Moving Forward on Two Wheels – Strengthening the Knowledge Basis and Kickstarting Regional Discussions on Motorised Two-Wheelers in Asia

Manila, Philippines, 27 November 2017
GIZ´s sector network TUEWAS organised a first regional “Workshop on the Role of Motorised Two-Wheelers in Sustainable Transport in Asia and the Future of Electric Two-Wheelers”, in collaboration with the regional GIZ project “Transport and Climate Change” funded by the Germany Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the “Sino-German Cooperation on Low Carbon Transport” project (CLCT), funded through the International Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, the United Nations Environment Programme, and Clean Air Asia.

The one-day workshop aimed to provide insights on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of powered two-wheelers by discussing policies, standards, and regulations of two-wheelers. Further discussed topics were two-wheeler-related urban infrastructure development and adaptation needs, the overall acceptance of electric two-wheelers and their potential future role in sustainable urban transport systems.

The workshop was structured into two main parts. First, getting an overview from different countries on the situation and status quo of motorised two-wheelers, followed by an interactive discussion on the future challenges and pathways for the sustainable integration of two-wheelers in urban transport. The second part of the workshop focused on electric two-wheelers and their future role, which was elaborated by different experts as part of a panel discussion.

Country-specific inputs were given by experts from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and China on the status quo, challenges and opportunities of two-wheelers in urban transport. The importance and role of two-wheelers and the related challenges and opportunities were all very similar in each of the countries. Two-wheelers are easy to navigate in often congested cities in the region and are furthermore an affordable and reliable mode of transport.

As for challenges, motorcycles are often involved in (fatal) accidents given the high vulnerability of passengers. Two-wheelers generally face a lack of policies and standards. During a panel discussion in the afternoon, different experts from Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines focused on the role of electric two-wheelers for future transport systems.

Main findings were that strong data-based policies and regulations, infrastructure adaptations, strict safety standards, and incentives to promote electric two-wheelers (as in many ASEAN countries an important part of national decarbonisation strategies) are needed to ensure a sustainable future for two-wheelers in urban transport systems.

“To summarise and as one participant underscored: “Motorised Two-wheelers are the oil of urban transport systems”. Two-wheelers play an important role in urban transport systems and will continue to do so in the future.
Policy makers, industry, and users, all have an important part in making two-wheeler transport safer, more reliable, and more environmentally friendly to increase the quality of life in urban but also rural areas. “They will not go away” — mentioned during the discussions — might be a good closing thought to keep in mind for future discussions.”

Please see the detailed workshop report for further information here.