This volume presents a balanced review of transport provision and the development process in the Third World, and provides a comprehensive survey of possible transport solutions and their implications.

Cities within the developing world experience a form of urban development which is different to those in more industrialised countries. Rates of growth are usually much more dramatic, housing and transport are often provided informally, and institutional support for urban management is also much weaker. The crux of this book, first published in 1990, lies in the idea that urban transport planning cannot be viewed in isolation from this wider development context. Making special reference to a number of countries, including Brazil, India and Indonesia, chapters discuss problems of urban transport planning, deficiencies in the theory and practice of conventional transport planning, and the emerging alternatives in the countries under examination. This work addresses problems that are still of great concern to urban policy planners, professionals and academics, as well as students from the fields of development studies, urban geography and planning, architecture and civil engineering.

Policy-making for urban transport and planning of economies in the developing world present major challenges for countries facing rapid urbanisation and rampant motorisation, alongside growing commitments to sustainability. These challenges include: coping with financial deficits, providing for the poor, dealing meaningfully with global warming and energy shortages, addressing traffic congestion and related land use issues, adopting green technologies and adjusting equitably to the impacts of globalisation. This book presents a contemporary analysis of these challenges and new workable responses to the urban transport problems they spawn.

Examining the links between irregular and inefficient transport methods and economic progress, the author explains that it can only be effective if timing, location and technology are carefully chosen.

World Development Report 1994 examines the link between infrastructure and development and explores ways in which developing countries can improve both the provision and the quality of infrastructure services. In recent decades, developing countries have made substantial investments in infrastructure, achieving dramatic gains for households and producers by expanding their access to services such as safe water, sanitation, electric power, telecommunications, and transport. Even more infrastructure investment and expansion are needed in order to extend the reach of services - especially to people living in rural areas and to the poor. But as this report shows, the quantity of investment cannot be the exclusive focus of policy. Improving the quality of infrastructure service also is vital. Both quantity and quality improvements are essential to modernize and diversify production, help countries compete internationally, and accommodate rapid urbanization. The report identifies the basic cause of poor past performance as inadequate institutional incentives for improving the provision of infrastructure. To promote more efficient and responsive service delivery, incentives need to be changed through commercial management, competition, and user involvement. Several trends are helping to improve the performance of infrastructure. First, innovation in technology and in the regulatory management of markets makes more diversity possible in the supply of services. Second, an evaluation of the role of government is leading to a shift from direct government provision of services to increasing private sector provision and recent experience in many countries with public-private partnerships is highlighting new ways to increase efficiency and expand services. Third, increased concern about social and environmental sustainability has heightened public interest in infrastructure design and performance.