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Last mile Connectivity

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Written By blrsri - 2 May, 2008

Traffic Bangalore lanes parking Local Shuttles bicycles

There has been numerous opinions expressed on transit systems and also the last mile connectivity(from home to station) has come to question here time and again. What are our options:

1. Skateboards - there will surely be lot of leg injuries

2. Free small busses to doorsteps - Budapest does it...but not practical for Blr

3. Bicycles - Arguably the best way to do the trip, again Budapest gives free parking for bicycles

4. Walking - the best..but limited to 1-2 kms

5. Motorbikes/Scooters/scotterette - we have many of them already with us..so using them to get to the local metro/LRT/BRT station should be a breeze

We get there and we need to park. How do we do that?

1. Park bikes in MLCP (multilevel car park)

This is not a very good option as there will be lot of unused space.

2. MLBP(multilevel bike parking)

These parking lots can be tailor made for bikes only. Think this will be the way to go. Any ideas how these parking lots can be?

Afterall we have the most bike population in the whole of India and finding ways to park bikes efficiently should help. anyways.

This will also help in congested roads where we can have multi level bike parking which will free-up space at grade..which can be used for bicycles/walking

COMMENTS

MLP for bikes

narayan82 - 3 May, 2008 - 09:33

Have a parking system where all you do is deposit your bike, and a mechanical system lifts it to its parking slot -which is defined by the collection time. This way it will be faster than riding searching for parking. BUT! We need to build the metro on time first!

Follow example of Austin, TX

mcadambi - 3 May, 2008 - 10:53

When i was in Austin, TX - the Dillo - a free feeder service used to run between routes that could not be served by the regular bus service.

http://www.capmetro.org/riding/routes_400.asp

In Mangalore, i heard that buses go deep into wards so that there is no incentive to have a private vehicle.

A free service that would connect the metro stations would act as feeder routes and thereby provide a platform for people not to have private vehicles.

Mini Buses owned by residential complexes/communities

silkboard - 4 May, 2008 - 04:51

About this point - "2. Free small busses to doorsteps":

Incentivize small residential complexes or communites to run small buses in "local loop" that connect their small neighbohood with select BMTC routes. A few of them already own buses, and already run services till CBD/M G Road. They could leave the trip to CBD/M G Road to BMTC Volvos, and instead focus on last mile connectivity an extending the reach of BMTC.

The thing is - we have to think better than autos.

Auto Menace

narayan82 - 4 May, 2008 - 05:09

Is there a solution to the Auto Menace? - they seem to be the perfect solution to Last Mile Connectivity, yet they are monopolising the situation. They have Unions, large in numbers, aggresive and often dangerous. I never have been able to take an Auto for Minimum fare - its often rounded off to 30 even 50! Meters are tampered with. In fact once, after 200 meters the meter started ticking. If i do the same the distance in 3 different autos, I will get 3 different fares! Bombay is a good example of the Auto System. My travel there has never seen an Auto driver decline a journey, and charge a rupee more than the meter. It was actually a very pleasant journey. No politician will come forward and put this down in his manifesto as it is a sure vote looser. Police seem to have no control over them. Auto's road sense is by far the worst - they cut oneways, lanes and signals freely. Often they clog traffic on narrow roads as the drive and incredibly slow speeds searching for a passenger. What kind of enforcement will bring these Autos in order? Can we have PILs against them? Can we put an easier method of registering complaints?

Last Mile - One More Option

Naveen - 5 May, 2008 - 14:35

BlrSri,

That's a very good list of options with suitability /remarks.

There is one more simple, environment-friendly option which is missing & needs to be promoted - Cycle rickshaws or Pedicab (click the link for a futuristic design) :

[flickr-photo:id=2467233963,size=m]

Cycle-rickshaws were banned in Delhi in Chandni Chowk area - ITDP has taken up the cause of cycle-rickshaws & is fighting a case - I think they will win since the National Urban Transport Policy specifically requires such modes to be promoted.

[Admin edit - put pedicab photo inline]

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