Ridership and the Built-Form Indicators: A Study from Ahmedabad Janmarg Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS)

Although the Janmarg (people’s way) Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) system in Ahmedabad, India, achieved worldwide accolades since its introduction, it has not reached its expected ridership. In analyzing ridership, research shows that external factors of BRTS such as built-form indicators have a potentially greater effect on ridership than its internal factors. In order to assess the ridership of the Janmarg BRTS, a methodology was developed based on built-form indicators that were quantified using the “5D” approach. The use of appropriate geo-information science (GIS) techniques helped to analyze the built-form spatial data effectively. The calculated built-form indicators were used as inputs in a regression analysis. The consulted literature suggests a relationship between built-form indicators and ridership. However, in the present study this relationship was not confirmed. Moreover, land-use diversity, road connectivity, and job accessibility by BRTS were found to be relatively low. Several policy recommendations were suggested along the BRTS corridors in line with the existing policy such as the utilization of full Floor Space Index potential, the application of Transit Oriented Development strategies and the integration with non-motorized modes to increase the accessibility to the most important job locations

E-mobility solutions for urban transportation:User needs across four continents

Aiming at setting up a global platform for e-mobility solutions, the EU-funded project SOLUTIONSplus (2020–2023) established nine living labs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to test innovative solutions involving new services, business models, vehicle types, and charging systems. A user needs analysis was undertaken in all project cities. The paper summarizes the main findings of this analysis and investigates the effect of the external environment on user needs. The perceived importance of electric vehicles in mobility patterns, quality of life, and city environment is examined, along with expected challenges in the respective market penetration. It is found that these perceptions are correlated with external factors such as air pollution or traffic congestion, leading to possible adjustments of the e-mobility promoting efforts according to the local stakeholder priorities

Accessibility, Infrastructure Provision and Residential Land Value: Modelling the Relation Using Geographic Weighted Regression in the City of Rajkot, India

Amenities and infrastructure provision in urban areas are essential for the sustainable future of cities in developing countries like India. Indian cities have large development deficits and find it challenging to bridge the gap using traditional methods. Provision of these facilities costs money, which is often not available. However, access to amenities and infrastructure adds to land premium, which, if captured, can be used to finance the provision of these facilities. In India, very little information is available on the value of accessibility and infrastructure provision, and thus, these indirect benefits are primarily ignored by urban planners. This study fills the gap by identifying these benefits using Rajkot city in India as a case study. A geographic weighted regression model is used to model the relationship. It is found that land price variation is explained to a good extent using the model. Estimates show that infrastructure and amenities have a substantial impact on land value, much higher than the cost required to provide these

Accessibility, Infrastructure Provision and Residential Land Value: Modelling the Relation Using Geographic Weighted Regression in the City of Rajkot, India

Amenities and infrastructure provision in urban areas are essential for the sustainable future of cities in developing countries like India. Indian cities have large development deficits and find it challenging to bridge the gap using traditional methods. Provision of these facilities costs money, which is often not available. However, access to amenities and infrastructure adds to land premium, which, if captured, can be used to finance the provision of these facilities. In India, very little information is available on the value of accessibility and infrastructure provision, and thus, these indirect benefits are primarily ignored by urban planners. This study fills the gap by identifying these benefits using Rajkot city in India as a case study. A geographic weighted regression model is used to model the relationship. It is found that land price variation is explained to a good extent using the model. Estimates show that infrastructure and amenities have a substantial impact on land value, much higher than the cost required to provide these