Planning of National Transport Infrastructure

In the Islamic Countries

Introduction

1.1. The Context for the Research and Study

Transport accounts for between 2% and 11% of GDP world wide and is one of the prime

economic sectors. The efficient management of the Transport Sector by Government is essential,

for it affects the price of goods that we buy, the cost of labour as we travel to work and the

general wellbeing of society as it demands access to services, education and health. Planning

transport systems has evolved incrementally from the casual and ad hoc formation of tracks and

trails used by animal drawn transport, through to systematic building of railways, road ways

and waterways used by motorised transport that can convey millions of passengers and tons of

freight.

The science and some say the art of transport planning has developed in parallel with technology

from lines on maps drawn by ambitions of politicians and engineers, to heavily researched and

populated computer modelling and simulations to obtain the most optimum solutions to the

challenges of providing accessibility and mobility. Education in transport planning has also

grown in parallel in most developed countries and a few less developed countries. Academic

courses in the subject ensure a universal understanding of the issues, problems and solutions to

global challenges in transport provision. Yet, there are variations in practice that have motivated

this research. What are the practices in transport planning and in particular those that apply to

infrastructure investment decision making, are some of these practises better than others and

what lessons can be learnt that might guide transport policy making in the future?

The research comes at a time of great change in transport, some say it is a revolution where less

transport and not more transport is the paradigm shift. Smart planning not big planning has

become the underlying philosophy. The use of ‘online’ not ‘on way’ to achieve connectivity. The

impact of artificial intelligence that will replace manual operations in transport within a

generation. The need to agglomerate in cities to do business. The need for malls for retailing

goods and the need to travel to be supplied with services rather than obtaining them

electronically. These all impact on the future in general and in the forecasting of demand for

transport infrastructure. Transport investment projects have traditionally protracted lead

times, requiring substantial investment and long economic lives. Such a story line is woven into

this research.

Recent concerns for the environment have culminated in the Sustainable Development Goals

and Agenda 2030. In particular Goal 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable

industrialization and foster innovation. Even before the SDGs economists have been arguing for

the decoupling of transport and energy from economic growth. Resource consumption should

be minimised to achieve maximum economic output. Hitherto, transport demand was

religiously welded to economic growth. Efficiency has become the main driver of change.

However, Goal 9 states that investments in infrastructure, including transport, are crucial to

achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. Perhaps

this may not be so true in the long term. A further major change in thinking is due to slowing

down and preventing climate change. Transport accounts from between 10% and 40% of

emissions from greenhouse gases that causes climate change and, because of this, has become a

major target for mitigation measures, the most important of which is the conversion to electric

vehicles, increased use of public transport and also cycling in some countries. None the less, the