Once an economy is addicted to petrol subsidy, how do you end it? (answer: free public transport)

Fuel subsidy removal: Will Jonathan stoke the fire again?: "N a way, President Goodluck Jonathan has again stirred up the hornets’ nest concerning the vexed issue of appropriate pricing of petroleum products in the country."

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Johannesburg - money and time wasted fighting over parking. Free public transport is the solution.

City of Johannesburg pushes paid parking scheme | Transport & Tourism | BDlive: "The intention is to encourage more people to use public transport and for those who find parking to spend minimal time using the space, the source said."

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Abandon cars, use buses

Abandon cars, use buses: "KCCA should set up a directorate of public transport, planning, management and regulation. Since we need personnel to run the public transport sector, universities should be helped to start specific courses on transport and logistics at degree level and work with government in carrying our research.

The Government should also come with capacity building. It can ask for technical assistance from countries like China, where the company bought its buses, and train competent drivers and other personnel who can multi-task.
"

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U.N.: Over 1 Million Die In Traffic Crashes Each Year – and Many Are in Poor Countries | Transportation Nation

U.N.: Over 1 Million Die In Traffic Crashes Each Year – and Many Are in Poor Countries | Transportation Nation: "The World Health Organization says 1.24 million people die each year as a result of traffic crashes, which are the leading cause of death for people between 15 and 29.

The Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, released Thursday, also estimates crashes injure between 20 and 50 million people each year."

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Global Warming May Have Fueled Somali Drought - ABC News

Global Warming May Have Fueled Somali Drought - ABC News: ""In the coming decades, unless urgent action is taken to slash greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures in East Africa will continue to rise and rainfall patterns will change. This will create major problems for food production and availability," Gebregziabher said."

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World Bank finds traffic congestion costs Egypt 4% of GDP. Their solution? Phone Apps.

Al Ahram

Looking-for-a-technological-fix - Al-Ahram Weekly: "One recent study by the World Bank estimated that Cairo’s congestion problems were costing the country LE50 billion a year, or four per cent of Egypt’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The figure includes losses to productivity due to people sitting in traffic instead of working, additional fuel consumed due to prolonged travel times, and the environmental impact of increased vehicle emissions.
...Unfortunately, the capital suffers from an unreliable public-transport system, and there is a lack of data about it such that it can be hard to know the arrival times of buses and their destinations. “There are roughly three billion hours wasted a year as a result of waiting for buses,” Noureddin said."

allAfrica.com: Kenya: Energy and Foods Costs Push Up Inflation to 4 Percent

allAfrica.com: Kenya: Energy and Foods Costs Push Up Inflation to 4 Percent: ""Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels' index went up by 0.39 per cent between January and February 2013. This increase is attributable to higher costs of house rents, kerosene and other cooking fuels which outweighed observed lower costs of electricity," said KNBS in a statement released yesterday."

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