Une méthode d’analyse spatiale des espaces piétons au service d’un urbanisme orienté vers le rail ?

In recent years, the quest for a more sustainable urban planning and street design has gained importance among practitioners and researchers. An urbanism oriented towards rail is a valid alternative to the long standing practices of urban planning and street lay out based on the individual car, which have conditioned the development of cities for several decades. Among different tools that could be implemented to improve rail travel attractiveness, a radical improvement of walking conditions all along the footpaths leading to rail stations is proposed. In this paper, an observation grid as well as a set of criteria for footpath attractiveness are first proposed as a tool (or methodological approach) for a spatial diagnosis. This tool is then tested on the Carnot rail station in Saint-Etienne, a city in Eastern France. Besides the assessment itself (showing assets and challenges of the areas to be redesigned), this case study leads to proposed planning principles, in terms of recommendations meant to improve footpath quality significantly.     

Une caractérisation de l'émission acoustique des véhicules au cours des déplacements

Traffic noise is usually measured at fixed points whereas in reality vehicles move and generate noise throughout their trip. This paper therefore puts forward a new method of identifying noise emissions which takes account of the trip as a whole. We have made use of the concept of standard kinematic sequences (which are the elements which form all car trips) and have introduced a new acoustic index to characterize the noise emissions of a vehicle during a sequence. We have achieved this by adapting conventional highway acoustic indices to the way sequences are defined and used. We have calculated examples of these indices from acoustic recordings of isolated vehicles on a test track and from standard sequences.     

Cheminements piétonniers et exposition au risque

Travel surveys do not include all walking activity. The techniques that are employed tend to underestimate the proportion of walking in daily travel, and pedestrian exposure to traffic accident risk cannot be accurately computed from the resulting data. To overcome these shortcomings, the authors have developed an original survey technique that involves following and observing subjects in the Greater Paris Region. Recording the subjects’ trips (paying particular attention to walking episodes) during an ordinary day provides precise values for risk exposure that distinguish between the on-road and off-road components of walking activity. A number of different risk ratios are then computed, according to the geographical location and whether the pedestrian is walking on or off the road. These risk ratios are then compared to those that apply to motorists.     

Dépenses de transport des ménages en Afrique subsaharienne méthodes et mesures appliquées au cas de Niamey

The knowledge about the proportion of household budget which Africans spend on urban transport is still poor. We have carried out an analysis of a household travel survey to provide some insight into this topic. This paper begins with a review of the literature that illustrates how much different estimates vary and goes on to discuss the effects of a number of methodological decisions, with regard to be robust, in particular as far as to expenditure is recorded, the type of data collection and the selection of an equivalence scale. With regard to an application in the city of Niamey, the authors explain the hypotheses they have made and describe sensitivity tests when different equivalence scales are applied. Although it would seem that travel surveys could benefit from methodological improvements, the results appear to be robust, in particular as far as selection of an equivalence scale is concerned. Because of high running costs, motor vehicle ownership is extremely restricted. Public transport use is a substitute for personal modes, but it is also expensive and a considerable burden on the budgets of the poorest households. Its use is therefore constrained, which limits the ability of low income groups for become truly integrated within the economic and social life the city     

Vieillissement et gravité des atteintes lésionnelles des victimes d’accident de la circulation routière

This study uses the road traffic accident casualty register for the Rhône Département to investigate how the risk of severe or fatal injury varies according to age and to describe the injuries that explain the severity. Two groups of road users are investigated, car occupants and pedestrians. A NISS score of nine or over is taken to indicate a severe injury. Data analysis reveals that, for both groups, the risk of severe or fatal injury increases with age. The nature and location of the injuries depend on the age and sex of the victims. With regard to severe injuries, elderly female pedestrians are susceptible to fractures of the femur (and the femoral neck) and all parts of the upper limbs. Elderly male pedestrians are mainly exposed to fractures of the femoral neck. The greater vulnerability of severely injured elderly drivers results in thoracic injuries, which are partly explained by seat–belt wearing. The main cause of death, for pedestrians of all ages and young drivers is severe head injuries. Car occupants over the age of fifty more frequently suffer from severe thoracic injuries. These findings should not, however, be allowed to conceal the differences observed in the general population for the two severity criteria we have analyzed (severe injury or death). Mortality (in relation to the general population) is highest for young car occupants, while lethality (the fatality rate amongst those injured) is highest among the elderly. For pedestrians, both mortality and lethality increase with age. These findings are also applicable to the risk of severe injury. They justify the continuation of passive safety research in order to develop protection systems that are appropriate for the characteristics of car occupants. Furthermore, they should help to increase everybody’s awareness of the vulnerability of pedestrians and stimulate the introduction of preventive measures, particularly for seniors.     

Réflexions sur le transfert méthodologique de l’analyse qualitative d’accidents de la circulation routière issue de l’étude détaillée des accidents (EDA) fran?aise aux procédures d’accidents colombiennes

Nearly 90% of the traffic accidents that occur worldwide happen in developing countries. Yet road safety remains a little-studied subject in these countries, and notably accidentology studies, which provide a wealth of information. One of the major problems in studying road accidents in developing countries lies in the lack of reliable accident data. Indeed, while the comprehensive accident analysis methodologies used in developed countries provide an understanding of the origin of accidents and accident processes, as well as making it possible to define suitable, effective actions, they require reliable and relatively detailed accident data. These methodologies are notably based on detailed accident studies (DASs) and their adaptation to the analysis of accident reports. Colombia has an infrastructure for gathering and storing traffic accident data that can be used to perform comprehensive accident analyses. This article defines the feasibility of a technology transfer (clinical accident analysis) to the Colombian equivalent of accident reports. These observations are part of a doctoral thesis prepared jointly by the IFSTTAR Accident Mechanisms Research Unit and the University of the Andes in Bogotá.     

Comportements,personnalité, conduite des véhicules automobiles

This study was carried out on a population of 127 offending drivers of both sexes. A validation study was also performed on a sample of 51 offending drivers of both sexes. On the basis of a questionnaire that dealt with road related parameters (violations accidents, vehicle power) and use of the Guilford Zimmermann Temperament. Survey (with the Parenti driving questionnaire in the validation study), a variety of analyses were conducted which demonstrated essentially that offending drivers do not posses a specific psycholonical profile, (unlike motorcycle and HGV licence holders who do). However, it emerged that men and women have a different relationship with the car which is an object of narcissistic investment for men, contributing to their image and self-esteem and becoming a means or supporting and asserting their masculine identity) and that the intensification of male identity is associated with a variety of behaviours that increase the risk of both violations and accidents. Furthermore, while violations in themselves are not predictive of risk, perhaps revealing more about the nature of surveillance activities, frequent reoffending can lead to the assumption that the individuals are potentially dangerous drivers.     

Analyse des pratiques d'accompagnement des enfants et de leurs conséquences

It is more and more common to escort children, and adolescents in rural areas, to school, to see friends, to leisure activities, to the doctor's etc. Some elderly persons are also systematically escorted to activities. These escorting trips are mainly by car, with the mother (or the daughter) driving. Whether children are escorted or not varies according to their age, but the practice has becoming increasingly prevalent in Europe since the 1970s. In England children are allowed to travel unescorted average two and a half years later in 1990 than was the case in 1970 and in the same period the percentage of trips which are escorted has increased by a factor of three and a half. Road safety problems and general insecurity in the area where they live lead parents to escort their children. Most trips of this type are by car. The same situation applies in the former East Germany where many households have only recently acquired a car and where traffic is perceived as dangerous. Although this type of organization of daily family life provides short term opportunities, it nevertheless has long term negative impacts on the acquisition of travel independence by children and adolescents.     

Besoins en information et problèmes d'utilisation des transports ferroviaires par les personnes déficientes visuelles

This paper describes some of the findings of the biovam project, which deals with the difficulties encountered by the visually impaired when travelling on public transport, for example buses, the underground or trains. The biovam project brings together a team of researchers who are specialized in the accessibility of transport to disabled persons, mobility instructors for the visually impaired and two public transport operators, the ratp (the Paris Region Public Transport Authority) and the sncf (French National Railways). The biovam project performed a survey which identified the difficulties encountered by visually impaired travellers, and then conducted an inventory of the technical devices which could alleviate these problems. This paper pays particular attention to train travel, which differs from other modes in particular as regards frequency of use, journey duration and the nature of the infrastructure and the rolling stock. The presented findings have led to a number of recommendations and the organization of an experimental program which has renewed financial support from predit.     

VirMaLab — atelier virtuel de maintenance: un outil d’aide à la décision pour l’optimisation des politiques de maintenance

This article deals with a generic approach called VirMaLab (virtual maintenance laboratory) for reliabilitybased maintenance modeling for complex systems (with multi-components and multi-states). Based on the probabilistic graphical models formalism (also known as Bayesian networks), this stochastic approach takes into account both the degradation process of the considered system (an original semi-Markovian model is proposed) and maintenance strategies (from diagnosis factors to all kinds of maintenance actions). For complete decision support tools, cost parameters should also be considered (maintenance actions, unavailability of the system, running, etc.). In this article, two applications of this approach to rail maintenance are introduced. The first one focuses on the optimization of the compromise refurbishment/repairing of central part of the RER A line. The second one focuses on the comparison and evaluation of various maintenance strategies in the modernization of the command control systems of Paris metro lines.     

Modèles linéaires généralisés appliqués à l'étude des nombres d'accidents sur des sites routiers: Le modèle de Poisson et ses extensions

Models that link accident frequencies at road sites with traffic volumes and road characteristics provide reference values which are of value when carrying out diagnostic studies and deciding on preventive measures. Such models can be developed using generalized linear modelling techniques, which are able to take account of the Poisson properties of accident frequencies at road sites. The Poisson models obtained for road sites are frequently everdispersed, so extended forms of the Poisson model (quasi-Poisson, negative binomial a high percentage of the studied sites, in which case zero-inflated models also have to be considered. This paper presents an overview of these methods which are illustrated by modelling the relationship between accident frequency site characteristics and traffic volume on a large sample of bends.     

Gibraltar: le projet de lien fixe entre intégration euroméditerranéenne et développement régional

This paper presents a socioeconomic examination of the project for a fixed link in the Strait of Gibralter. This project for a major link between Europe and the Maghreb which would take the form of a rail tunnel can be examined at two different spatial scales, that of the major trade networks which link Europe and the Maghreb and that of the areas which are located near the future points of access to the tunnel. If we pass over the problems which may be posed by the financing of this project (which studies have shown to be profitable), the geopolitical context of changing relations within Europe and the Mediterranean should be favourable to its construction. Its strategic (and at the same time symbolic) character is defined by its role as a link between the trans-European networks and the southwestern shore of the Mediterranean basin. This physical connection may nevertheless generate undesired or even counterproductive effects in the directly exposed economies on the southern side. Additional strategies could be considered for which the existence of a tunnel would constitute an opportunity. These are referred to as accompanying measures in French regional planning policy.