Replacing the ‘even-odd’ traffic restriction plan with the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) plan is not in consonance with social justice, says an urban expert. He called for ‘Travel Demand Management’ (TDM) to be placed on the agenda by the relevant authorities in urban management.
According to the ‘even-odd’ plan, private vehicles should ply on alternate days, in accordance with the last digit on their license plate (even or odd); whereas, LEZ are marked areas where access to polluting vehicles is restricted or denied.
Both plans basically aim at improving air quality, and are being implemented in Tehran as a way of reducing traffic congestion, said Seyyed-Hadi Hashemi, former head of the traffic police in Tehran, reports ISNA.
He said TDM - the application of strategies and policies to reduce travel demand, specifically that of single-occupancy private vehicles, or to redistribute this demand in space or in time - is a logical and practical solution in which people can optimize their commuting time and cost by taking advantage of public transport.
Pointing to the fewer number of vehicles in Tehran compared to other metropolises in the world, he noted: “While the ratio of car owners to the population is 3 to 10 in Tehran, the figure stands at 9-11 in other metropolises. However, restrictions to resolve the traffic problem have not been implemented.”
Measures to Take
The traffic restriction plans are proof of an inadequate public transport system. “Without improving public transport, such plans will be ineffective in terms of traffic and pollution decrease.”
Designing a comprehensive public transport system will help optimize traffic indices and reduce traffic density.
He also blamed the disorderly parking system as one of the primary reasons for the worsening traffic jams, adding that the parking system should be regulated by increasing rate of parking tickets by private vehicles in order to motivate people to choose public transport instead.
