A nivel global, ciudades buscan desarrollar soluciones de transporte asequibles, ecológicas y socialmente responsables que puedan satisfacer las necesidades de conectividad de las crecientes poblaciones metropolitanas y respaldar el futuro desarrollo económico y urbano. Cuando los sistemas ferroviarios urbanos se planifican e implementan adecuadamente como parte de una red de transporte público más amplia, éstis pueden brindar vías rápidas de movilidad y acceso vital a los centros urbanos desde la periferias. Los servicios ferroviarios urbanos de alto rendimiento, cuando se abordan cuidadosamente en el contexto de un proyecto de desarrollo, pueden ayudar a mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos brindándoles acceso a oportunidades laborales y servicios esenciales, tanto del entorno urbano inmediato como de comunidades vecinas. Este manual sintetiza y difunde conocimientos sobre planificación, implementación y operación de los proyectos ferroviarios urbanos para: i) destacar la necesidad de realizar estudios tempranos y planificar los proyectos, ii) contribuir a que los proyectos sean más sostenibles (desde el punto de vista económico, social y ambiental); iii) mejorar los beneficios socioeconómicos de los usuarios y el acceso de estos a distintas oportunidades; iv) maximizar el valor de la participación privada, cuando corresponda, y v) fortalecer la capacidad de las instituciones encargadas de la gestión e implementación de los proyectos. Se ofrece experiencia para lidiar con los desafíos técnicos, institucionales y financieros a los que se enfrentan los tomadores de decisiones de proyectos ferroviarios urbanos. Se reúnen los conocimientos especializados del personal del Banco Mundial y el aporte de numerosos especialistas para sintetizar buenas prácticas y recomendaciones basadas en experiencia global que no responden a intereses comerciales, financieros ni políticos, entre otros. El material presentado tiene como objetivo servir de guía imparcial para maximizar el impacto y afrontar los desafíos que conllevan los sistemas ferroviarios urbanos en las ciudades de países desarrollados y en desarrollo. No se brinda un enfoque único, sino que se reconocen las complejidades y los distintos contextos existentes cuando se aborda un proyecto de desarrollo ferroviario urbano; de ese modo, se apoya a las autoridades a prepararse para formular las preguntas adecuadas, analizar las cuestiones clave, llevar a cabo los estudios necesarios, aplicar las herramientas apropiadas y aprender de las buenas prácticas internacionales, todo ello en el oportuno momento del proceso de desarrollo del proyecto.

It is a unique story. A book like this was never written until now. You will find in it the astonishing truth and revelation about many aspects and facts of life you didn't think before or were afraid to think about; you will be pleased and satisfied that finally, the daring truth is revealed clearly and naked as a new born baby but with the power of a Hercules. Going again back to mythology for an example, if the many troublesome, frightening aspects of today's so called civilized, modern human society is a Goliath, those speakers in the book are the little David overpowering in a surprising way the giant of evil, lies, open and hidden cruelty, unbelievable ignorance and stupidity of which the human society is full, at every step. Some independent and objective, wise observers from the outside of the human species, after dissecting all the depicted troubles with the accuracy and the precision of a surgeon, present the rational solutions which for some may look farfetched, but for the bright minds they appear in all their majestic realism of the possible practical implementation, if the full power of intelligence and will, is used. Please, read this book, you will not regret a bit, you will enjoy every moment of it and will get food for thought as never before. And at some points you will be amused too.

Over the past ten years, the study of mobility has demonstrated groundbreaking approaches and new research patterns. These investigations criticize the concept of mobility itself, suggesting the need to merge transport and communication research, and to approach the topic with novel instruments and new methodologies. Following the debates on the role of users in shaping transport technology, new mobility research includes debates from sociology, planning, economy, geography, history, and anthropology. This edited volume examines how users, policy-makers, and industrial managers have organized and continue to organize mobility, with a particularly attention to Europe, North America, and Asia. Taking a long-term and comparative perspective, the volume brings together thirteen chapters from the fields of urban studies, history, cultural studies, and geography. Covering a variety of countries and regions, these chapters investigate how various actors have shaped transport systems, creating models of mobility that differ along a number of dimensions, including public vs. private ownership and operation as well as individual vs. collective forms of transportation. The contributions also examine the extent to which initial models have created path dependencies in terms of technology, physical infrastructure, urban development, and cultural and behavioral preferences that limit subsequent choices.

This publication addresses the complex questions of improving accountability, responsiveness and legal frameworks in the public sector, particularly in developing countries. The topics covered include: the role of the State and the future of public services faced with the problems of transition and development; the institutional implications of changing policy management; the role and scope of public administration in Central and Eastern European countries; recent changes in Asian public service in a context of privatisation; a Latin American view of urban transportation as a socio-economic policy; what form of administration for what State. The annexes include the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly (UN) on Public Administration and Development; Highlights of the General Assembly Resumed Session on Public Administration and Development; and the historical background of the IIAS and the UN.