Assessing the cost of transfer inconvenience in public transport systems: A case study of the London Underground

Few studies have adequately assessed the cost of transfers² in public transport systems, or provided useful guidance on transfer improvements, such as where to invest (which facility), how to invest (which aspect), and how much to invest (quantitative justification of the investment). This paper proposes a new method based on path choice,³ taking into account both the operator’s service supply and the customers’ subjective perceptions to assess transfer cost and to identify ways to reduce it. This method evaluates different transfer components (e.g., transfer walking, waiting, and penalty) with distinct policy solutions and differentiates between transfer stations and movements.The method is applied to one of the largest and most complex public transport systems in the world, the London Underground (LUL), with a focus on 17 major transfer stations and 303 transfer movements. This study confirms that transfers pose a significant cost to LUL, and that cost is distributed unevenly across stations and across platforms at a station. Transfer stations are perceived very differently by passengers in terms of their overall cost and composition. The case study suggests that a better understanding of transfer behavior and improvements to the transfer experience could significantly benefit public transport systems.     

Development and Deployment of Public Transport Policy and Planning in Taiwan

Over the past decade, the escalating roadway congestion and environmental deterioration due to heavy use of private vehicles have provoked the Taiwan government to realize the importance of public transport systems. Under the “carrot-and-stick” rationales, the government has formulated public transport policies and exercised a series of related initiatives by providing sufficient and higher quality of public transport services so as to attract more private vehicle users. In this paper, the planning philosophy and policy formulation of Taiwan’s public transport development are highlighted. The most important initiatives, including the Five-year Enhancement of Mass Transportation Program and the upgrading public transport schemes in the National Development Plan are examined. Based on previous experience and lessons, we point out the most challenging issues that the government will encounter. Suggestions for the future of public transport planning are also addressed.     

Urban public transport in Europe: Technology diffusion and market organisation

Technological change and incremental technology, at various levels, are believed to have played an important role in the success of urban public transport in Europe. In this paper, a historical overview of the evolution of different transport modes across different European cities is presented. Our major concern is with the processes of diffusion of urban transport modes in European cities and, in particular, with the factors, mainly of an economic nature, that may explain their rates of adoption across Europe. Among these factors, special attention is given to the role played by the dimension and organisation of public transport markets in the rates of adoption of different public transport modes. The main conclusion of the paper is that the success of the introduction of a new transport mode appeared to be mainly related to its ability to provide cheaper and more reliable transport services compared with previous transport modes, and that, in the case of the electric tram, this was achieved by transforming of the structure of the market relating to this urban transport mode into monopolies.     

Transport policy for London in 2001 The case for an integrated approach

The paper reports the results of a series of studies conducted to enable the London Planning Advisory Committee to provide advice on strategic transport policy for London. The analytical approach combined the use of an area-based, multi-modal strategic model (LAM) and professional judgment. The performance of LAM as a basis for providing rapid advice on complex issues in transport policy is assessed.The resulting policy advice advocated a coherent approach, involving new infrastructure, particularly for rail; improved management of the road and public transport networks; the use of subsidy to enhance public transport service levels; and road user charges to reduce the impact of private vehicles on congestion and the environment. Road user charges emerged as the pivotal issue in the policy; the paper discusses their role, and the questions which still need to be resolved before they can be implemented.The main message of the study is that no one element of transport policy can tackle London's problems alone; an integrated policy in which infrastructure provision, management and pricing are used to complement one another is shown to be far more effective.     

新加坡城市公共交通管理对广西的启示

文章从组织管理与规划管理两方面介绍了新加坡城市公共交通管理的成功经验,分析了该经验给广西城市公共交通管理所带来的启示,提出了广西城市公共交通的发展策略。     

Structure and dynamics of non-suburban passenger travel demand in Indian railways

In this paper we derive long run structural relationships for all the three classes, viz. upper, second and ordinary second class, of non-suburban long distance passenger transport demand for Indian railways using annual time series data for 1970–1995. We employ some of the recent developments in multivariate dynamic econometric time series modeling including estimation of long-run structural cointegrating relationships, short-run dynamics and measurement of the effects of shocks and their persistence on evolution of the dynamic passenger transport demand system. The models are estimated using a cointegrating vector autoregressive (VAR) modeling framework, which allows for endogeneity of regressors. The demand systems are found to be stable for all the classes in the long run and they converge to equilibrium in a period of around 2–4 years after a typical system-wide shock. Any disequilibrium in the short-run is corrected in the long-run with adjustments in passenger transport demand and the price variable, i.e. real rate charged per passenger kilometer. Results show that travel demand in all classes would rise with income, although the rise is less than proportionate in the case of ordinary class. High price elasticity in long-run and short-run impulse responses indicate that passenger fare hike could lead to substantial decline in travel demand leading to decline in revenue earnings of the railways. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Unlimited Access

Universities and public transit agencies have together invented an arrangement – called Unlimited Access – that provides fare-free transit service for over 825,000 people. The university typically pays the transit agency an annual lump sum based on expected student ridership, and students simply show their university identification to board the bus. This paper reports the results of a survey of Unlimited Access programs at 35 universities. University officials report that Unlimited Access reduces parking demand, increases students' access to the campus, helps to recruit and retain students, and reduces the cost of attending college. Transit agencies report that Unlimited Access increases ridership, fills empty seats, improves transit service, and reduces the operating cost per rider. Increases in student transit ridership ranged from 71 percent to 200 percent during the first year of Unlimited Access, and growth in subsequent years ranged from 2 percent to 10 percent per year. The universities' average cost for Unlimited Access is $30 per student per year.     

Park and ride facilities on light rail transit systems

There is now considerable interest in exploring the idea of strategic park and ride as a means of promoting the use of rail transit and encouraging a transfer of commuters from car to public transport. This is especially evident in North America, where extensive park and ride facilities have been installed on a number of light and heavy urban rail systems. There is a general consensus about the most suitable types of location for facilities, but less agreement on the development of a reliable method of forecasting demand and also on the required size of sites. Experience in practice indicates that although park and ride is attractive to commuters, schemes do not generally result in lasting reductions in highway congestion, due to rising car ownership and use and the phenomenon of generated traffic.Abbreviations Centro West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive - K&R Kiss and ride - LRT Light Rail Transit - PT Public Transport - RT Rapid Transit - TRRL Transport & Road Research Laboratory, UK     

基于用地分析的公交站场布局规划研究

城市规模的不断扩大和城市化进程的加快使得大城市的交通问题日益突出,大力发展公共交通,是解决密集型大都市交通问题的有效办法。文章介绍广州市公交站场布局方法,分析存在问题的原因,为此类设施用地规划提供参考。