Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities
82
Institutional weaknesses and fragmentation: Like many other cities experiencing rapid
population growth and even faster motor vehicle growth, Cairo suffers from highly fragmented,
largely uncoordinated and inadequately staffed institutions to deal with urban transport problems of
this magnitude. The GCTRA (as described in section 4.3.7.1 below) is the first attempt to address this.
Inadequate financial arrangements: Up until the March 2015 Invest In The Future conference(as
described in section 4.3.8 below) overlaying all of the above problems are inadequate financial
arrangements leading to under investment in transport facilities, especially in public transport
capacity which suffers major shortages; inadequate cost recovery and consequent excessive subsidies
for urban transport public; highly subsidized pricing of gasoline and diesel fuels which favour less
efficient private transportation (private cars and small taxis); and little participation of formal private
sector in financing and/or managing urban transportation infrastructure and services. There is a lack
of proper infrastructure capacity to accommodate increased traffic demands. The proposed large
investments are unlikely to keep up with traffic congestion . The current focus is on single
infrastructure investments or technology driven approaches and this appears to be taking place
without an integrated view on broader requirements for successful intervention. The pressing need
is to find solutions to pending day-to-day problems whilst adequately addressing the long term
sustainable development needs of the transport sector.
Affordability. Affordability is the ability to use public transport without significantly affecting the
capacity to make other expenditures of importance under normal living conditions. By keeping all its
public transport fares very low, Cairo has been one of the most successful cities in making its public
transport services affordable, but this has come at a high cost in terms of subsidies, transportation
time, pollution and lack of investment in improved services. It is now questionable whether keeping
all fares low but enduring the consequences of poor quality and inadequate quantity is the best way
of making services affordable to low income groups. Inadequate and congested urban transport is
damaging to the city economy and harms both rich and poor. But the simplistic solution of controlling
fares at low levels for all passengers, is inequitable because it leads to a progressive decline in the
quality and quantity of all public transport services and ineffective because it will tend to generate
more congesting car traffic. Rather the objective of making public transport affordable can be achieved
by a more poverty focused policy.
Lack of inter-sectoral co-ordination (harmonization of policies, institutional co-operation) and
limited institutional capacity to effectively adopt, implement and further develop comprehensive
transport programs
Shortage of sustainable transport models and new approaches tested in Egypt to gain
experience, reduce the risks and build the confidence of the targeted stakeholders. Negative
experiences with some early experiments such as the introduction of separated bus lanes in Cairo in
late 1970’s and 1998 or with trolley busses in 1970’s;
Possible public perception, social and cultural barriers and occasionally conflicting interest
between the different key stakeholders;
Inadequate emphasis on integrating sustainable transport planning with urban planning
of new cities and on promotion of non-motorized transport in middle size provincial cities.
Conflicting land use/sustainable development challenges within the historical zones in Cairo
to serve the whole components and activities of the city socially, economically and environmentally
as well as to maintain/reduce the impact on the environment.