This book discusses the links between population growth, migration and the transport system in China. It first reviews the theories concerning the relationship between population growth, distribution and transport systems from an international perspective and then analyses the history of and changes in population growth, population migration, urbanisation and population spatial distribution in China by using multiple data sources, including the census, China Family Panel Studies data, China Migrants Panel Studies data and mobile phone data. Thirdly, it explores the effects of population growth and migration on transport infrastructures and services in terms of planning, investments, development, operation and management. The book also evaluates the features, strengths and weaknesses of various population policies on the basis of their impacts on transport, birth control, the hukou system, the migration management system and the policies designed to limit the growth of large cities and encourage the growth of small cities. Further, it addresses transport policies in the context of their capacity to meet people’s mobility and accessibility needs and other factors, including energy consumption, environment pollution and regional development inequalities. Examining the trends in population distribution and their influences on transport, such as an increase in urban agglomeration and mega city regions in the east of China and population shrinkage in the cities and regions in northeast and west China, it also investigates the new trends of rural migration and population movement during the Spring Festival and other public holidays and the challenges of these new trends for transport system. Lastly, the book discusses future directions and challenges, sustainable population and transport policies and proposes population-oriented transport strategies and accessibility-based population distribution policies. Relevant to China and other developing countries, the book is a valuable resource for scholars interested in population studies, sustainable transportation, regional planning and development and environmental policy.

Based on papers presented at a workshop on the green transport agenda and its implications for Chinese cities, organised by the World Conference on Transport Research Society in September 2010, this volume reviews the challenges facing urban transport internationally and in China.

This book discusses the links between population growth, migration and the transport system in China. It first reviews the theories concerning the relationship between population growth, distribution and transport systems from an international perspective and then analyses the history of and changes in population growth, population migration, urbanisation and population spatial distribution in China by using multiple data sources, including the census, China Family Panel Studies data, China Migrants Panel Studies data and mobile phone data. Thirdly, it explores the effects of population growth and migration on transport infrastructures and services in terms of planning, investments, development, operation and management. The book also evaluates the features, strengths and weaknesses of various population policies on the basis of their impacts on transport, birth control, the hukou system, the migration management system and the policies designed to limit the growth of large cities and encourage the growth of small cities. Further, it addresses transport policies in the context of their capacity to meet people's mobility and accessibility needs and other factors, including energy consumption, environment pollution and regional development inequalities. Examining the trends in population distribution and their influences on transport, such as an increase in urban agglomeration and mega city regions in the east of China and population shrinkage in the cities and regions in northeast and west China, it also investigates the new trends of rural migration and population movement during the Spring Festival and other public holidays and the challenges of these new trends for transport system. Lastly, the book discusses future directions and challenges, sustainable population and transport policies and proposes population-oriented transport strategies and accessibility-based population distribution policies. Relevant to China and other developing countries, the book is a valuable resource for scholars interested in population studies, sustainable transportation, regional planning and development and environmental policy. .

This book discusses various transport sustainability issues from the perspective of developing countries, exploring key issues, problems and potential solutions for improving transport sustainability in China. It first reviews the current transport sustainability baselines in the three key dimensions of environmental, economic and social sustainability, via an international comparison encompassing both developed and developing countries in different world regions. Then, with a time frame up to 2030, the study groups 100 major Chinese cities according to their baseline conditions, projected population and economic growth, and common sustainability challenges in passenger transport. A systematic attempt is made to discuss the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of various emerging sustainable transport strategies, including the metro systems, bus rapid transit, light rail, bicycles (and e-bicycles), electric vehicles and walking. Based on the different city clusters identified, the study then explores the opportunities and constraints of introducing a range of emerging sustainable transport strategies through both statistical analysis and detailed fieldwork. Future directions and challenges are identified based on official documents, onsite observations and interviews with local people. The study concludes with thoughts on sustainable transport in smart cities, the importance of governance, local participation, internal and external city movements, and towards a holistic sustainable transport plan. Unsustainable Transport and Transition in China will be of great interest to scholars interested in carbon emissions, climate change, environmental policy, planning, road safety, sustainability, transportation and urban studies, and is relevant to China and other developing countries.

"This publication elaborates on how the specific characteristics of the different transport subsectors affect the potential for expanding the role of competitive markets. It defines the principal challenges currently faced by the transport sector as a whole as: (i) the completion of basic infrastructure networks and (ii) the provision of adequate maintenance for them. Future challenges may include: (i) increasing responsiveness to customer needs, (ii) adjusting to global trade patterns, and (iii) coping with rapid motorization. These challenges highlight the need to reform institutional and transport policy in order to support a better quality of life on a sustained basis. This book identifies some generally applicable principles and best practices as the foundation of a policy for more sustainable transport. Economic and financial sustainability requires that resources be used efficiently and that assets be maintained properly. Environmental and ecological sustainability requires that the external effects of transport be taken into account fully when public or private decisions are made that determine future development. Social sustainability requires that the benefits of improved transport reach all sections of the community. It is necessary to redefine the role of governments in the transport sector--the focus in transport policy must shift toward a market-based approach with the private sector taking on more of the responsibility for providing, operating, and financing transport services and infrastructure. The role of the government would therefore decline, but its importance as the enabler of competition and the custodian of environmental and social interests would increase. The World Bank Group's role will be to focus on institutional and policy reform; it can help governments fulfill their enabling and supervisory role in a freer transport market through more selective and focused technical assistance for building the capacity and skills needed by the public sector." -- Website.

This book delves into the urban planning theory of “smart growth” to encourage the creation of smart cities, where compact urban spaces are optimized to create transit-oriented, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly areas, with a clear focus on developing a sustainable, humanistic transport system. Over the last century, increased demographic changes and use of motor vehicles in the wake of “urbanization” led to the rapid expansion of cities, giving rise to economic, social and environmental problems. Sprawls and extension into natural areas caused a scattered urban context replete with empty spaces. This book provides an effective solution to this with an overview of the historical application of smart growth principles as a response to the issue of sprawling cityscapes, and sheds light on the theoretical information and methodologies used by cities to re-develop the urban landscape. It also encloses a checklist for practitioners and decision makers to inform the developmental process and integrate smart growth strategies into land use planning. This book effectively engages with the global problem of urban sprawl in cities and hence will be an asset to both urban planning professionals, and graduate and postgraduate students of urban studies and the related disciplines.

Sustainable mobility has long been sought after in cities around the world, particularly in industrialised countries, but also increasingly in the emerging cities in Asia. Progress however appears difficult to make as the private car, still largely fuelled by petrol or diesel, remains the mainstream mode of use. Transport is the key sector where carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions seem difficult to reduce. Transport, Climate Change and the City seeks to develop achievable and low transport CO2 emission futures in a range of international case studies, including in London, Oxfordshire, Delhi, Jinan and Auckland. The aim is that the scenarios as developed, and the consideration of implementation and governance issues, can help us plan for and achieve attractive future travel behaviours at the city level. The alternative is to continue with only incremental progress against CO2 reduction targets, to ‘sleepwalk’ into climate change difficulties, oil scarcity, a poor quality of life, and to continue with the high traffic casualty figures. The topic is thus critical, with transport viewed as central to the achievement of the sustainable city and reduced CO2 emissions.

Urban transport systems worldwide are faced by a multitude of challenges. Among the most visible of these are the traffic gridlocks experienced on city roads and highways all over the world. The prescribed solution to transport problems in most cities has thus been to build more infrastructures for cars, with a limited number of cities improving public transport systems in a sustainable manner. However, a number of challenges faced by urban transport systems – such as greenhouse gas emissions, noise and air pollution and road traffic accidents – do not necessarily get solved by the construction of new infrastructure. Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Mobility argues that the development of sustainable urban transport systems requires a conceptual leap. The purpose of ‘transportation’ and ‘mobility’ is to gain access to destinations, activities, services and goods. Thus, access is the ultimate objective of transportation. As a result, urban planning and design should focus on how to bring people and places together, by creating cities that focus on accessibility, rather than simply increasing the length of urban transport infrastructure or increasing the movement of people or goods. Urban form and the functionality of the city are therefore a major focus of this report, which highlights the importance of integrated land-use and transport planning. This new report of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the world’s leading authority on urban issues, provides some thought-provoking insights and policy recommendations on how to plan and design sustainable urban mobility systems. The Global Report on Human Settlements is the most authoritative and up-to-date global assessment of human settlements conditions and trends. Preceding issues of the report have addressed such topics as Cities in a Globalizing World, The Challenge of Slums, Financing Urban Shelter, Enhancing Urban Safety and Security, Planning Sustainable Cities and Cities and Climate Change.