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How to Shift our Transport Paradigm: Learning from Grenoble
Nicholas Kevlahan, Raise the Hammer
In a recent article for Raise the Hammer, I described the impressive public transport system the city of Grenoble (France) has developed over the last twenty years.
Its centrepiece is a modern streetcar network, but it has also included extensive re-engineering of the streets to make them friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists.
When compared to Hamilton, where transit use has actually declined over those same twenty years, one wonders how they did it.
Was it simply a result of progressive mayors? Did the national government mandate the changes? Has Grenoble always had an excellent public transport system?
I recently returned to Grenoble for a visit, and was lucky to meet the driving force behind many of these changes. It turns out that the change began over 30 years ago, in 1974, when Jean Sivardière helped found the Association pour le Développement des Transports en Commun (ADTC, association for the development of public transport).
Sivardière recalled that in 1973 Grenoble’s public transit system had serious problems. Ridership was declining, service was poor and the system was in deficit. Only about eight percent of trips were made using public transit (similar to the figure for Hamilton today).
(18 May 2007)
Tourism execs encounter guilt trip on green issues
Roger Blitz, Financial Times via LA Times
Climate change looms over a major travel industry gathering, where attendees are told to cut back on energy consumption.
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LISBON – The tourism industry has never had it so good, but its senior executives are feeling strangely guilty about their success and fearful of a green backlash.
The industry is expected to expand by 4.3% a year over the next decade and managers are fretting over climate change. They worry that flying is seen as the most polluting activity and are falling over themselves to champion schemes that allow travelers to go on clocking up air miles.
“There is a real conundrum with how we grow in a way we feel good about,” said Andrew Cosslett, the chief executive of InterContinental Hotels Group. “We need to find ways of making people feel very good about how they feel about these things.”
(21 May 2007)
Railroads bask in Buffett favor
Josh Funk, Associated Press
Freight railroads and their investors can feel confident no new railroads will try to create a competing network – the cost is too high.
So the six major players in the industry will continue helping businesses connect with suppliers and customers for years to come.
That enduring competitive advantage, combined with strong demand from shippers, is part of why billionaire Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., invested in three freight railroads. But investors who are thinking about following Buffett will have to determine whether strong business fundamentals or Buffett excitement drove the recent rise in rail stocks.
(22 May 2007)
Contributor Ben Brangwyn writes:
When Buffet moves, keep an eye on the reason behind it. In 2005 Buffet bought U.S. electricity utility PacifiCorp (www.energybulletin.net/6330.html). Looks like he’s seen the writing on the wall…
