| Transport Case Study no.3: Report to the Chief Scientific Adviser - Office of Science & Technology |
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In 1994, Parry Associates was commissioned by the Chief Scientific Adviser of the UK's Office of Science of Technology to give an overview of the prospects for British industry to supply lightweight rail systems to reduce traffic pollution in newly industrialised and developing countries.
The report, commissioned as part of the national Foresight programme, identified the chronic transport problems that had already become apparent in the major cities of the developing world, where the level of road traffic leads to high costs - both economic and environmental - for urban populations and the cities they live in. Traffic levels were shown to be growing rapidly, leading to further problems - not least a high rate of death and injury due to road accidents.
A feature of the transport market in developing countries, where many people will walk many miles as motorised transport is too expensive, is the almost-total dependence on price. In order to improve transport and environmental conditions, it is absolutely essential to reduce the costs - and therefore ticket price - to attract people on to a transport system.
Background research revealed that this is precisely what happened in the Western world with the advent of the electric tram: a new, cheap form of transport enabled even the poorer sections of society to live some distance from their work place. This is turn allowed the urban slums to be cleared and upgraded, because it was no longer economically necessary for workers to live in the inner cities. Earlier commentary on this aspect of urbanisation had been made by the economic historian Dr T F Wright - formerly of Westminster College, Oxford - which was referenced in the book "Shanty Upgrading" by John Parry and Andrew Gordon (ISBN 0 9512952 0 9). Dr Wright, Mr Parry and Mr Gordon are all former or current directors of JPM Parry & Associates Ltd.
Parry Associates' work in relation to transport takes into account the economic and physical realities of the communities served, and draws on lessons from the past to inform recommendations for the future.
Transport Case Study 1: Development of a new form of rail vehicle
Transport Case Study 2: Temporary demonstrations of street tramways
Transport Case Study 4: Approval of lightweight suburban rail operation on UK national rail network
Transport Case Study 5: Design and construction of rail structures
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