Increasing public transport appeal

7th May 1971, Page 44

7th May 1971

Page 44

Page 44, 7th May 1971 — Increasing public transport appeal

Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

• Ways of increasing the attractiveness of public -transport, both directly and by mea sures taken behind the scenes, formed an important theme at the 39th Congress of the International Union of Public Transport held in Rome this week. Direct contributions on this subject came from a paper by Mr Ralph Bennett, deputy chairman and managing director (buses), London Transport Executive, who covered a wide field, and by Herr M. Mross, Hamburger Hochbahn AG, Hamburg, who discussed marketing.

A look at the future in bus design came from Mr H. Feldman, executive officer, operations and maintenance, New York City Transit Authority, describing development and research undertaken mainly in the United States. Progress made with the design of a suitable standard bus for city and urban work was reported by Mr A. Flury, director, Verkehrsbetriebe der Stadt Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.

Recommended mesh Mr Bennett based his paper on replies to a questionnaire sent to the 91 member undertakings of the UITP. It was clear from the replies that a network of reserved track rapid transit facilities was considered as the most important means of improving public transport-40 cities in the world were operating and/or planning urban railways and extensions to such railways.

However, the majority of smaller towns would still have to rely on public transport by road—mainly by bus. Interpreting the replies he received, Mr Bennett stated that where the network of bus routes was not already predetermined by the configuration of the major roads, it seemed that a mesh of about one quarter-mile (400 metres— corresponding to five route kilometres per square kilometre) should be aimed at in the central area, and of about a half-mile (800 metres-2.5 route kilometres per square kilometre) in the suburbs. This was provided that traffic on these routes was still heavy enough to justify an attractive frequency of, say, five minutes or less in the central area and 10 min or less in the suburbs.

Where, even on more widely spaced routes, such service frequencies could not be commercially justified, the schedules should preferably be based on published clockface timetables and should 'provide for regular interchange connections.

Analysis of the replies suggested that the most important factors in selling public transport were, in order of importance: frequency; speed; reliability; cost; and comfort. In view of the wide range of ranking indices under each of these headings, Mr Bennett felt that this order of priority could hardly be expressed as a consensus. A market survey in London in 1966 gE the following order of importance: n ability; frequency; sheltered stops; inc routes (accessibility); comfort of vehicl and speeds. In general—though with nota exceptions—cost and comfort seemed rank slightly lower than frequency, six and reliability.

Six bus groups The types of bus operated by meml undertakings could be divided into . groups, said Mr Bennett. These were:

1) Buses deliberately designed for maxim' standing accommodation—seat/standing ra of 16 to 20 per cent. Quicker movement queues with very short travelling distar were put forward. as arguments for this of bus, and examples could be found in Li sanne, Casablanca, and, in particular, Mil, where the latest 100 passenger buses hE only 19 seats.

2) Seating/standing ratio of about 26 to per cent—typical examples a new stand; bus in a number of French cities other 0Paris; certain Swiss and Dutch towns; 13 celona; and London (Red Arrows).

3) Typical of this group—seating/standi ratio ranging from 36 to 40 per cent wi buses in Verviers 132:58): Warsaw 129:5 Metz (28:42): and Dordrecht (32:47), 4) This group seemed to be based on a 50: basis, and include Carlton (Melbourn Copenhagen; Essen: and London's lat suburban bus (33:34).

5) A much wider range of buses fell ir this group (about 66 to 76 per cent seatin and include the 47:19 ratio in Leicester a many other British systems on modern sing deckers, and the new breed of large capac double-decker coming into use in the lar British cities.

6) Finally, mainly confined to Britain, doub deckers with nearly 100 per cent seating.

With respect to peak-hour problen some cities reported that additional pe hour buses were worked by workshop stE (eg Utrecht). The use of special bus lar seemed to be in its infancy, Mr Berm remarked. The hesitancy in their acceptaii had to be overcome, but the fact that fewer than 40 towns indicated that reserv lanes were already in use or would be y into operation shortly indicated the wit spread acceptance of the principle. Cre must be given to Paris with 83 sections bus lanes-73 with and 10 against the fib Passenger guide

A number of desirable features in mode passenger vehicles could be determined reading , letters of complaints from passe gers, which often contained suggestions f possible improvements, said Herr Mro: in his paper on marketing. Frequent coi plaints were received on the temperatu inside the vehicles, for example. Incorpt ating passenger suggestions would lead the following items of specifications:— Air conditioning, which also overcomes t problem of ventilation: reduction of vehic -noise to the minimum; elimination of excE sive vibrations and jolts; improved lightir wide upholstered seats with more knee rooi adequate luggage and pram space; and Wi gangways.

Other important items included brig colours to create a pleasant impressic background music from loudspeakers, a] clearer route and destination blinds givi, clear and reliable information.