Sustainable Urban Mobility for All Initiative

Background

The transport sector has become one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in Cambodia. Rapid urbanization has also led to a growing demand for improved mobility and transport. The project supports the government’s efforts in rehabilitating and developing transport infrastructure as reflected in the Government Rectangular Strategy and the priorities outlined in the Phnom Penh Master Plan 2035.

Sustainable Urban Mobility for All Initiative (SUMAI) aims to provide the means to plan and improve the present urban traffic and transport systems by generating of data on traffic and air quality in the city to guide policy and regulatory decisions. The intended impact would be better-informed policies and investment decisions supporting sustainable, inclusive, and smart urban transport solutions.

Key Expected Outputs

Output 1: Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s capacity in traffic management and urban transport planning reinforced to develop informed policies

Output 2: Air pollution monitoring and clean fleet solutions applied

Output 3: Innovative and smart solutions for urban mobility and transport launched

Achievements

Policy Support

• Electric Vehicle Standards:  The Institute of Standards of Cambodia was supported in identifying potential EV standards to be adapted in Cambodia (12 Standards for electric 2 & 3 wheelers have been identified and recommended).
• National Land Transport Policy: The National Land Transport Policy was drafted. The policy aims to strengthen policy mechanism for the land transport sector in Cambodia and to contribute to maintaining Cambodia’s high economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
• Master Plan for Intermodal Transport Connectivity and Logistics System: SUMAI has supported the consolidation of the Master Plan for Intermodal Transport Connectivity and Logistics System and provided inputs on green growth policies and solutions as well as the human development aspects in line with the SDG framework to the master plan.

Policy Research

• Indicative Air Quality measurement: two studies were supported to contribute to building evidence based on the issues of air quality in Cambodia. An  emissions inventory and roadmap development training for government ministries, academia and research institution was produced and conducted. A study on indicative air quality measurement in Phnom Penh was also produced  to provide insights into ambient air and potential air pollution sources.
• Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents in Cambodia: Traffic is one of the leading causes of death in Cambodia. SUMAI supported an empirical study which estimated a loss of USD 467million in 2019 equivalent to 1.7% of GDP due to traffic accident. A few capacity building initiatives was delivered to MPWT on data management and analysis using the Road Crash and Victim Information System.
• Transforming Urban Mobility in Phnom Penh: SUMAI, in partnership with the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS) conducted a study on transforming urban mobility in Phnom Penh to provide the government with systemic insights and the costs of not investing in specific measures that would allow for efficient and sustainable urban mobility. The study looks at a holistic approach to urban mobility from transportation infrastructure, public transportation, urban logistics to socio-economic conditions and road safety.

Policy Dialogue and Advocacy

• Urban Mobility Forum and Urban Mobility Showcase: SUMAI, in partnership with EnergyLab, has supported MPWT to host Cambodia’s first regional Urban Mobility Forum and Showcase Day, which brought together more than 400 participants and invited regional experts from both the private and public sectors to share their knowledge, lessons learned, and experience from the urban mobility sector.
• Cities of the future event: In partnership with Impact Hub, Cities of the future, a networking event was organized with 190 attendees, 5 startup booths, and 9 speakers from the region. The event reached 37,000 people on social media. It initiated the dialogue on sustainable urban mobility and transport in cities, sharing the experiences locally and regionally.

Innovative Pilots

• Urban Mobility Incubator: UMI is a 6-month incubation program on urban mobility and transport wherein participating team met with several mentors and experts within the pool of Impact Hub locally, regionally, and globally. The programme awarded three compelling solutions to urban mobility issues with potential to address accessibility for persons with disabilities, manage traffic congestion using AI and green transport.
• Inclusive mobility and income generation: A prototype of adjusted three-wheeler called “Abili-Tuk” was supported and scaled up. Abili-Tuk enables drivers with lower body impairment. Four vehicles were tested and delivered to Phnom Penh Center for Independent Living (PPCIL) and Cambodian Disabled People’s Organization (CDPO) to support further advocacy to enable access to job and employment for persons with disabilities.
• Youth Impact Challenge: Youth Impact Challenge encouraged and showcased the skills, abilities, and knowledge of Cambodia’s youth. The programme allowed youth to compete with innovative ideas on how they would solve urban mobility issues. Catered to  students and young professionals, three winning teams were identified and provided seed funding to kickstart their ideas to promote the use of public transport and e-bike.
• Reflective Stickers: SUMAI has provided 70,000 reflective stickers to MPWT to be distributed to 25 provinces through the Department of Public Works and Transport during the road safety campaigns to help reduced traffic accidents as the stickers increased visibility of the vehicles during nighttime.
• RoadCare App: SUMAI has supported MPWT on the development and public awareness of the Road Care App, initially as an app to report potholes and expand its functions to improve road safety and transport. The app has gained a total of 27,000 users from December 2018 to May 2021. MPWT has been able to repair 1,114 cases or 24% of the reported cases through the App. MPWT plans to expand the app’s functions to report traffic accidents, road violations, solid waste issues, and road care evaluations.
• MetroCount: MetroCount devices were delivered to MPWT to support in road traffic accident blackspot investigation process and implementation of road safety decade of the action plan.

 

Photo: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia

 

 

Photo: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia

 

 

Air Quality System | Photo: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia

 

Urban Mobility

Youth Impact Challenge

Youth Impact Challenge is a friendly competition for ideas to solve urban mobility & transport challenges in Cambodia.

Inspiring youth to make a difference in driving safe, inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. Take a moment to meet each amazing Youth Impact Challenge team.

 

Youth Impact Challenge in House Session | Photo: Manuth Buth/UNDP Cambodia

 

Sustainable Urban Mobility For All Initiative

Project results summary (Khmer)