Bangkok sets target to reduce private car use by 30 percent in 15 years

[northernjohn]

Though you have to wonder what sort of government promotes buying your first car and include those who live in metropolis with widespread public transport. And probably well above 5% more like 15% (im guesstimating) of land already given over to roads, placing a quite definite limit on capacity expansion vs its cost.

Any government with a Prime Minister who is more into world wide travel and shopping.

I believe the way things are going in 30 years the possibility of more boat travel will be a prominent factor.

[trogers]

Easiest way to reduce car population in the city is to force a reduction in amount of parking spaces and jack up the fines and enforcement for illegal parking.

When it takes over an hour to look for a parking spot, people will prefer to take a train or taxi.

[ToddinChonburi]

The car pool lanes work great in America, 3 lanes are completely stopped and the car pool lane is empty.

[soalbundy]

in 15 years most of Bangkok will be under water,everything will have moved to Isaan

[toybits]

Information is not complete. 30 percent of what number of cars? Will that number be in number of vehicles sold? Or is that number based on the current number of cars in Bangkok today. Whatever that number will be people will just find other ways around it. Until a credible alternative is found to driving - this plan will remain a dream. Or you could bicycle around Bangkok like I did many years ago when they were still building the sky train.

[jpeg]

Thailand seems to run its planning on a weekly basis, every week we see a knee jerk underfunded, no risk assessment thought out proposals , that disappear of a natural death in about 1 month

Somewhat like the crowd pleasing dog and pony show that was supposed to have been an island wide taxi meter call centre service on Phuket. What happened to that then? Other than even more taxis travelling to and from the airport only, to service the declining tourists, as the taxis wouldn't lower their exhorbitant rates to a locally affordable (for Thais too) level. Pathetic.

[jcisco]

Information is not complete. 30 percent of what number of cars? Will that number be in number of vehicles sold? Or is that number based on the current number of cars in Bangkok today. Whatever that number will be people will just find other ways around it. Until a credible alternative is found to driving - this plan will remain a dream. Or you could bicycle around Bangkok like I did many years ago when they were still building the sky train.

It really is a good dream to chase, if bangkok can seriously reduce car usage the economic advantages are quite substantial. Not to mention the livability of the city might just go up of the pollution generated in all its forms goes away, less noise, smell etc. Alas though we will be waiting until a pervasive mass transit system

reaches most places.

[Lakegeneve]

Information is not complete. 30 percent of what number of cars? Will that number be in number of vehicles sold? Or is that number based on the current number of cars in Bangkok today. Whatever that number will be people will just find other ways around it. Until a credible alternative is found to driving - this plan will remain a dream. Or you could bicycle around Bangkok like I did many years ago when they were still building the sky train.

It really is a good dream to chase, if bangkok can seriously reduce car usage the economic advantages are quite substantial. Not to mention the livability of the city might just go up of the pollution generated in all its forms goes away, less noise, smell etc. Alas though we will be waiting until a pervasive mass transit system

reaches most places.

Agreed on the mass transit front and you are correct regarding congestion adding significant economic costs (also from environmental and health costs).

We'll have the basic network once the Purple, Blue Line ext, SRT Dark Red Line and BTS ext to Samut Prakhan all open in 2016/17. Some of these lines have been delayed by years. Indeed, Bangkok is about 10 - 15 years behind where it should be in building an integrated mass transit network.

By 2020/21 once the Pink, Yellow, Orange lines and ARL ext are all built Bangkok will have geographic coverage to all areas. That's assuming that they are all tendered by next year which is currently uncertain. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/406991-the-new-skytrain/page-12

Edited September 23, 2014 by Lakegeneve