APPRAISING URBAN TRANSPORT POLICY - THE NEW REGIME

The nature of the defects which existed in urban transport policy planning are examined, as well as the ways in which new administrative arrangements will revolutionize the process. The new policy will reform the planning enquiry and participation process, reform local government structure, and reform the financial arrangements for urban transportation. Corollary developments necessary to structure planning are discussed, and the structive planning process itself is detailed. Local planning, it is noted, shall incorporate procedures both of public participation and of independent assessment. Two separate planning processes that require improvement are identified as (a) planning delay, and (b) planning misdirection. Four fundamental philosophies about the purpose of the enquiry process are identified as: conflict resolution; technical checking; examination of the relationship between the political objectives and the technical plans; and judgement of the values implicit in the plan. Skills required by an enquiry of this kind are both technical and political, and the procedures adopted need to be formal. The role of the central government is discussed as well as local government structure particularly as related to the transport planning field. The creation of intermediate institutions of planning are outlined. It would be useful to develop a planning advice service which might have a central staff of planning experts for technical services and a number of small regional bureaus. The government should produce policy guidelines which indicate the framework within which local political discretion should operate. With regard to the appraisal procedure, it should be clearly required that the statements make clear and explicit reference to the fundamental objectives and judgement on which the plan is based.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the PTRC Summer Annual Meeting, Warwick University, England, 8-12 July 1974.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Leeds

  Institute for Transport Studies
  Leeds, West Yorkshire  United Kingdom  LS2 9JT
• Authors:
  • Gwilliam, K M
• Publication Date: 1974-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Administration; Evaluation; Financing; Governments; Guidelines; Highway planning; Motor skills; Politics; Public participation; Traffic; Transportation planning; Urban transportation
• Old TRIS Terms: Stereometric systems; Traffic planning
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080922
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 6 1981 12:00AM