TRENDS IN URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT PATRONAGE: WHAT DOES THE RECENT REVERSAL REALLY MEAN?
There has been a high level of capital investment in urban public transit over the last decade in Australian capital cities. Reversals in the downward trend in patronage have also occurred within the last five years and this has usually been taken as evidence of the "success" of the investments made. However, given the changes in the spatial distribution of employment and the sociodemographic characteristics of urban communities over this period, the reversal of the patronage trend may not necessarily be due solely to the investments nor may the reversal, in the way in which has manifest itself spatially, be desirable in terms of urban form. The aim of this paper is to examine both demand and supply considerations in assessing the recent trends in urban transport patronage with a view to clarifying the issues and strategic significance of what has occurred. It is postulated that the current upturn in patronage is somewhat fortuitous and largely attributable to rapid population growth in outer suburban areas where urban rail passenger services already existed, whereas, recent capital investment has essentially only returned existing systems to an acceptable service quality (a).
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08190259
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Corporate Authors:
Institution of Engineers
11 National Circuit
Barton, A.C.T., Australia -
Authors:
- GRIGG, T J
- Publication Date: 1989-9
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: p. 80-8
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Serial:
- TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, AUST
- Volume: GE13
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: Institution of Engineers
- ISSN: 0819-0259
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Demand; Demographics; Economic factors; Economics; Investments; Level of service; Networks; Passengers; Physical distribution; Public transit; Transportation; Urban areas
- Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Transportation networks; Use
- Geographic Terms: Australia
- Subject Areas: Economics; Transportation (General);
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00497869
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
- Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
- Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM