DAMASCUS PROVIDING SAFE AND EASY ACCESS TO THE MEDINA. Key words: Planning; Public-transport projects; City-centre regeneration

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1 DAMASCUS PROVIDING SAFE AND EASY ACCESS TO THE MEDINA Key words: Planning; Public-transport projects; City-centre regeneration Monograph written by Charles SIMON and Julien ALLAIRE, based on the presentation by Abdullah ABOUD and Amal HADDAD, City of Damascus (Marseille conference, 2010). Intellectual property of CODATU Latest update: 16/08/2012

2 Damascus PROVIDING SAFE AND EASY ACCESS TO THE MEDINA Considered one of the world s oldest cities, Damascus today has about 3 million residents. The Syrian capital, in the west of the country 80 km from the Mediterranean coast, is bordered to the north and west by mountainous regions. Damascus, which has been on UNESCO s World Heritage List since 1979, has managed to preserve an Old City with high heritage value. The city authorities are striving to make it safe, accessible and attractive. Syria Damascus Medina Population: 20,447,000 Population: 2,600,000 Population: 30,000 Area: 185,180 sq. km Area: 840 sq.km Area: 1.3 sq.km Density: / sq. km Urbanisation rate: 54.90% Annual rate of urbanpopulation growth ( ): 3.97% GDP / habitant: $2,892.7 HDI: / 1 Car ownership: 30 vehicles per 1,000 Vehicles per km of road: 20 Accident rate: 1.41 fatal accidents per 10,000 Density: 3,100 / sq. km Forecast population of metropolitan area in 2025: 3,534,000 Sources: World Bank UNDP United Nation Medina Guide Key words: Planning; Public-transport projects; City-centre regeneration Based on the presentation by Abdullah Aboud and Amal Haddad in charge of Traffic and Transport, City of Damascus (Marseille conference, 2010). In the late 1990s, Syria embarked on a process of integrating with the global economy. Its capital, Damascus, was divided into 17 administrative areas under the Grand Master Plan of The medina of Damascus covers an area of 1.3 sq. km and is home to about 30,000 residents; it is surrounded by a wall with various entry points. This ancient centre has retained a coherent and functional urban form. Besides its residential function, the medina plays an important economic role,

3 hosting several large markets and a shopping street (Hamidiyeh Street). The city s authenticity and rich heritage give it considerable tourist appeal. 1 However, between 1955 and 2005, the decrepit state of some housing prompted about 20,000 people to leave the medina for more modern homes. In parallel, the city s economic shift caused a rise in the number of restaurants and other retail activities, to the detriment of residential functions and particularly of the poorest residents. A process of gentrification began, with a risk that the quarter would lose its identity. Figure 1: Gateways to the medina. The city centre is mainly accessed by taxis and private cars. Besides working to regenerate the built fabric, the Governorate of Damascus has set itself the objective of resolving the problems relating to car traffic and parking in the medina. A Damascus Transport Plan was produced in 1999 by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The plan was partly updated in 2004 and 2008 with studies by Egis Bceom International 2 and SYSTRA 3 respectively. The Damascus metropolitan master plan drawn up by JICA in 2008 updated the Damascus Transport Plan, but this revision was not approved. Currently, the Paris Region Urban Planning & Development Agency (IAU-IDF), supporting the local consortium General Company for Engineering Studies and Consulting (GCEC), is conducting a study on the master plan of Damascus, its inner suburbs and metropolitan area. This study, intended to produce a diagnosis and planning orientations, is not yet complete. MEDINA-RELATED TRAFFIC ISSUES At present, access to the Damascus medina is mainly by private car and taxi, through one of 14 routes in and out. The 16 public bus and minibus lines that serve the edge of the Old City do not 1 The medina of Damascus contains many of the city s main historic monuments: the Umayyad Mosque, the Citadel, Azem Palace, etc. 2 A consulting and engineering group in the fields of transport, urban affairs, construction, industry, water, environment and energy. 3 An urban- and rail-transport engineering group.

4 adequately meet users needs. Furthermore, the only transport line through the Old City, from east to west, was recently discontinued. The situation as described above poses traffic and safety issues inside the medina. The flows of taxis and private vehicles congest the Old City, and generate conflict between pedestrians and drivers, who currently share the roads in the medina. Car parking is not regulated, and is therefore random, to say the least. Congestion is further exacerbated by the fact that this area is a transit zone for motorised vehicles. Pedestrians thus face very real difficulties in moving around. Figure 2: The future transport system. PROGRAMME OF ACTION To better serve the Old City, the Public Transport Master Plan being prepared includes creating four new high-capacity bus lines to link the medina with the rest of the metropolitan area. These lines will also be connected by a circular boulevard. The governorate also plans to build a metro line (in green on the map) about 17 km long. Two of its 17 stations will be near the medina, again promoting links with the rest of the conurbation. However, construction of the metro line is proving problematic. The project was halted when the new five-year plan ( ) was adopted, because of funding difficulties. The stated objective is to substantially reduce traffic jams and nuisance caused by chaotic parking. The Public Transport Master Plan also covers traffic management in the medina: - Ban on motorised vehicles entering the medina. - Creation of dedicated pedestrian routes.

5 - Creation of six car parks near the medina (three are already open, with capacity for 1,000 cars). This scheme will be supplemented by the development of regulated road parking. - For medina access, vehicles must be electric. Charging stations are due to be located near the medina (in car parks, on roadsides). - Creation of a circular transport line (bus or tramway) linking the medina gates. The religious and commercial dimension of the Old City is compelling the governorate to make certain exceptions, to avoid conflict with the residents: - Loading/unloading for the markets will be restricted to 5-7am and 8-10am every morning. - Deliveries to hotels and restaurants, and of fuel, gas and construction materials, etc. will be made from 5-7am daily. - School buses must stop at medina gates. CURRENT SITUATION The decision to ban motorised vehicles and to provide electric vehicles, due in April 2011, was finally not implemented. As for the metro line, it appears that funding from the sale of public land on a BOT (Build Operate Transfer) basis is being considered. This solution will not please certain transport professionals, who think the operator is running too big a risk. Another solution, further to the studies done for the Governorate of Damascus, would be to create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) prior to construction of the metro line. However, given the current Syrian context, infrastructure projects are not a priority.