A DECADE OF URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT DECISIONS: AN ANTHOLOGY AND ANALYSIS OF BUS AND RAIL POLICY MAKING

From their inception the passenger transport authorities and executives have been concerned with the provision of an integrated system of public passenger transport. For a shorter period, less than a decade, shire county councils have sought to promote co-ordinated public transport. This all-embracing approach belies the fragmented nature of the policy making and decision-taking processes at work in practice. This paper outlines the legal framework and institutional context of public transport policy making in the provincial conurbations. The major areas of decision-taking are examined to establish the nature of the issues confronting decision-takers and the political and financial context applicable. This establishes both principle and practice in relation to decisions on matters of operation and investment; revenue and capital spending; and covers issues ranging from fares, routes and timetables to rolling stock and infrastructure. The paper seeks in particular to discover whether such differences as exist between decisions concerning rail and bus services are superficial and relate to inherent differences in technology or institutional arrangements for operation, or are more fundamental and reflect either overt differences in policy or covert differences in the decision-taking process. The paper's findings are illustrated by examples drawn largely from Greater Manchester and relating to decisions on fares and service levels in the public transport plan; the service revisions proposed in the basic bus network study exercises; garage closures; and capital investment programmes including the Picc-Vic, rail scheme, railway upgradings and the light rapid transit proposals. Finally, the possible impacts of: --the abolition of the metropolitan county councils;--the changes in the TPP system and grant arrangements;--the de-regulation of bus service operation are considered. This paper is presented in an abstract form. For the covering abstract of the seminar see IRRD 286719. (TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Transport Policy. Proceedings of Seminar K held at the PTRC Summer Annual Meeting, University of Sussex, England, 15-18 July 1985, Volume P267.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • Hill, E C
  • Hilton, I C
  • JONES, G
  • LING, D J
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 171-172

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Competition; Coordination; Deregulation; Fares; Institutional issues; Legislation; Level of service; Policy making; Public transit; Rural areas; Subsidies; Transportation modes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Integrated transportation systems
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 155: Administration; 1272: Bus; 235: Competition; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 2248: Decision process; 263: Economics of transport; 244: Financing; 227: Investment; 699: Itinerary; 1556: Legislation; 653: Level of service; 192: Local authority; 143: Planning; 173: Policy; 744: Public transport; 1173: Rail bound transport; 241: Tariff; 1186: Timetable; 253: Transport authority; 1145: Transport mode; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00457325
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 2004 10:01PM