How can cities encourage modal shift to public transport?
Eric Peissel: First, people need to view public transport as an attractive option, which means offering reliable, affordable, accessible and comfortable services. They also need to see public transport as an option that makes sense in their everyday lives. Systems need to be planned, designed or expanded with these factors in mind, as well as ensuring convenient multimodal door-to-door journeys.
Fares and incentives can also help with modal shift. In the UK, for example, the London Hopper Fare, launched in 2016, allows unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour for a single fare. Also in the UK, the Department for Transport's £2 bus fare cap on most services in England has led to a 49% increase in additional bus journeys by users who would not have travelled otherwise.3
Having fare policies that respond better to the flexible way people want to travel is especially important now that traditional monthly passes have become less attractive due to the changing way many people work.
What other developments will support sustainable systems from social and environmental standpoints?
Eric Peissel: A sustainable public transport system needs to be able to respond to the mobility needs of all inhabitants. This means that systems must be designed and developed to be inclusive. Many systems have been developed more for the commuter with a focus on work trips. While post pandemic there have been greater efforts to embrace diversity, designing and providing services that support the needs of diverse users should be broadly prioritized. The diversity of users includes, among others, those who are more transit-dependent, such as the youth, the elderly and those with mobility or cognitive challenges.
Often when developing public transport systems, the focus is just on the public transportation network itself. From the perspective of inclusivity, it’s also important to consider the entire access to and from stations, and station stops, and the amenities for pedestrians and cyclists—not only at the stations and stops but also for the 800 metres-plus around them. Through our research, we are finding that the personal safety needs for women may involve implementing interventions such as improved lighting, CCTV and human surveillance. These and other aspects need to be considered at the beginning of the design process using a systems-thinking approach to generate the greatest positive outcomes for people and the environment.
Additionally, for public transport to be seen as a true alternative to car-based travel over the long term, systems must be competitive on speed with frequent and reliable services. This is no small task given the existing built form of many cities. So, to truly create sustainable public transport, we need to transform our cities to ones that support and incentivize public transport use. Transit-oriented developments, which focus on fostering walkable neighborhoods around rail and/or bus stations, can play an important role in advancing the shift to sustainable modes.
It's important to keep in mind that in comparison to other transport modes, public transport is much greener—and will continue to improve as the sector pursues opportunities to reduce emissions, both operational and embodied carbon. The transition to zero-emissions buses is a major step in this process.
In our projects, as we design and plan public transport, we are increasingly incorporating green infrastructure4 and seeking ways to enhance biodiversity in the process. This is important both for the environment and placemaking within urban environments.
