Travel Demand Growth: Research on Longer-Term Issues. The Potential Contribution of Trip Planning Systems

INTRODUCTION 1.1 The growth in demand for travel Over the 20 years hm 1965, National Travel Survey (NTS) data shows a 61% growth in total person - km of travel. More detailed analysis suggests that this is made up roughly as follows:- due to increased population 4% due to more journeys 22% due to longer journeys 35% This implies that around 60% of the growth in travel has been due to people travelling further, rather than making more journeys. It is interesting to note, too, that the same phenomenon occurs even in the most congested areas. Between 1975 and 1985, NTS shows an 11% growth in person -km by London residents, at a time when population fell by 5%. In this case, the growth is made up roughly as follows:- due to lost population -5% due to more journeys 4% due to longer journeys 12% It is of course difficult to estimate the extent to which future growth in travel will be generated by longer journeys. The NRTF, which predicts a growth in car-km of between 120% and 180% between 1985 and 2025, is not based on a procedure which enables the effects of journey making and journey length to be separated. However, it is worth noting that if the same pattern were to exist at a national level in future, the predicted growth in car travel due to longer journeys could be equivalent to between 75% and 100% of today's car travel. It seems appropriate to ask whether it is a wise use of scarce resources to provide the infrastructure and energy needed to enable people to carry out their activities further from home. (Continues...

The Influence of Town Centre Conditions on Pedestrian Trip Behaviour: Results from a Household Survey in Two Locations

1.1.1 Any new road, road improvement or traffic management scheme could affect pedestrian journeys in its locality or elsewhere. Some journeys may be affected directly, with severance caused where the new road or road improvement cuts across a pedestrian route, others may be affected indirectly with a new road causing changes in traffic levels elsewhere. To enable effects on pedestrians to be given proper weight when decisions are taken, techniques are required that forecast the effects of the scheme on the number and quality of pedestrian journeys. This is particularly true in urban areas, since effects on pedestrians may be one of the main benefits or disbenefits of measures to relieve urban traffic. (Continues..

The Relationship Between Pedestrian’s Assessment of Street Environments and Physical Conditions

1.1.1 Any new road, road improvement or traffic management scheme could affect pedestrian journeys in its locality or elsewhere. Some journeys may be affected directly, with severance caused where the new road or road improvement cuts across a pedestrian route, others may be affected indirectly with a new road causing changes in traffic levels elsewhere. To enable effects on pedestrians to be given proper weight when decisions are taken, techniques are required that forecast the effects of the scheme on the number and quality of pedestrian journeys. This is particularly true in urban areas, since effects on pedestrians may be one of the main benefits or disbenefits of measures to relieve urban traffic. (Continues..

Pedestrian Amenity: On Street Survey Design

Any new road, road improvement or traffic management scheme could affect pedestrian journeys in its locality or elsewhere. Some journeys may be affected directly, with severance caused where the new road or road improvement cuts across a pedestrian route, others may be affected indirectly with a new road causing changes in traffic levels elsewhere. To enable effects on pedestrians to be given proper weight when decisions are taken, techniques are required that forecast the effects of the scheme on the number and quality of pedestrian journeys. This is particularly true in urban areas, since effects on pedestrians may be one of the main benefits or disbenefits of measures to relieve urban traffic. (Continues..

Counting Methods and Sampling Strategies Determining Pedestrian Numbers

1.1.1 Any new road, road improvement or traffic management scheme could affect pedestrian journeys in its locality or elsewhere. Some journeys may be affected directly, with severance caused where the new road or road improvement cuts across a pedestrian route, others may be affected indirectly with a new road causing changes in traffic levels elsewhere. To enable effects on pedestrians to be given proper weight when decisions are taken, techniques are required that forecast the effects of the scheme on the number and quality of pedestrian journeys. This is particularly true in urban areas, since effects on pedestrians may be one of the main benefits or disbenefits of measures to relieve urban traffic. (Continues..

Studies of Pedestrian Amenity.

This report, produced for the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, summarises the results of an extensive literature search in two areas of pedestrian research: (I) Estimating the Number of Pedestrian Journeys (2) Pedestrian Amenity The report identifies gaps in current knowledge from the revealed literature and makes recommendations for best practice. Research proposals are made, to help alleviate such revealed gaps, in a companion report

Pedestrian Amenity: On Street Survey Design

Any new road, road improvement or traffic management scheme could affect pedestrian journeys in its locality or elsewhere. Some journeys may be affected directly, with severance caused where the new road or road improvement cuts across a pedestrian route, others may be affected indirectly with a new road causing changes in traffic levels elsewhere. To enable effects on pedestrians to be given proper weight when decisions are taken, techniques are required that forecast the effects of the scheme on the number and quality of pedestrian journeys. This is particularly true in urban areas, since effects on pedestrians may be one of the main benefits or disbenefits of measures to relieve urban traffic. (Continues..

Identifying Traffic Problems in a Heavily Trafficked Urban Environment– Reference to Sowerby Bridge

1.1 BACKGROUND This study was commissioned by the Civic Trust to identify new approaches to traffic management solutions for Sowerby Bridge. The objective of the overall study was to identify low cost, innovative solutions to problems created by high volumes of traffic using the A58. This road is the main shopping street in Sowerby Bridge. In our brief it was stressed that any new road construction such as a by-pass was not a feasible or acceptable solution due to the severe vertical gradients surrounding Sowerby Bridge. Further, the town is on the brink of a major programme of regeneration. A nationally important canoe slalom has been created; the riverside mill area fronting onto the River Calder is being developed for commercial and leisure use and there is a proposal to reopen the Rochdale Canal. In view of this it is essential to ensure that traffic on the A58 is managed so as to minimise its effect on the environment and trade, without adversely affecting local access. In writing our report we have separated the problem and solution identification stages. The solution identification stage is reported in a companion report (Hopkinson et all 1988b). A further stage of our study which involves presenting our final solutions back to the users of Sowerby Bridge for comment is to be reported in a forthcoming report, WP 265 (Hopkinson et al, 1988c). 1.2 INTRODUCTION This Working Paper describes the methods used and findings from the first stage of our study carried out during October and November 1987 to identify the problems experienced by the users of Sowerby Bridge. Here it is intended to draw conclusions about the approach adopted to elicit people's impressions about problems, the way in which this information was interpreted and the applicability of the method to other situations

Road Pricing: The Potential for Comparative Monitoring. A Report to the London Planning Advisory Committee.

This study was designed to review the proposals for road user charging in the Randstad, Stockholm, Oslo and Singapore, to determine the intentions for monitoring of each of these proposed schemes, to assess the implications for the development of policy in London, and to identify any opportunities for obtaining experience which would help in clarifying the uncertainties associated with proposals for road pricing in London. The study reviewed the objectives and operational requirements for road pricing in London and the criticisms levelled against such proposals. On this basis it developed a series of requirements for monitoring and information gathering to help clarify the outstanding uncertainties. These were used as a check list for a series of discussions with those responsible for proposals in the case study cities. Discussions indicated that the proposals in most cities had changed markedly in the period since the study was commissioned. These changes, and the resulting nature of the proposals, meant that only the proposals for Stockholm were sufficiently similar to those in London to justify collaborative monitoring. The report recommends that such collaboration be developed. However, both the Randstad and Oslo schemes offer the opportunity for obtaining information on actual or predicted user response, while the Singapore proposals will provide valuable experience of new technology. It is recommended that all of these are pursued. The discussions highlighted several lessons of direct relevance to the development of policy in London. In particular it is seen as important to keep the specification of the measures simple; to pursue extensive consultation with those who might be affected and with all political parties and government bodies who might be involved in policy decisions; to provide clear guidance on the anticipated uses of the revenue: and to develop a system which is implemented flexibly, so that problems can be remedied as they arise. In this context, the role of assessment and monitoring is limited. It should not be used to delay decisions; however, once a commitment is made to proceed, experience from elsewhere will be of value in informing the consultations. A carefully designed monitoring programme will be important in assessing and enhancing a scheme once implemented. It is recommended that the monitoring programme should be based on the requirements identified in this report

New Approaches to Traffic Management Solution – With Reference to Sowerby Bridge

BACKGROUND This study was commissioned by the Civic Trust to identify new approaches to traffic management solutions for Sowerby Bridge. The objective of the overall study was to identify low cost, innovative solutions to problems created by high volumes of traffic using the A58. This road is the main shopping street in Sowerby Bridge. In our brief it was stressed that any new road construction, such as a by-pass, was not a feasible or acceptable solution due to the severe vertical gradients surrounding Sowerby Bridge. The town is on the brink of a major programme of regeneration. A nationally important canoe slalom course has been created, the riverside mill area fronting onto the River Calder is being developed for commercial and leisure use, and there is a proposal to reopen the Rochdale Canal. In view of this it is essential to ensure that traffic on the A58 is managed so as to minimise its effect on the environment and trade, without adversely affecting local access. In writing our report we have separated the problem and solution identification stages. The solution identification stage is reported in Working Paper 263 (Hopkinson et al 1988b). The final stage of our study, which involves presenting our final solutions back to the users of Sowerby Bridge for comment, is to be reported in a forthcoming report, WP 265 (Hopkinson et al, 1988c)