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Downtown Minneapolis Skyline by Greg Benz Urban areas vary in terms of their population, area, urban form, topography, economic activities and income levels. Yet throughout the world, most urban areas share similar mobility patterns due to rising incomes, increasing motorisation, densification and the outward growth of suburbs. Mobility is on the increase and with it comes increased congestion. This is overwhelming the operational sustainability of urban mobility systems and is causing social, economic, and environmental imbalances and inequities.
The challenge for towns and cities everywhere is to enhance mobility while at the same time reduce congestion, accidents and pollution. Some urban areas are achieving some measure of success in dealing with these problems but replicating these successes is proving extremely difficult.
Efficient and effective urban mobility can significantly contribute to overall socio-economic objectives, energy dependency, or concerns over climate change. Urban mobility policies are therefore becoming of increasing importance to national governments. As recently as 2005, India drafted a National Urban Transport Policy aimed at providing a transport system that would "save lives, time and money" and enable Indian cities to realise their full potential as "Engines" of Indias economic growth.
While cities themselves are usually in the best position to manage urban mobility and meet the challenges of increasing demands for mobility according to their specific circumstances, many cities lack the technical, human and financial resources to do the job. This is where knowledge sharing can help.
This section of the gTKP website is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing on urban mobility. It is managed by the gTKP Urban Mobility Theme Champion, Peter Midgley (peter.midgley@gtkp.com) and it provides a focal point for accessing detailed knowledge (policies, issues and actions) and information (key resources, organizations and expertise) grouped within topic areas.
Read more in the gTKP Urban Mobility Topic Information Sheet on Urban Mobility.