Source: Beijing Institute of Technology Press
Lima is the capital city of Peru, a developing city where CO2 emissions are produced mainly by its urban transportation. Currently, the transportation sector uses fossil fuels in 91% and natural gas in 8% of its energy needs. A recent breakthrough study presented by researchers from the Instituto de Avance del Transporte Peruano EIRL evaluates rail transit within the context of the transit policies implemented in Lima, Peru. After applying transit policies and in spite of the large investments in Metro rail and in BRT for so many years without improvements of speed and without preservation of transit share, a critical evaluation of transit policies is needed.
Rapid transit of Lima consists of a BRT route and a Metro rail line. The BRT served an average of 665,000 passengers per day during the period of 2014–2019, but ridership fell 60% in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Metro of Lima served 550,000 passengers per day in 2019, but ridership fell 59% in 2020 due to the COVID-19.
Bus reform routes were implemented since 2014 by using a trunk and-feeder system to replace existing buses that produced oversupply and congestion. As a result of the bus reform, the whole bus fleet fell 22% during 2010–2018 coinciding with a heavy worsening of congestion partially attributed to more taxis, shared-taxis, and moto-taxis apparently filling the gap of unsatisfied transit demand. Implementation of transit policies at Lima, Peru has revealed a pattern of neglect in enforcing general requirements of rapid transit and in checking key assumptions of bus reform. It is possible to say that transit policies may have been led to a high risk of failure from the outset
The study also critiques Lima's bus reform, which it claims overestimated the issues of bus oversupply and externalities. The excessive reduction of buses has led to overcrowding, higher fares, longer waiting times, and additional transfers. This, in turn, has driven a sharp increase in car ownership and use, even beyond the effects of rising incomes. The result has been a significant decrease in transit share and no meaningful improvement in travel speed.
Based on analyses of Total Factor Productivity (TFP), Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and Generalized Cost of Travel (GCT), the study concludes that bus reform is largely responsible for these disappointing outcomes. The study recommends halting any further reductions in bus transit capacity and prioritizing policies that lower the Generalized Cost of Travel in future governmental interventions.
In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of expanding rapid transit, which has proven resilient and effective in reducing CO2 emissions, alleviating congestion, and mitigating pollution. Without these changes, the shift away from public transit toward unsustainable private transportation will continue, undermining the city's ability to meet its environmental and mobility goals.
Author: Manuel Jose Martinez
Title of original paper: Critical evaluation of transit policies in Lima, Peru; resilience of rail rapid transit (Metro) in a developing country
Article link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geits.2024.100172
Journal: Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773153724000240
