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It is well recognized in the literature that a country's transport system plays a central role in its development. In this paper, we show the economic impacts of improvements in the transport system by studying experience of the Philippines with the Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) policy that promotes the use of Ro-Ro ferry terminal system. Using difference-in-difference strategies in analyzing agricultural household income and children's education, we find that the operation of Ro-Ro ports largely benefitted the households living near the Ro-Ro ports. More specifically, our estimates suggest that agricultural households gained higher income from the operation of these ports because both agriculture and non-agriculture related activities were stimulated. Our results also imply the boost in non-agriculture related activities on the islands where the Ro-Ro ports are located. Meanwhile, our analysis on children's education reveals an increase in school attendance of males and females in municipalities near the Ro-Ro ports. We likewise confirm that there was an increase in family income in these areas, thereby suggesting the increased capacity of households to send children to school. As a whole, our study demonstrates some examples of short-run and long-run impacts of improving a country's transport system. Likewise, it highlights the importance of an efficient and affordable transport system in an archipelagic country like the Philippines.

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has seen its population and the number of vehicles on its roads rapidly increase over the last ten years. Today, there are close to 8 million motorbikes in the city, and over half a million cars.1 The city has engaged in a range of responses to these strains on transport infrastructure and congestion. Most recently HCMC authorities, following their counterparts in Hanoi, have been considering the implementation of a motorbike ban in the urban core, to be implemented as early as next year. Urban planners have advised against such a drastic measure, citing that such a ban privileges one of the primary causes of the traffic—the growth in the number of cars in the city, while regressively punishing those without cars who presently have limited public transportation options. HCMC, however, does have a comprehensive public transportation plan in place, involving a series of ring roads, light-rail/metro-rail lines, bus rapid transit and city bus corridors. While these plans are ambitious and on the surface represent a comprehensive approach to public transport, the city will need to overcome a number of challenges first.

Across the world, rapid urban growth offers enormous opportunity to those living in cities and suburbs. Urban residents tend to earn higher incomes than their rural peers, and enjoy the benefits of living in closer proximity to vital services and commerce. However, the same influx of people and economic activity also places enormous pressure on the built environment, straining existing transportation systems across the developed and developing world. In turn, residents and businesses increasingly struggle to reach one another, and they often place a premium on locating in neighborhoods with the greatest urban access. In other words, people want to live where it is easy to reach key destinations. This can drive up the price of land and contributes to a toxic mix of income inequality and spatial inequity. In response, urban leaders need to plan, design, and deliver transportation services and develop land in a way that prioritizes inclusive access. Striving for greater and more inclusive access requires a new vision for urban areas in the years to come and should inform longer-term strategies and policy decisions. This new framework should aim to optimize access for all people regardless of demographic characteristics, ensure the built environment is responsive to their needs, and promote development of a transportation system in line with an urban area's long-term fiscal and financial health.

Transport – the movement of people and goods from one place to another – is a basic requirement for the functioning of human society, and is intrinsic to the production and use of goods and services. The transport sector directly contributes 5%–10% of gross domestic product (GDP) in most countries, and indirectly enables the other sectors to contribute to social and economic development. By helping to expand economic opportunities and services, and providing people with access and mobility, transport contributes to poverty reduction and inclusive growth. Yet transport also consumes resources and often has negative side effects, including congestion, air pollution, and road crashes. Transport is already responsible for nearly a quarter of energy-related CO2. On balance, the contribution of transport to sustainable development depends on how accessible and affordable it is for people to use, what resources it consumes, and what negative side effects it has. It is therefore necessary to select the types and mix of transport that will fully realize its positive contribution and minimize negative effects. Based on these considerations, our institutions have been adjusting our support for the sector to focus on sustainable transport – transport that is accessible, affordable, efficient, financially sustainable, environment friendly, and safe. These are reflected in the policies, strategies and initiatives of our institutions, as summarized in the table overleaf.

Transport – the movement of people and goods from one place to another – is a basic requirement for the functioning of human society, and is intrinsic to the production and use of goods and services. The transport sector directly contributes 5%–10% of gross domestic product (GDP) in most countries, and indirectly enables the other sectors to contribute to social and economic development. By helping to expand economic opportunities and services, and providing people with access and mobility, transport contributes to poverty reduction and inclusive growth. Yet transport also consumes resources and often has negative side effects, including congestion, air pollution, and road crashes. Transport is already responsible for nearly a quarter of energy-related CO2. On balance, the contribution of transport to sustainable development depends on how accessible and affordable it is for people to use, what resources it consumes, and what negative side effects it has. It is therefore necessary to select the types and mix of transport that will fully realize its positive contribution and minimize negative effects. Based on these considerations, our institutions have been adjusting our support for the sector to focus on sustainable transport – transport that is accessible, affordable, efficient, financially sustainable, environment friendly, and safe. These are reflected in the policies, strategies and initiatives of our institutions, as summarized in the table overleaf.

The purpose of this manual is to assist maintenance groups in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, in organizing and carrying out the routine maintenance of unpaved rural roads. The physical condition of roads is critical to any transport network. However, unless roads are adequately maintained, they inevitably deteriorate, leading to higher road user costs and longer travel times. Routine maintenance is often delayed due to various factors, such as lack of funds or insufficient technical knowledge. When simple routine maintenance is postponed for long periods, there is often a need for more extensive rehabilitation, which is much more costly. The manual is the outcome of the small-scale technical assistance (SSTA) pilot project linked to the Yunnan Integrated Road Network Development Project. The SSTA pilot project built on the experience of a previous pilot project on Community-Based Routine Road Maintenance by Women's Groups, which was financed by the ADB Gender and Development Cooperation Fund. The SSTA sought to improve the approach developed under the first pilot project by introducing performance-based payments with the aim of reducing the resources required for supervision and inspection. It also aimed to improve the financial sustainability of the approach by reducing the investments required and promoting policy changes regarding the use of road maintenance funding. This manual guides the maintenance groups at the operational level in the use of appropriate tools and techniques in their work. It teaches the maintenance group members technical and managerial skills for routine maintenance of rural roads, based on the experience gained from the two pilot projects carried out in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province.

The purpose of this manual is to assist maintenance groups in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, in organizing and carrying out the routine maintenance of unpaved rural roads. The physical condition of roads is critical to any transport network. However, unless roads are adequately maintained, they inevitably deteriorate, leading to higher road user costs and longer travel times. Routine maintenance is often delayed due to various factors, such as lack of funds or insufficient technical knowledge. When simple routine maintenance is postponed for long periods, there is often a need for more extensive rehabilitation, which is much more costly. The manual is the outcome of the small-scale technical assistance (SSTA) pilot project linked to the Yunnan Integrated Road Network Development Project. The SSTA pilot project built on the experience of a previous pilot project on Community-Based Routine Road Maintenance by Women's Groups, which was financed by the ADB Gender and Development Cooperation Fund. The SSTA sought to improve the approach developed under the first pilot project by introducing performance-based payments with the aim of reducing the resources required for supervision and inspection. It also aimed to improve the financial sustainability of the approach by reducing the investments required and promoting policy changes regarding the use of road maintenance funding. This manual guides the maintenance groups at the operational level in the use of appropriate tools and techniques in their work. It teaches the maintenance group members technical and managerial skills for routine maintenance of rural roads, based on the experience gained from the two pilot projects carried out in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province.

The foremost development challenge for archipelagic Southeast Asia is improved connectivity among the region's 24,000 islands. The success of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway in the Philippines, which uses an integrated system of roll-on/roll-off vessels to move people and cargo effectively, has proven to be a source of hope for the millions of poor in the region. Began in 2003, the roll-on/roll-off system has resulted in reduced transport costs and increased frequency of deliveries. As a result, businesses models have changed, farmers have gained market access, local government revenues have increased, and tourism has expanded. This timely report presents the findings of an initial Asian Development Bank impact study on the roll-on/roll-off system in the Philippines. Most importantly, the report shows that relatively simple policy reforms in the area of sea transport can positively impact the lives of millions of poor who until now have lived in isolation, and it serves as an example of the benefits to be accrued by others in archipelagic Southeast Asia through the implementation of similar initiatives.

The foremost development challenge for archipelagic Southeast Asia is improved connectivity among the region's 24,000 islands. The success of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway in the Philippines, which uses an integrated system of roll-on/roll-off vessels to move people and cargo effectively, has proven to be a source of hope for the millions of poor in the region. Began in 2003, the roll-on/roll-off system has resulted in reduced transport costs and increased frequency of deliveries. As a result, businesses models have changed, farmers have gained market access, local government revenues have increased, and tourism has expanded. This timely report presents the findings of an initial Asian Development Bank impact study on the roll-on/roll-off system in the Philippines. Most importantly, the report shows that relatively simple policy reforms in the area of sea transport can positively impact the lives of millions of poor who until now have lived in isolation, and it serves as an example of the benefits to be accrued by others in archipelagic Southeast Asia through the implementation of similar initiatives.

Most Asian cities have grown more congested, more sprawling, and less livable in recent years, and statistics suggest that this trend will continue. Rather than mitigate the problems, transport policies have often exacerbated them. In this publication, ADB outlines a new paradigm for sustainable urban transport that gives Asian cities a workable, step-by-step blueprint for reversing the trend and moving toward safer, cleaner, more sustainable cities and a better quality of urban life.

Most Asian cities have grown more congested, more sprawling, and less livable in recent years; and statistics suggest that this trend will continue. Rather than mitigate the problems, transport policies have often exacerbated them. In this book, ADB outlines a new paradigm for sustainable urban transport that gives Asian cities a workable, step-by-step blueprint for reversing the trend and moving toward safer, cleaner, more sustainable cities, and a better quality of urban life.

"Electric bikes (e-bikes) provide low-cost, convenient, and relatively energy-efficient transportation to an estimated 40 million–50 million people in the People's Republic of China (PRC), quickly becoming one of the dominant travel modes in the country. As e-bike use grows, concerns are rising about lead pollution from their batteries and emissions from their use of grid electricity, primarily generated by coal power plants. This report analyzes the environmental performance of e-bikes relative to other competing modes, their market potential, and the viability of alternative battery technologies. It also frames the role of e-bikes in the PRC's transportation system and recommends policy for decision makers in the PRC's central and municipal governments."

While the use of electric two-wheelers has increased in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the past decade, such unparalleled growth has not extended beyond the PRC's borders to countries, such as India and Viet Nam, where environmentally detrimental gasoline motorcycles dominate. This report documents market conditions in Ahmedabad, India, and Ha Noi, Viet Nam, to explain why this is so, and analyzes the potential environmental impact of electric two-wheelers to show how they could chart a path toward sustainable transport in these and other countries in the region.

While the use of electric two-wheelers has increased in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the past decade, such unparalleled growth has not extended beyond the PRC's borders to countries, such as India and Viet Nam, where environmentally detrimental gasoline motorcycles dominate. This report documents market conditions in Ahmedabad, India, and Ha Noi, Viet Nam, to explain why this is so, and analyzes the potential environmental impact of electric two-wheelers to show how they could chart a path toward sustainable transport in these and other countries in the region.

Most Asian cities have grown more congested, more sprawling, and less livable in recent years, and statistics suggest that this trend will continue. Rather than mitigate the problems, transport policies have often exacerbated them. In this publication, ADB outlines a new paradigm for sustainable urban transport that gives Asian cities a workable, step-by-step blueprint for reversing the trend and moving toward safer, cleaner, more sustainable cities and a better quality of urban life.