Page 29 - U4SSC Factsheet, Mashhad, Iran (Islamic Republic of), September 2021

Traffic congestion continues to be an issue for Mashhad (and for most large cities). The excess traffic
demand is related to an increasing number of new private vehicles, a lack of parking capacity, and
explosive traffic demand in particular periods. Traffic still tops the list of all urban issues, and is
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one of the most important concerns of citizens.
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A review of the performance in the transport categories shows that there are several areas of
improvement in Mashhad. Mashhad’s citizens have public transport options mainly comprising
the metro/light rail system and the bus rapid transit system; however, private vehicles remain
the preferred option. Private vehicle use is closely related to poorer air quality and higher GHG
emissions given that, globally, private vehicles account for less than one-third of trips in cities
worldwide but are responsible for 73 per cent of urban air pollutants. Per capita, private cars
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generate three times more greenhouse gas emissions than public transport systems like buses. 13

A 4th generation bicycle sharing network has been implemented and through a city-run website,
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the public can check the availability of free public parking spots.

A better understanding of traffic flows and traffic congestion is helpful to prioritize areas for
improvement. Measuring and understanding the Travel Time Index would be a useful start.

It is recommended that Mashhad further encourage greater use of local public transport over
private vehicles and continues to prioritize modes of transport (e.g., walking and cycling) that do
not contribute to the effects of climate change and do have associated health benefits.

Enhancing Performance Using ITU-T Recommendations:

Recommendation ITU-T Y.4456: ‘Requirements and functional architecture for smart parking lots
in smart cities’ can also help guide measures to implement smarter parking to alleviate the issue
of congestion and impeding of traffic flows, as automobiles search for parking spaces.

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