‘Transition Towns’ lead the way in low-carbon living

DW.DE | 07.05.2013: "Many Japanese, on the other hand, are losing patience with their government for failing to take the necessary steps to move towards an energy transition. Individual towns and communities are taking matters into their hands by taking steps to cut their reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear energy."

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Ho Chi Minh City officials live in fear of the private auto

Eric Jaffe - The Atlantic Cities: "The Latitude blog of the New York Times recently tracked the efforts of Ho Chi Minh City, the most populous city in Vietnam, to get its metro system in place before residents catch the car bug. Cities in developing nations often put themselves behind the traffic curve, if you will, by encouraging people to drive before public transit has been established. As one transport expert told Latitude reporter Lien Hoang: "Once people get into a car, it's hard to get them out.""

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Singapore: free travel on [MRT] trains before 7.45am from June 24

Free travel on trains before 7.45am from June 24: "Commuters who are willing to get up earlier and travel to the city area before 7.45am will get free train rides from June 24."

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Singapore, choked by cars, desperately seeking relief

'Pay as you drive' scheme suggested to ease Singapore's traffic congestion - Channel NewsAsia: "Prof Paul Barter, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said, "Singapore has a very high level of car use per car, each car is used around 20,000 kilometres per year, whereas for European or Japanese cities per year, it is more like 10,000 to 12,000 kilometres per car.

"So even though we have very low car ownership, we still have a lot of traffic because those car owners use the car more. Ideally cars would be cheaper in the future but perhaps more expensive to use, more expensive to park.""

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Thailand decides to continue free public transport. Taiwan should copy this plan.

Free public transport would go a long way towards reducing noise and traffic congestion in Taiwan. It would reduce the demand for transport fuel and mean sending less money overseas to buy that fuel.

Free public bus & train services to continue for 6 more months: "BANGKOK, 31 March 2013 (NNT) - The mobile Cabinet meeting has decided to extend the free transport service, intended for low-income public, for another six months. "

汽車衍生種種問題 | This Big City 城事

汽車衍生種種問題 | This Big City 城事: "縱然車速緩慢，汽車依然主導街道，威脅其他用路人，若再加上高速，就會完全壟斷街道，導致許多民眾不願步行，更不想嘗試騎單車，以數據而言，步行與單車或許屬低風險活動，對健康也利多於弊，但在以汽車需求為主的道路網裡，行人與單車騎士大多感到討厭或可怕。"

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Taiwan to spend more on rail than roads - intelligent place, Taiwan

Rail transport in Taiwan is streaming ahead 

as a result of ROC government policies promoting greener

and more sustainable transportation systems. (CNA)

Taiwan Today: "According to the CEPD, government investment in 2013 rail track construction, as a percentage of all major public infrastructure projects, will break the 30 percent mark for the first time. At the same time, the proportion set aside for road construction will drop below 20 percent."