THE DECLINE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT - CAN WE ARREST IT?

The article considers the effect of some aspects of rail transport planning policy upon major conurbations. Commuters are the most important single consumer group, about 63 per cent of the LTE revenue and 77 per cent of British rail revenue in peak hour travel. The author discusses the basis used to determine the level of fare increases on commuter routes. The related issues of subsidies and staffing are examined; conditions vary considerably over the country but it is apparent that often labor and other resources are maldeployed. There is still a lack of co-ordination between surface British rail services and LTE buses and tube trains. A full study into the cost-effectiveness of subsidies for commuter fares is needed. It is explained how even small savings on subsidies could have serious implications on public revenue and expenditure accounts in large conurbations. Reasons are given why public transport should play a much greater role in the planning of conurbations and travel patterns within them. Greater emphasis should be put on the importance of commuter traffic.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03091384
• Corporate Authors:

  Royal Town Planning Institute

  26 Portland Place
  London W1N 4BE,   England 
• Authors:
  • Millman, R
• Publication Date: 1977-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 134
• Serial:
  • Planner
  • Volume: 63
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Royal Town Planning Institute
  • ISSN: 0309-1384

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Commuter service; Economic efficiency; Financing; Metropolitan areas; Peak periods; Policy making; Productivity; Public transit; Railroads; Subsidies; Subways; Tariffs; Transfer points; Transfers; Transportation modes; Transportation planning; Urban transportation; Work trips
• Identifier Terms: British Rail; London Transport
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Railway
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 385: Conurbation; 1041: Depot (transp); 237: Economic efficiency; 244: Financing; 612: Peak hour; 744: Public transport; 241: Tariff; 8119: United Kingdom; 9084: Use
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Railroads; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00168092
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 13 1981 12:00AM