestic hush down broad bike lanes, today, many of those lanes have been taken over by cars and buses.

Yet despite China's leap into modernity, the bicycle is far from dead, in fact it's numbers are growing. For many Chinese, pedal power remains a mainstay for commuting, sending children to school or making a living. And getting around the traffic jams.

As the Chinese fall in love with cars, and Westerners fall out of love with them, China is once again a winner. According to the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank, of the 130 million bikes manufactured worldwide last year, China made 90 million, and exported two-thirds of them. About nine in 10 bikes bought by Americans are made in China.

more information: china today

Urban Mobility Beyond Cars: Dublin

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 02:29:20 PST

Ecological Urbanism is delighted to announce that my research proposal 'Urban Mobility Beyond Cars" has recently been shortlisted for a research competition organised by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. The competition,
3Twenty10, was a call for Irish Architects to identify solutions to the challenges facing Ireland’s built environment in the aftermath of the boom years. It explores how the profession can contribute to the wider debate about national recovery.

The proposal, carried out under the supervision of architect, John McLaughlin, explores Dublin's potential to implement a 'Dutch-style' intermodal transport model, connecting heavy rail with bicycling. The argument is made that this is particularly important in low-density cities and as such, it offers Dublin a viable solution to the ‘last mile’ challenge facing public transport.

It is difficult to broach the subject of tackling climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions without addressing how we fundamentally move about in the world today. Excluding international aviation and maritime shipping, transport accounted for 19% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU (2004). While the transport sector is not the largest emitter, it was the only sector within the EU to increase its share of greenhouse gases between 1990 – 2004. Against an average decrease of -5 %, transport emissions increased by 26%, thus offsetting much of drop in other sectors, such as energy production, industry and services for example. Over that same time period, transport related GHG emissions in Ireland rose a staggering 157%, much of this attributed to recent commuting patterns emerging in and around urban centers in the country.

Sector related GHG emissions in Ireland

“The quality of transport infrastructure is a key consideration in determining the competitiveness aspect of any location” Engineers Ireland / The Irish Academy of Engineering

With mobility and development so inextricably linked in the modern world, it is of paramount importance to develop low carbon mobility alternatives to those with which we have become so accustomed to today. Nowhere is this more pertinent a question to ask than Dublin city, a city that has become intoxicated by, and completely addicted to the car.

While the private car is accountable for over 40% of GHG emissions coming from the country’s transport sector, there is another more pressing issue that makes addressing urban mobility fundamentally important to the future sustainable growth of the city. Congestion already mires many people’s experience of the city.

“The delivery of transport and communication infrastructure effectively and economically requires greater urbanisation and increased population densities, with investment focused on areas served by public transport and away from those areas more reliant on private motoring.” Building a Better Ireland

By 2026, the population of the Greater Dublin Area is estimated to reach 2.4 million people. To put it more clearly, if the CSO are correct in their predictions, in 16 years time there will be approximately half of today’s population extra in the Greater Dublin Area. For future sustainable development it is not an option to further development the rural hinterland, intensification of the city is required.

How do we intensify the city without the car?

Suggested Transport Modal Goals for Dublin

Due to the restrictions of the canal bridges, Dublin city centre can only handle a certain amount of vehicular traffic without causing gridlock. Furthermore, the city’s streets for the most part were designed for the horses and cart, not the car. If the density of the city centre within the canals is to increase to accommodate the growth in population, the people who live within the canals will have to get around the city with fewer cars.

Further to this, to get more people who live outside the canals to use the centre of the city for activities, including work, there is a need for an economical and efficient way to travel in and out of the centre that is not harmful to the environment. If another transportation model is not embraced, the city core unfortunately will reach the limit of its capacity for intensification.

“A general requirement that significant housing development in all cities and towns must have good public transport connections and safe routes for walking and cycling to access such connections and local amenities…Our vision is to create a strong cycling culture in Ireland and ensure that all cities, towns, villages and rural areas will be cycling-friendly. Cycling will be a normal way to get about, especially for short trips.”Smarter Travel

The low density nature of Dublin is such that public transport systems such as the bus service are economically unsustainable. Cycling is one of the most economical ways of replacing the 60% of car trips that are under 5 miles in the city.

Using the Dutch intermodal transport model, connecting heavy rail with bicycling increases the catchment areas around public transport nodes and thus increases the use of public transport. This is particularly important in low-density cities and as such, it offers Dublin a viable solution to the ‘last mile’ challenge facing public transport.

Heavy Rail is the most energy efficient and least polluting way of bringing people into the city centre. In response to this, current planning practices insist of higher densities along rail corridors. In order to mainstream cycling as an important mode of transport in the city, it is crucial to put in place infrastructure that allows for the seamless integration of cycling into the public transportation system. The success of Dublin bikes is testament to this. However, in order to achieve a modal share similar to Amsterdam or Copenhagen, Dublin must embrace many of the developments made in those cities.

Increasingly Dublin is competing on a global scale against other capital cities such as Amsterdam, Zurich and Copenhagen. City ranking systems such as the Mercer Quality of Living Index and the Mercer Eco-city index are important guides for foreign companies seeking to establish international headquarters in Europe. Unfortunately, Dublin is falling way behind its competitors who consistently feature in the top ten while Dublin languishes in the mid thirties. Therefore it is in the economic interest of the city to invest in developing its public realm and transport infrastructure.

As so eloquently described by urban theorist David Engwicht, “Cities can be defined as a mechanism for maximising the diversity of exchanges while simultaneously minimising travel”. While there exists planned exchanges and unplanned exchanges, what ultimately drives the creative city and the economic vitality of the city is the spontaneous exchanges that it creates. Public transport, cycling and walking all facilitate spontaneous exchanges, being cocooned in private cars does not. Moreover, noisy streets filled with traffic definitely do not.

College Green has the potential to regain its status as the civic heart of Dublin.

Creating a city with more journeys by foot, by bicycle and by public transport can lead to efficient transport systems, economic stimulus, and the development of sustainable and resilient communities within the city, contributing to an enhanced character of the city for Dubliners today and generations to come.

Reclaiming the Quays from the hegemony of the automobile.

The envisaged outcome of this research would be a developed urban design vision for cycling and public realm design in the city, including a more detailed design for a selected public realm; modelled on the New York City Department of Transport’s strategic plan ‘Sustainable Streets’, prepared by Jan Gehl architects.

image: New York Times

Reclaiming car parking spaces with bike racks

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:18:47 PDT

one car parking space can park up to 14 bicycles.

Copenhagen has been stealthy and steadily with it's bicycle revolution. One of the city's central policies in bringing about the huge transformation towards the world's no. 1 cycle city status has been the slow removal of car parking spaces in the city centre over the last 30 years, a policy promoted by renowned Danish architect, Jan Gehl. With 2% of the city's on street car parking removed every year, the citizens don't notice this happening, according to Gehl.

With the Cargo Bicycle culture a hinge factor for the success of Copenhagen, it has had it's own unique problems. With so many cargo bikes in the city, parking space is a constant problem for these large bicycles. Beset with this problem, the city of Copenhagen launched these colourful cars that can accommodate up to four cargo bicycles, protecting them from the elements and also theft. An ingenious solution, these bike storage containers are simply plonked down on a car parking space in the city, and presto, a cargo bike storage facility!

One of the pink Ladcykels in the city.

Another great example comes from designer, Ilian Milinov, a recent entry to Designboom's Seoul Cycle City design competition. The car silhouette offers a striking image of intent to any city who dares put them out on the streets, but as Copenhagen have proven, small steps make big differences.

Transport Innovations in China

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 06:58:44 PDT

Breaking High-Speed Train Speed records, Planning routes to Europe, and the development of radical new concepts for futuristic urban trains, China is trailblazing its way to the top of the race to build low carbon alternatives to air transport. Here are some recent developments on transport innovation in China.

China Claims High-Speed Train Speed Records

This month, Shanghai’s latest bullet train has obliterated the previous record for the fastest high speed train in the world by 21km/h. The lightning fast train was able to reach a speed of 415km/h, and come late October it will service lucky commuters traveling from Shanghai to Hangzhou (which are approximately 202km apart). To be clear, the Shanghai train broke the world record for high-speed train travel, not conventional rail travel. The record holder for conventional rail travel is the French TGV, which clocked in at 574 kph.

Meanwhile, last week the Chinese rail service is claiming yet another record has been smashed by one of their locally produced trains reaching a top speed of 421 km per hour – the fastest ever by a scheduled train. The new record was achieved by the government opening a new rail line between Hongqiao and Hangzhou, two districts that are 200km apart. On its inauguration, two bullet trains travelled between the two suburbs running up the impressive speed.

via inhabitat

China Developing Maglev Train That Can Go 1000kph

According to the laboratory at Southwest Jiaotong University, a prototype is currently being worked on that'll average 500km/h to 600km/h, with a far smaller train to hit upwards of 1,000km/h in "two or three years."

Maglev trains utilize a system of very large magnets to lift and propel train cars. The magnetic system is able to move at high speeds while being quieter and smoother than a traditional wheeled mass transit train. The current world record for speed on a maglev train is 361 miles per hour and was set in Japan in 2003. The Chinese plan to blow this record out of the water by coupling their maglev technology with underground tunnels that will act as vacuums.

Mag-lev train in Shanghai

The most common problem facing high speed transit is air friction that slows train cars down. The Chinese plan to eliminate this problem with their vacuum tunnels and say their trains will not have to compete with air friction while they travel. Researchers say that the trains could be ready for action in ten years. Though this high speed wonder seems like a great idea, the economic cost of the technology is staggering. How Much? A mere $2.95 million more than the current high speed rail for each kilometer of track.

via inhabitat

China To Connect Its High Speed Rail All The Way To Europe

Image: The Transport Politic

With initial negotiations and surveys already complete, China is now making plans to connect its high speed rail line through 17 other countries in Asia and Eastern Europe in order to connect to the existing infrastructure in the EU. Additional rail lines will also be built into South East Asia as well as Russia, in what will likely become the largest infrastructure project in history.

China hopes to complete this massive infrastructure project within 10 years, which will include three major rail lines running at speeds of 320 km/hour. The first will go from King’s Cross Station in London all the way to Beijing (8,100 km as the crow flies) and will take approximately two days. This line will also then extend down to Singapore. A second HSR line will connect into Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia. The last line to be built will connect Germany to Russia, cross Siberia and then back into China. The exact routes have yet to be determined.

Image: The Transport Politic

Financing and planning for this monstrous project is actually being provided by China, who is already in serious negotiations with 17 countries to develop the project. China states that other countries, like India, came to them first to get the project rolling, because of their experience in designing and building their own HSR network. Financing for the infrastructure will be provided by China and in return the partnering nation will provide natural resources to China. For instance, Burma, which is about to build its link, will exchange lithium (used in batteries), in order for China to build the line.

China benefits because it will be able to transport materials cheaply into manufacturing centers inside its borders and the Eastern Hemisphere benefits by getting a fast, efficient, low carbon transportation system. Considering China has already become the global leader in HSR, their leadership in this new venture could reasonably shift the balance of power in their direction. Also, get ready for a huge influx of HSR station designs in the coming years.

via inhabitat

China’s Straddling Bus

Developed by Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., the bus can straddle up to two lanes of traffic — allowing regular vehicles to go under what is essentially an above-ground subway system. Vehicle drivers, beware.

Shenzhen’s bus can reportedly hold 1200 to 1400 passengers and could cut traffic jams by 20% to 30%. The partially solar-powered system can travel up to 50 mph — and it’s coming to China in 2011.

The train that never stops at a station

Perhaps this design has taken it's cue from the many air-launched rocket-powered aircrafts tested over the last 30 years.

Vintage Velo

noreply@blogger.com (Conor O'Brien) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:14:38 PDT

And in I went to Velo to get my bicycle fixed and there they did give me this beauty of a replacement bicycle, lucky number 7, and what a looker she is! Must be a classic dame... strong, elegant and handy. Pre-cursor to the brompton? Possible. Is she a former mistress to Belgian grandfathers? Before anyone was mentioning jargon such as 'intermodality' and 'sustainable cities', was this one being riden to the train station, taken aboard and then onto the eventual destination? A total transit solution for the 1950's?

Velo is a service that provides thousands of students in Leuven with a bicycle during their studies here. A proud renter myself, velo represents more than just a shoddy creaking zimmerframe / bicycle that come puncture come axle-shear, the guys at Velo will fix it up for you regardless and per gratis. No velo is far more, owning a velo allows one to touch the very soul of the city of Leuven.

The daily routines of fixing the dynamo, cursing my rock hard saddle, antagonizing my agonizing fingers to force a gear change by pressurizing a knife edged gear shifter all fade away into memory as the bicycle is mounted and the kurb provides a prefect launch pad for a gentle push off into the crisp streets of the city. Whizzing past the centuries of tradition and heritage, the cadence quartet of my burring dynamo, shuddering frame, squeaking chain, and squawking saddle seem to find their rhythm. My own philharmonic provide a gentle soundtrack to a day's musings.

Speed increases...motion blurs... my panting chests leads the Allergo, brief exhalations of air linger in the street air in my wake, man and bicycle are working in seamless unity, perfection. The most energy efficient form of motion known to the world, the most beautiful of instruments had found its master, and he was in complete control. Almost at that moment of epiphany, something was wrong, time slowed, the proverbial wheels came off as my orchestra has come to a cacaphonic crescendo. Crash...bang......wallop!! and after...nothing, silence. A new love affair is conceived.

more information: www.kuleuven.be/velo/