ASSESSING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS

This paper examines the costs and benefits of non-motorized travel and the evaluation techniques used. A case study in India is examined to clarify the benefits of non-motorized transport (NMT) and recommend an alternative approach to project appraisal. NMT can make an important contribution to improving environmental quality and enhancing personal mobility. Too often bicycles are seen as a hindrance to other traffic and the planning and evaluation of transport proposals often focuses on this negative side and underplays the many indirect benefits. The costs that might accrue if cyclists were to transfer to motor vehicles is not assessed. Research in Pune, India demonstrates that the true benefits of a cycle network far outweigh the costs. This paper reviews recent approaches to bicycle planning in Europe and Asia, and examines in-depth the cycle network in Pune and assesses its costs and benefits. It also analyses the process of evaluation which is used to obtain project funding and recommends an alternative approach to project appraisal. This paper was presented at the 7th World Congress on Transport Research, July 1995, Sydney.