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[GIB INSIGHTS] Transforming Urban Transportation in Uzbekistan: Lessons from Seoul’s Reforms and Policy Proposals

  • Date 2025-01-07 16:05
  • CategoryResearch and Education
  • Hit448

[GIB INSIGHTS] Transforming Urban Transportation in Uzbekistan: Lessons from Seoul’s Reforms and Policy Proposals 사진1

Efficient urban transportation is a cornerstone of sustainable city planning, influencing economic growth, sustainable development, and the daily lives of millions. As Uzbekistan’s urban centers, particularly the capital city of Tashkent, continue to grow, the need for a reliable and sustainable transportation system becomes paramount. Learning from successful models like Seoul’s transportation reforms offers valuable insights. This essay examines Seoul’s transportation strategies and evaluates their applicability in Uzbekistan, taking into account the country’s specific socio-economic and infrastructural context. Furthermore, it proposes alternative policy solutions to address unique local challenges while fostering a more resilient urban transportation system.

Uzbekistan’s transportation infrastructure is a complex network that includes roads, railways, and airways. The road network spans approximately 209,496 kilometers, which is essential for national and urban connectivity; however, only about 72,000 kilometers are paved, limiting efficient transit in certain areas (World Data, 2023). Railways, covering 4,669 kilometers, play a key role in freight and passenger movement, supporting economic activities across both urban and rural regions. Tashkent, the capital, boasts an extensive metro system established in 1977 that has seen expansions to meet the demands of a growing urban population.

Despite these developments, Uzbekistan’s urban transport faces significant challenges. First, traffic congestion has worsened due to rapid urbanization and increasing car ownership, particularly in Tashkent. Although public transport options are available, they are insufficiently accessible, leading to overcrowded buses and limited coverage in suburban areas. Additionally, Uzbekistan relies on an aging fleet of vehicles, contributing to high levels of air pollution that affect public health and the environment. Further complicating these issues is the state of infrastructure, as road maintenance costs remain high, estimated at around $1 billion annually due to deferred repairs (Daryo, 2024). These challenges underscore the urgent need for strategic interventions to improve transport sustainability and efficiency.

Seoul’s urban transportation reforms serve as a model for how strategic investment and policy innovation can transform a city’s mobility landscape. Initiated in the early 2000s, these reforms aimed to enhance public transport efficiency and reduce reliance on private vehicles. Key components of the reforms included the following:

1. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System: Dedicated bus lanes allowed buses to bypass traffic, providing a reliable alternative to private cars.

2. Fare Integration: A unified fare system made it easy to transfer between buses and subways, increasing convenience and lowering costs.

3. Smart Card System (T-money): Cashless fare collection simplified transactions and enabled data collection for better transit planning.

4. Semi-Public Operation Model: Government-regulated bus companies balanced quality service with operational efficiency.

5. Public Engagement: Seoul involved the public in planning to ensure the system met citizens' needs, fostering strong support. These reforms helped Seoul reduce traffic congestion and pollution while creating a sustainable transit system supported by continuous improvements based on transit data.

Seoul’s reforms were successful not only in reducing traffic congestion and pollution but also in generating data to inform continuous improvements in transit services. Adopting Seoul’s strategies in Uzbekistan requires adjustments to fit the local socio-economic and government context. Unlike South Korea, Uzbekistan has a lower GDP per capita, which limits funding for extensive infrastructure. Uzbekistan’s centralized government structure could streamline decision-making but lacks mechanisms for public engagement, posing challenges to implementing reforms. Tashkent may be equipped to handle complex transport projects, but other cities may lack the resources to do so effectively.

Some of Seoul’s initiatives seem particularly feasible for Uzbekistan:

1. Smart Transit Card System: A unified smart card could make fare collection easier, improve convenience, and support data-driven transit planning.

2. Distance-Based Fares: Charging based on distance could make fares fairer and encourage public transit use for longer commutes.

3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Involving private companies in bus services under government regulation could improve quality without overburdening public finances.

To address Uzbekistan’s specific challenges, some tailored policies could be effective:

1. Electric Buses: Uzbekistan’s abundant electricity resources make electric buses a viable option for reducing emissions and operating costs. A shift to electric buses could improve air quality and reduce fuel import dependency, aligning with the country’s sustainability goals.

2. Dedicated Bus Lanes: Creating bus lanes in busy areas could offer a reliable, affordable alternative to expanding the metro, which requires more investment and time. BRT systems, which are quicker and cheaper to implement, could reduce congestion and improve public transport accessibility.

3. Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure: Investment in pathways and bike lanes could promote sustainable transport options, easing congestion and pollution. Plans for 250 kilometers of bike paths and footpaths align well with global trends in urban livability (Kun.uz, 2022).

4. Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS): Real-time traffic monitoring, adaptive signal control, and traveler information systems could manage traffic flow efficiently and provide commuters with timely updates on delays or route changes.

While structured public transit is emphasized in Seoul’s model, Uzbekistan's context includes informal options like shared taxis, which offer flexible, direct routes. Rather than adopting a rigid public transit model, Uzbekistan might benefit from integrating formal and informal transport through app-based ridesharing or on-demand microtransit, meeting diverse commuter needs.

Given Uzbekistan's budget constraints, high-cost infrastructure projects may not be practical. Instead, optimizing current bus services or adopting affordable, demand-responsive transit solutions could deliver benefits with minimal financial investment. Small, scalable changes like route optimization and demand-based scheduling can enhance service quality without significant costs.

The success of Seoul's smart card system relies on factors like banking access and digital literacy, which vary across Uzbekistan. To ensure fair access, the government could invest in digital literacy programs and expand banking services, especially in rural areas, to support smart payment adoption.

Consensus building is another critical component of effective policy implementation, particularly in complex systems like urban transportation. It ensures that diverse stakeholders align on objectives, share resources, and collaborate to address challenges. For Uzbekistan, engaging stakeholders to form a unified vision for transportation reform is essential for success. This report outlines strategies for consensus building based on international experiences and the unique socio-economic context of Uzbekistan, supported by data and references. Uzbekistan’s centralized governance structure enables streamlined decision-making but often excludes public input. Expanding participation is necessary to ensure reforms meet diverse needs. Initiatives such as public forums and surveys can gauge commuter preferences and identify pain points. According to a UNESCAP (2024) survey on urban transport in Tashkent, 68% of respondents cited reliability as a key factor influencing their choice of public transit, while 54% identified cost as a critical concern. These insights can guide priorities in reform implementation. Consensus-building should leverage data to ensure transparency and credibility. Real-time traffic monitoring and commuter feedback can help optimize routes and schedules. According to a UNESCAP (2024) report, integrating real-time data reduced bus delays in pilot projects by 18% and improved user satisfaction by 35%.

A logical and impactful starting point for initiating urban transportation reform in Uzbekistan lies in optimizing the existing infrastructure through a pilot Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Tashkent. Such an initiative would provide a cost-effective and scalable solution, serving as a model for broader reforms while addressing the immediate challenges of congestion and inefficiency. The pilot project should prioritize the establishment of dedicated bus lanes in high-traffic areas, ensuring reliable and time-efficient transit for commuters. Incorporating electric buses would leverage Uzbekistan’s abundant electricity resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and long-term operating costs. Furthermore, the integration of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), such as real-time traffic monitoring and adaptive signal control, would enhance the efficiency and reliability of the network. By demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of these targeted interventions, the BRT system could act as a catalyst for further transportation reforms across Uzbekistan. This initial effort would not only build momentum for broader initiatives but also foster public and stakeholder confidence in the government’s capacity to modernize urban mobility in a sustainable and efficient manner.

To conclude, Uzbekistan’s urban transport system stands at a crossroads, with opportunities to modernize sustainably. Learning from Seoul’s experience, Uzbekistan can adopt smart, tailored solutions to improve public transportation, accessibility, and environmental impact. The proposed steps, including smart cards, electric buses, BRT systems, and ITS, represent viable paths to an efficient, sustainable urban network. With the right investments, policy innovations, and public engagement, Uzbekistan can build a modern transportation system that meets the needs of its urban population and sets an example for sustainable urban planning in the region.

Future research should focus on pilot projects to test these reforms in Uzbekistan. Policymakers are encouraged to form public-private partnerships to share the financial responsibility for infrastructure and engage the public to ensure reforms meet the community’s needs. By following these steps, Uzbekistan can achieve a transformative transport system that supports sustainable urban growth.


References

1. Daryo. (2024, December 24). Uzbekistan’s road to 2030: Increasing road infrastructure capacity by 48.6%. Retrieved from https://daryo.uz/en/2023/12/24/uzbekistans-road-to-2030-increasing-road-infrastructure-capacity-by-486

2. Kun.uz. (2022, January 3). Uzbekistan intends to reform public transport system in next 5 years. Retrieved from https://kun.uz/en/news/2022/01/03/uzbekistan-intends-to-reform-public-transport-system-in-next-5-years

3. Shin, H. C. (2024, October 18). Seoul Transport Reform [PowerPoint presentation]. National Think-tank on Transport Policy and Technology. Retrieved from uploaded file titled 2024 GIB Insights Policy Lecture Series #3_Dr. SHIN Heecheol (Oct. 18).pdf

4. The Diplomat. (2024, June). Uzbekistan: From shared taxis to ridesharing. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2024/06/uzbekistan-from-shared-taxis-to-ridesharing/

5. UNESCAP. (2024). Report on the Sustainable Urban Transport Index in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Retrieved from https://www.unescap.org/kp/2024/report-sustainable-urban-transport-index-tashkent-uzbekistan

6. World Data. (2023). Transportation in Uzbekistan. Retrieved from https://www.worlddata.info/asia/uzbekistan/transport.php


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