.f.l.u.x.

access to livable cities

1
reference to: triple zero
zero pollution , zero congestion, zero accidents !
Ambitious and eventually raising some doubts in the light of the reality of
some Asian cities which drive ever further away from such vision:
Eleven of the worlds twenty most polluted cities are in Asia. Air pollution
contributes to the premature death of half a million Asians each year
source: 2012 key indicators for Asia and the Pacific, ADB

urban mobility and public space

Hans Ulrich Fuhrke
GiZ, sustainable urban transport improvement project, Indonesia

Urbanization is one of this centurys greatest

challenges as the majority of the planets
population already lives in urban environments and
its rapid growth rarely meets the demand for
adequate infrastructure.

Cities all over the world have undergone

evolutionary and revolutionary processes
throughout their lifespan. Cities experienced
phases of slow expansion, rapid jumps in
densification, extension, sprawl as well as
stagnation and decay. Some of them have totally
disappeared, a few were shrinking, but the majority
is ever growing mostly at a pace much too fast.
2
Natural as well as (wo)man-made catastrophes
above all: climate change - did and will threaten
urban life.

Many cities went through some drastic changes in

the past, the positive ones were in(tro)duced by
strong visionary political leadership and such
leadership is under demand to guide a planning
process to success.

Interventions are applied for revolutionary or

reformatory land use schemes, new grand
infrastructure projects, investments in public goods
and the like.
3
The planning process starts through the alignment
of a mutually agreed vision, too often a
complicated process, yet the uttermost condition
for progress, as otherwise the many stakeholders,
departments and interest groups pull to
contradictory and different directions.

4
Urban transport is provided by three competing
systems:
1.) non-motorized-transport in need of public
space (and a mind shift or all parties)
2.) public transport modes leaving the public
space accessible for all citizen
3.) private, individual means of transport
occupying nearly all public space

In Indonesia, as elsewhere, the private car and

motorbike based system dominates, while the
provision of public transport was ever neglected.
Both systems are heavily subsidized, posing an
enormous burden to the state budget, though not
in proportional and fair size. Instead nearly all goes
to the private, individual means of transport:
6
Next to all public space is provided for free to
the minority of private vehicle passengers
- public space covering often less than 10% of
urban space is regarded the highest valued
asset of a city but not accessible for the
majority, not (yet) able or in need to own a
car or motorbike
infrastructure (paved and drained roads, traffic
guidance by signals, signs and traffic police) is
provided for free - except the toll roads are
charged, yet at a price less than their
economic costs
 fuel is provided at roughly half the world
markets price
That induced dominance of private vehicles is the
major cause of heavy air pollution, accidents and
noise, of up to a quarter of greenhouse gas
emissions, of heavy economic losses due to the
fact that millions of passengers are stuck for hours
in traffic jams, causing a tremendous loss of
energy, productivity, environmental degradation
and the decay of the livability of once beautiful
cities (for the city of Jakarta such economic losses
were calculated to amount to some 6 Million
U$/day).
Urban livability is among others defined through
the access to and the sojourn in public space -
which belongs to all.
7
Creating access for every citizen and visitor
requires a sophisticated public transport network
which covers every corner of the city and provides
comfortable, fast and affordable high end transport
needs.
8
In large and Mega-cities the backbone of such a
system can only be delivered by an innovative rail-
based MRT, able to carry millions of passengers.
Only then, the vision of the car-free-city, where the
entire public space is reclaimed for all citizens
urban live will be realized
When the telephone was invented and came into use the prediction was made
that less travelling would become necessary as much of the needs for access
could get managed without a move. That was before there was even a car on
the road
But then the cars came and brought a revolution to transport demand, which
at its early stage was opposed by conservative stakeholders. The German
emperor Wilhelm II, in an effort to calm down the fear of the horse cart
coachmen, said that he believes in the horse and regards the car as a
temporary fashion
This coming generation will have an exponential growth of demanding access
to information, knowledge, communication virtually as well as physically

9
A car-(and motorbike-) free-city is regarded as the
ultimate vision of highest urban living quality, as
only then the entire public space is free to
comfortably walk and bike.

Any vision which is likely to become a sound,

feasible, progressive plan will provoke opposition
from interest groups fearing their loss of privileges.
The obvious tool to fight such resistance is the
creation of transparency on: why has who which
stakes.

Nevertheless it is likely that an interest group

although defending selfish concerns of a minority
is able to mobilize severe rejection. Such political
risk can only be curtailed by the participation of the
benefitting majority, the citizens, voters, and
sufferers from prevented headway a highly
political process.
Urban public transport is feared to be a heavily
subsidized service and thus lacks enough funding.
It is therefore still of inferior performance in its
availability, accessibility, speed and comfort. As
long as public transport and the walkability of a city
bicycle riding included are not to be regarded
as an attractive alternative, the modal share of
private vehicles will continue to grow.

The breakthrough under demand will have to come

through a much more economic installation and
operation as well as a much faster, easier
accessible and more convenient urban rail system,
returning costs through ticketing, transit oriented
(re-)developments and advertising.

Only then, urban public space is regained to

provide all for walking, meeting, bike riding, cultural
events, cafes and outlets of all variety which a
cultural melting pot can offer.

Commercial feasibility (no subsidies needed

anymore) opens the doors to huge investments to
cover the full mobility demand by a dense network
of an elevated mass-rapid-transit system with
easily accessible stops, where a passenger would
not have to wait long to board and travel
comfortably (making the shift from the comfort of a
private car very acceptable).
Incentives like the provision of a sophisticated
network of integrated public transport modes and
disincentives like taxation, cuts of subsidies,
congestion charging or restrictions are among the
tools to propel expected progress, demanding
leadership as well as departmental and public
participation.
A citys livability is essentially connected to the
quality of urban public space:
The provision of safe, shaded, well paved and
drained, furnished, unpolluted roads, alleys and
streets, parks, lanes and river- or sea banks
throughout a diverse and densely built urban area:
10
suggested & realistic vision for the urban future we want:

Dense, connected and multifunctional built urban structures

leaving some 15% for public space

The public sphere is free of private fuel driven vehicles

The reclaimed public realm invites to cover some 40% of

transit needs by walking and biking, at the same time making
cities alive as arts and culture, playing and communicating,
meeting and consuming happens in the partly sheltered open
space

The huge remaining demand to gain access to every corner of

the city is provided by an integrated public transport network,
the backbone of which is urban rail.

Once public transport becomes profitable, there

will be investors ready to get into the business and
no more subsidies be demanded.
.f.l.u.x.description of the system:
The revolutionary breakthrough of urban mobility can be
realized by that simple yet innovative concept:

11
The four wagon train (alternatively a system of 3 railcars could be employed)
runs on constant speed of around 70 km/h (45 miles/h) nonstop
on a single elevated line, which easily blends into the
townscape above public land where no plot needs to be
purchased.

12

13
14
The single stilted lines (sky train type, ~ 5m elevated single rail
track) integrate into a typical cityscape, partly along main
thoroughfares, but partly as well through narrow corridors of
dense neighborhoods, where they might run along or over
canals, parks and through modern mega structures, where
stations are within or in front of these and connected with same
level bridges.
Giving room for Transit Oriented Re-Developments (TOrD)

The simplicity of the station the size of a bus stop - serving

only one wagon with its two doors, saves a great portion of
investments.
Stations are on average 2km apart (in city centers less, at locations
of lower demand more). These elevated 20m long platforms leave
space and opportunities for TOrD 1 and where appropriate they
become integrated into built structures.

15
Each single direction line forms a 20 to 30 station-loop, which
meets itself and neighboring loops in regular intervals.

16
The approaching train decouples its last wagon 150 m before
the next stop. This single car comes to a halt in that mini-
station, while the now three-wagon-train continues its ride in full
speed and passes the station without stopping or slowing down.

17
The stopping wagon remains in the station with its doors (one
exclusively to enter and one for exit only) open for a
comfortable 90 seconds stop (conventional MRTs stop for an
average 30 seconds only).

With one entry and one exit door only there is no clogging at the
door, a phenomenon widely experienced with conventional

1
Transit Oriented (re-) Developments: value added real estate developments, including
commercial outlets, capturing the added value from transit hubs
short distance transit modes where passengers tend to stay at
the doors close vicinity from where they expect to alight.

That single wagon departs from the platform on its own

automated acceleration, catching up speed to its constant travel
movement, when the next three-wagon-train, which had just
passed the station, gets synchronized and smoothly couples on
and connects to form a new four vehicle train. After ~90
seconds travelling time, the last wagon gets decoupled again in
order to enter the next station.

18
Imagine having an easy, less than 10 minutes walking access
from any point in the city to the next urban rail station, as public
urban space is no longer occupied by private cars and
motorbikes.
Bridges, platforms and direct connectivity within or around the
densely built urban structures guide you to the simple platform,
where you do not need to wait more than 30 seconds to board
your wagon. When the one entrance door opens there is a
comfortable 90 seconds time to enter and find a place to lean,
sit or stand in preparation for slowly moving towards the wagon
which will later stop at your destination.

19
You travel non-stop from wherever you board to wherever you
alight the train, thus travelling nearly twice the speed of
conventional MRTs and not getting annoyed by having to stop
at all stations in between. With all existing trains worldwide so
far, passengers loose plenty of precious time at all these
stations where the trains have to slow down, stop and
accelerate again (losing an average of 1 minute each time).

Whether you travel a distance of for example 3, 7 or 20 stations,

the whole journey is a continuous constant fast speed
experience and - being on an elevated track - you can enjoy the
view over your city, if not talking to your fellow passengers,
reading a paper or getting distracted by LED screen
entertainment.

20
.flux.
is the "non-stop-train" which constantly changes its wagon
composition (adding front - loosing tail).

is the system which would cover a whole city with its (e.g.
Jakarta 4) loops meeting each other and itself every 3-5
stations with
single track
one direction
only one wagon at each station stopping

21
the last wagon decouples, decelerates, stops at the terminal,
accelerates and joins/couples and continues traveling with the 3
next wagons coming from the rear, then later again the rear one
decouples, slows down and stops at the next terminal.

system equation based on a 3 / 2 / 3 wagon composition:

 22
coupling / decoupling techniques
The coupling process is electronically steered for full
synchronization, computerized and electromagnetically
connected in order to smoothly lock the wagons during the full
speed ride, after which the car's front - respectively rear - doors
open, providing wide, same grade platforms for both corridors,
which makes the slow move between the wagons easy.

The technical reliability of the coupling/decoupling of the

wagons at full speed (60-80 km/h) is of utmost importance in
order to make it a smooth, simple and save process.
Being a fully automated procedure, no human error can directly
occur during the synchronized coupling and decoupling process
which is the essential part of the system.

23

passenger movements and sojourn during the ride

The ultra-fast urban rail wagons are internally divided into a left
side, where all passengers slowly move in travelling direction
and the right side, where passengers slowly move against. The
rippled anti-slip floor color guides you, appearing green at a
watch angle that invites and red for the angle that goes against
the flow.
The flow of passengers within the aisle is one-directional,
simple and similar for all, so that everyone can get to the last
wagon comfortably on time for getting to the station of desired
arrival.

The simple rule, which is explained on screen-boards at the

stations and inside each wagon, indicates all destinations and
the internal movements required:

24
If travelling in the commonly deployed 4-car train, the distance of:

1 station then move 3 cars back

2 stations " 2 cars "
3 stations 1 car
4 stations remain in the same car
5 " then move 1 car to the front
6 " " 2 cars "
7 " 3 " "
and so on...
this works out comfortably slow with plenty of time to lean, sit or
stand in between to make the journey enjoyable as all
passengers are slowly moving in the same direction within the
wide corridor anyway: backwards in the right-hand aisle, to the
front in the left-hand aisle.

25
Disabled passengers or those who want to take it even more
easy have a fantastic second option by just remaining in the
wagon they boarded and stop with it at every fourth station until
coming close to the destination, to alight at which there is
maximum two wagons to be changed to:
- Stay in original wagon for destinations 4,8,12,16 etc stations away
- Move one back for destinations 3,7,11,15 etc stations away
- move one ahead for destinations 5,9,13,17etc stations away
- move two back for destinations 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 etc stations away
... still travelling much faster than in any conventional system as
only every forth station causes a two minute delay due to the
stop there.

In the extreme case of travelling one station only, the fastest

move is required: Then the passenger has 90 seconds from the
moment the doors open between the just boarded car after it
coupled to the following train until the doors get closed between
the continuing train and the last decoupling car. These 40
meters (two cars to cross) are to be traversed within one and a
half minutes. Even this is still comfortably done as the corridor
has only passengers moving in the same direction, requiring a
speed of less than 40cm/sec.

Alternatively there could be a 3-wagon train employed and one wants to travel:

x stations, then one will have to move y wagons further while travelling in the train:

x=1 y = 2 back within 1 1/2 minutes

x=2 y = 1 back within 3 1/2 minutes
x=3 y = 0 (same wagon) 6 minutes
x=4 y = 1 front within 7 1/2 minutes
x=5 y = 2 front within 9 1/2 minutes
x=6 y = 3 front within 11 1/2 minutes
x=7 y = 4 front within 13 1/2 minutes
x=8 y = 5 front within 15 1/2 minutes
x=9 y = 6 front within 17 1/2 Minutes
x = 10 y = 7 front within 19 1/2 minutes
and so on

The x numbers will of course be indicated by the station names.

This shows that the internal movements are relatively relaxed

and slow.

This as well demonstrates that one only needs 20 minutes to

travel ten stations, which equals to around 20km. No car could
ever do that in urban traffic, nor do conventional urban rail
systems reach that speed.

There is minimalized seating capacity in the middle of the

wagon to be used from both sides, where passengers can sit
next to each other either facing left or right. At the same time
these seats act as barrier between the two corridors. And there
are simple means to lean on thus not getting down (and not
having to get ones body up again), but simply being supported
by the thick hand rail at each wagons sides, which are at a 70
cm height and act as sitting support, while theses sitting/leaning
passengers take up little space and make the passing of fellow
passengers easy.

The 5cm thick handrail acts as simplified seating and takes

space of slightly over 12 cm from the sides. Being about 70 cm
high, these are rather for comfortable leaning as a few
passengers will want to get the chance to use these lean-ons.

guiding system
The typical guiding screens within the wagons, of which one is
always opposite the entrance door above the window and
showing the direction (left=back or right=front) and number of
wagon to slowly move to.

Above the exit door of each coach there will be another screen
indicating the station which this particular wagon will come to a
halt at.
floor guidance

The anti-slip-rippled floor has a zigzag surface, where the

triangle side facing the passengers who are invited to walk that
direction, is green and the backside that would become visible
by passengers walking on the wrong side, shows red from the
angle of a walking passenger.

The floor system in detail shows the idea of color guidance.

This applies to the wagons' side upholsteries as well and
besides indicating the walking direction by green and the
opposite by red colors, these panels are to be used for
advertising, which change in appearance while passing by and
thus become even more attractive.

doors opening

The front door is a critical part as it is exposed to the weather at

speeds of some 70km/h (45 miles/h).

The mechanism is designed to be a slightly curved V shaped

arrow (travel direction here downwards) and when opened, the
two curved blades will slide back into the wagons side. The
door only opens once it is inside the back and securely hooked
electromagnetically to the front wagon.
station design:

The only two types of stations single or intersections - would

in rare cases stand-alone but mostly be integrated into
shopping, food outlet and entertainment as well as office and
housing structures. Such transit-oriented-developments2 open
great potentials for additional cost-recovery if these are to be
developed by the investor / operator or managed in a PPP 3-
scheme.
All stations are simple and small, just to accommodate one
2
TOD: Transit-Oriented-Development
3
Public-Private-Partnership
wagon with its single entry and single exit doors. At the
intersection of different loops they serve two wagons on each
side of the same 20 m short platform. At those intersections
within the same loop, the small platforms are separated on the
opposite sides of the then double rail track.

Being elevated, the design will allow ample cross ventilation

therefore no need for air-conditioning (which an underground
system would have to spend heaps of energy for). Escalators
will only be installed where TOD would compensate for it, where
stations are integrated into or adjacent to large urban structures
anyway and hence combining access with the provided vertical
connections.

The simplicity of the stations makes the otherwise

conventionally up to 30% - investment of the system moderate.

financial performance:

When cities reach a certain size and density, metro systems are
the only transport mode capable of fast and comfortably moving
very large numbers of people to job centers and places of
interest.

The benefit that comes from enabling such density, diversity

and micro-scale urban features of mixed use, the provision of
public space for cultural interaction and NMT4 (which then fulfills
more than a third of transit demand for the short intra-city-trips)
would outweigh the additional cost for public transport
installations and operations.
They include efficiency and productivity gains for the citizens
mobility, climate change mitigation through emission reductions,
air pollution control, improved public health and lower energy
consumption.

Initial MRT construction can be supported by land value capture

in areas around metro stations. Subsidies for metro operations
were often covered by earmarked funds from fuel or vehicle
sales taxes5.

The flux concept goes a step further in the attempt to

approach if not even surpass the point of even where
investment and operational costs get returned:

26
In the theoretical calculation of 20 hours daily operation, during
which a steady full occupation of 100 pax/car would be served,
the flux system would attract some 6 million passengers a day
in a city like Jakarta (assuming full occupancy and an average
ride of 10 km/pax, 125 stations spread over the city and 500
wagons deployed).
There would be a return of U$ 6 million/day from ticketing alone
assuming that every passenger pays the full single journey
price of U$1 (IDR 10.000) for the average 10 km.

The realistic assumption, however, suggests that there is an

average 50% occupancy and passengers make use of reduced
ticketing schemes, like job-tickets, student-cards and long-
term-passes.

4
Non-Motorized-Transport: most of all walking and biking
5
From the World Bank and ADB joint paper for the 2012 G20 summit in Mexico
A U$ 2 million return can therefore be expected, summing up to
an annual turnover of some U$ 730 million.

27
The flux urban rail is made commercially feasible by these
measures:

A. Investment cuts for the installation:

1.) single-
2.) elevated -
3.) extended -
line Network

4.) simplified short (20 m) station platforms

5.) prefabricated steel columns and tracks,
standardized system for extensive networks in
several cities
6.) maximized percentage of in-country production
7.) all rolling stock is composed of the same electric
self-propelled, driver-less 100 pax wagon, which
is calculated at less than 2 Mio U$ / unit

28
B. Gains on TOD (Transit Oriented Developments):

1.) The investor - public or private is granted the right

to develop the stations over public land with added
commercial space:
residential/offices/entertainment/services/outlets
in accordance with prevailing or to be established
building codes
 2.) The operator/developer of existing structures is
entitled and encouraged to negotiate the integration
or connection of stations
3.) Station building and maintenance burdened on
existing real estate operators

29
C. Minimized operating costs:

1.) huge energy savings by non-stop and constant

speed travels of 75% of the rolling stocks
2.) braking energy recovery
3.) unmanned rolling stocks
4.) in-country spare parts and technical know-how
5.) simplified 20m non-AC (except if within
urban
structures), elevated platform stations, many of
which to be maintained by real estate operators
on their account (PPP)

30
D. Revenues from ticket sales through highest
ridership:

1.) speed (nearly doubled)

2.) direct access (max 1 km distance to station
within inner city)
2.) integration (walking accessibility, pedicab, e-taxi,
bus feeders drop off and bike park&ride facilities)
1.) shortest waiting time (max 30 seconds to board
next ride)
5.) high turnover (2 minutes headways)
6.) comfortable boarding time (90 sec)
7.) nonstop ride, constant movement without
acceleration and braking during journey
8.) information displays and guidance in stations
 and on train
9.) clean and comfortable rolling stocks
10.) integrated electronic ticketing
11.) branding of the flux system creating pride and
identity

31
E. Extra revenues:
1.) advertizing in and on (LED skin) attractive rolling
stocks and stations (potentially up to 5% of total
revenues)
2.) patent returns and franchising opportunities

The exploited potentials A-E create a combined scheme

through which investment and maintenance costs are cut and
revenues increased, so that those worldwide common subsidies
for urban public transport provisions are reduced to zero.

Public transport is made sustainable as here it becomes

commercially viable and attracts investors.

Strong support for the whole concept is given by its economic

advantages: single tracks which flexibly blend into the public
urban space - even if roads are narrow6.

The single rail track allows easy running through kampongs 7,

over waterbeds (canals) and through mega-structures, where
the developer is in charge of building and maintaining the
station. No private land needs to be acquired as all tracks run
on public land, formerly used for private vehicles.

The simplified stations save huge chunks of investment and

operational costs, as these are small as a bus shelter only
6
major thoroughfares of downtown Jakarta like Rasuna Said, Sudirman or Thamrin but
also corridors like Fatmawati or even the smallest streets are able to accommodate the
single elevated track
7
dense land occupation, but only 1-2 storeys built urban neighbourhoods
serving one car with two doors and at interchanges 2 cars on
each side of the small platform.

More economic benefits are derived from its operational

performance. First of all the near-double speed (caused by non-
stop ops) at a time carrying twice the number of pax and
making the system much more attractive, secondly the energy
savings by moving the major load on constant speed and not
forcing the whole train to brake and stop and accelerate after
every station, thirdly there are tremendous cost savings by
installing such system in a multiplied mode: in several cities and
in each of them on a length of several hundred kilometers, all -
including rolling stocks - to be built as far as possible within the
country, making it independent from imports for installations and
maintenance.

Mechanisms that help attract investments and recover

operating costs from sources other than fares are made
available as a menu of financing options from which cities could
choose from8:

Road tolls and congestion charging during transition

Parking levies
Fuel taxes and removal of fuel subsidies
Capturing of energy security benefits of sustainable
transport
Capturing of health benefits of sustainable transport
Land development and value capture cover
techniques whereby the public entity sells surplus
land to developers or develops land around
transportation investments (e.g., public transportation
system in HongKongs MTR, China)
Carbon financing involves the sale of greenhouse gas
emission credits to finance capital or operating costs
(e.g., CDM used in Bogotas Transmilenio)
International funding scheme for climate mitigation
8
From the World Bank and ADB joint paper for the 2012 G20 summit in Mexico
 NAMAs9 and their applicable MRV10 scheme

9
Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions
10
Measuring, Reporting, Verifying