#TheCityWeNeed #UrbanThinkers Voices with Thomas Pichler / Dopplemayr

My name is Thomas Pichler. I'm the CEO of Doppelmayr, a cable car manufacturer that exports to over 90 countries. Cable cars are typically associated with ski resorts in the mountains. This is changing, though. I've traveled to many places during my 28 years at Doppelmayr, but my recent travels did not only take me to destinations for winter tourism in the mountains, as you might expect, but also to cities all over the world where our products are now used for public transport. And I've got stuck in traffic congestion more times than I care to remember.

How we plan, build, and manage our cities is fundamental for our future. The world is now at a crossroads. The number of people living in urban areas is set to double over the next few decades. In fact, nearly three-quarters of the world's population now live in cities. Planning for mobility in urban areas is becoming increasingly complex. Urban sprawl is making the daily commute longer and longer, and existing transport networks are reaching full capacity. So if we don't address these mobility issues now, we will face even more congestion in the future. We understand that. That's why it's essential to find new solutions to our current and future transport problems.

So, what's the city we need? The city we need has efficient and affordable mobility systems. Both the infrastructure and transport network itself needs to be planned with this principle in mind. In many cases, expanding the existing road network is no longer an option. The problem is the lack of existing transport infrastructure in densely built-up urban areas, without any links or insufficient links to public transport. Underground rail schemes are often not built because of the high investment costs required. The solution: make use of a whole new level for passenger transport.

Cable cars play an increasing role as urban transport infrastructure. As a practical add-on to complement car, bus, and train services, they bridge natural obstacles such as rivers, cope easily with differences in altitude, link densely populated settlements, help to relieve routes with high volumes of traffic, and extend existing transport services. They can be combined with existing modes of transport to fill a gap in the transport network. A cable car can readily be integrated into existing urban areas. What's more, it has huge economic, eco-friendly potential, as numerous projects worldwide have demonstrated.

One example is the cable car network in La Paz. The population of El Alto has almost doubled over the past two decades, making it the fastest-growing urban community worldwide. La Paz itself lies at over 4,000 meters above sea level, and every day 440,000 commuters travel to work in La Paz. Rapidly increasing volumes of traffic brought the existing road network to the brink of collapse. A journey by car, minibus, or taxi often took more than an hour for the short trip between the two cities.

A few years ago, the city of La Paz and Bolivia's national government decided on a major expansion of the public transport system. As well as extending the municipal bus services, the initiative envisioned a second stage consisting of an entirely new public transport network based on cable cars. That vision became reality in Mi Teleférico, which has become the world's largest urban cable car network. Based on the huge success of the first phase, last year we were commissioned to build another six cable car lines, incorporating a total of 23 new stations and covering a length of almost 20 kilometers. Completion is scheduled for 2019.

The city we need is well planned to encourage walking, cycling, and the use of public transport. Efficient public transport systems give all residents access to workplaces, education, healthcare, and leisure activities. Cable car technology is ideally suited to promote attractive public transport. Cable cars have proved to be a reliable and comfortable mode of transport in cities all over the world.

In the two years since operations started, the three cable car lines in La Paz have transported around 50 million passengers. Fifty million passengers who not only enjoy a comfortable and reliable mode of transport but also breathtaking views of the city they live in as they ride the cable car. They benefit from the development of the areas surrounding the stations. In total, approximately 64,000 square meters of new public space, green spaces, and pedestrian areas have now been created.

The city we need is economically vibrant and inclusive. Cable cars provide an alternative for transport to areas that are difficult to access. They allow for the integration of isolated areas into the urban fabric to make them vibrant and inclusive. Passengers in La Paz who use the yellow line save 17 days per year which they would otherwise have spent stuck in traffic congestion. This is more than a fortnight of holidays.

The city we need makes use of the full potential of technology to improve efficiency in its operations and reduce its carbon footprint. Cable cars are a sustainable option for urban transport without harming the health of city residents. They operate air and noise pollution free. For example, the three lines in La Paz save more than 8,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year.

Last but not least, the city we need also promotes well-being and offers a high quality of life. Comfortable and secure public transport needs to be integrated into daily life, and we are at the forefront of innovation, constantly learning and improving. The city we need is also a democratic place where residents have a say about the environment, including their transport systems. We use an integrated planning process to maximize the benefits of our transport systems for the local population while offering the safest means of transport. We provide stunning views of your city. Yes, riding on a cable car is also fun! Doppelmayr looks forward to contributing to a better urban future and to building the city we need together with you. In that spirit, thank you.