Fostering passenger intermodality in London, Bremen and Lund

Table 2: Overview of passenger intermodality in London, Bremen and Lund

Modal choice nodes are the central focal point of efforts to foster intermodality. It is at these nodes where modes converge in dynamic and efficient ways. The ability of sustainable modes to match or surpass the convenience of car-only travel relies largely on modal choice nodes’ user-friendliness.

Transport for London's (TfL’s) goal is to “ensure that by minimising the barriers experienced by a passenger transferring between services and modes, the transport network is perceived as a coherent and integrated system" (Transport for London, 2014a). TfL Interchange is a team within TfL which monitors interchanges and identifies those which may need better coordination due to changes in transport and land-use. Based on these observations, interchanges are prioritised and recommended to TfL's Interchange Programme Board (IPB) for further action. From there, a collaborative approach is taken to address the interchanges' deficiencies by involving key stakeholders and sponsors within the local boroughs. The overall aim of TfL Interchange is to treat all transport modes and their users equally. Its Interchange Best Practice Guidelines list four aspects to strive towards:

• Efficiency (operations, movement to and within the interchange, sustainability);
• Usability (accessibility, safety and accident prevention, personal security, protection);
• Understanding (legibility, permeability, wayfinding, information);
• Quality (perception, built design, spaces, sense of place)

Transport for London has very useful Interchange Best Practice Guidelines, which can provide much more in-depth information about creating smarter links between modes in terms of the above four design principles. In this document (Transport for London, 2014a), TfL cites two concepts underlying their approach to interchange design:

• “Understanding how an interchange zone is perceived by all those with an interest in it - passengers, non-users, transport operators, regulatory authorities, providers or developers of facilities and services and
• The flows and movements of people and services within the interchange zone and between the interchange zone and its surrounding area”

In terms of horizontal and territorial policy integration, London engages in network wide cooperation which includes "network and service planning, ticketing, journey planning information, service disruptions and marketing" (Transport for London, 2014a). In cases where an interchange is owned, managed or served by more than one organisation, an Interchange Facility Management Agreement is created between the parties which sets out procedures for their coordination and cooperation. These Interchange Facility Management Agreements are reviewed by the interchange operators once a year.

Bremen and Lund each have examples of modal choice nodes which successfully abide by the above two interchange design concepts. Bremen’s mobil.punkt hubs innovatively integrate car sharing along with transit, taxis, walking and cycling. This approach is discussed further in the section below titled Sharing schemes (car and bike share). Lund has also made sure that people entering the city via the central train station (its major interchange) have clear information and pathways as they move from train to bus or bike. The central train station also tends to be the best place to provide a hub for cycling-related services to encourage people to bridge the ‘last mile’ of their journeys to the city centre using a fast and low-impact mode. Both Bremen and Lund have large bicycle parking facilities, both guarded and unguarded. For example, Bremen’s ADFC Cycle Centre provides bike-and-ride facilities with 1,500 guarded storage spaces, as well as bicycle maintenance services and information on cycling in the city.

Signage and information

Signage and information make changing between modes more efficient and convenient, thereby increasing travellers’ confidence in navigating the intermodal system. Real-time information about arrivals and departures via electronic signs at bus, tram and train stops are ubiquitous amongst cities which successfully foster intermodality. London’s ‘Legible London’ signage system aids pedestrians in navigating the city using maps and directions to landmarks, with 1,300 signs placed throughout almost all boroughs. In Bremen, electronic kiosks provide pricing and timetable information for public transport as well as enabling reservations for a car share or and taxi.

The layout of a modal choice node has direct impacts on its usefulness and the clarity of information being provided. London’s modal choice nodes are comprised of decision spaces, movement spaces and opportunity spaces. In decision spaces, there is clear signage or transport information which helps travellers to decide how to proceed with their onward journey. Movement spaces are clear pathways which connect the areas between decision spaces so that passengers can move with ease towards their next mode of choice. Opportunity spaces are areas next to (but out of the way from) the main flow of foot traffic. They present the opportunity to offer some additional value or service at the modal choice node (e.g. street furniture, cafes, retail display, landscaping).

Infrastructure network

London has a comprehensive public transport system which makes use of a wide variety of modes, including buses, taxis, tube, rail, light rail, tram. The city has also prioritised measures to increase cycling and walkability, and includes these modes in its journey planning website and smartphone app.

In Bremen, cooperation amongst transport providers is made possible due to one umbrella organization which covers all 35 transit operators in the region (Verkehrsgemeinschaft Bremen-Niedersachsen VBN). In terms of the city’s overall integration strategy, this is coordinated by the Department for Construction, Environment and Transport. According to a high-level representative of the city of Bremen, “lessons learned in the process emphasize the importance of communication and building links between different partners. Integrating modes is not primarily a question of technology, although technology does offer useful tools. Integration is rather a question of bringing people together and several suggestions are made as to how to do so successfully” (Glotz-Richter, 2004).

In Lund, the LundaMaTs II transport plan provides the political direction for intermodality in terms of infrastructure, with clear goals and targets set:

• The length of walkways and cycleways will increase 30% by 2030.
• The proportion of safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists will be 100% by 2030.
• Walking trips per resident will increase.
• Cycling trips per resident will increase 10% by 2030.
• Travel by public transport per resident will increase continuously.
• Motor vehicle transport per resident on national and municipal road networks will decrease.
• Motor vehicle transport per resident on the municipal road network will decrease 5% by 2030.
• By 2030 all properties exposed to noise levels above 54 dBA will have been offered grants.

Lund has also integrated intermodality into its vision for any future land use developments. The LundaMaTs II plan states that “The public transport/car travel-time ratio for new developments will be less than 2.0 for travel to city and district centres (covers housing and workplaces)” (Lunds kommun, 2007).

In 2014, Lund performed a preliminary review of the goals set for 2013 to see if they were met[1]. The results were that all targets were met or exceeded except for walking and cycling (Lunds kommun, 2014b). Instead, there was a 50% increase in public transport use. This is due to an increase in population within the city in recent years, which makes it difficult for the large university student population to find housing. Therefore, students tend to live further from the city centre and commute by bus or train instead of walking or cycling.

The clearest example of fostering intermodality through infrastructural measures in Lund is at the central train station (see Figure 2). There, the four main modes of transport are combined: walking, cycling, bus (local and regional) and rail (regional, national and international). At the exits of each train platform, real-time bus arrival information is displayed on a screen. Real-time arrivals and departures are also displayed for trains. Local and regional buses stop directly in front of the train station, and plenty of bicycle parking is provided within close proximity. Lund is also quite compact and walkable, so journeys to the main business and shopping areas are within reach of the central station. In order to accommodate the rapid increase in public transport use, Lund is currently in the early stages of planning for its first tram line which would run along a main route currently served by comparatively lower-capacity bus service (Lunds kommun, 2014a). The tram line is anticipated to be up and running as early as 2018.

 

Figure 2: Ample bicycle parking in Lund next to a bus stop, which is directly in front of the main train station. Source: Lunds kommun, 2007

Sharing schemes (car and bike share)

Car sharing and bike sharing allow greater intermodal flexibility, with pick-up and drop-off locations located at or near public transport stops. Bremen is a frontrunner for car sharing.

Today, 200 cars are spread across 50 car sharing locations in Bremen, and they are a key feature of the city’s mobil.punkt hubs. Car sharing has even been integrated into the integrated smart card ticketing system called “eierlegendewollmilchsau”. Car sharing has even been integrated into the city’s municipal fleet: Bremen City Department for Construction, Environment and Transport replaced part of its fleet with carshare services. Several residential developments also feature built-in car sharing stations, thereby reducing the parking spaces needed.

(Glotz-Richter, 2004) lists two important factors to keep in mind when establishing links between potential partners, such as car share operators and developers:

• Having a clear vision of the roles of the partners;
• Understanding the forces that motivate the partners

For example, if economic interests are what motivate a potential partner, then the public authority should frame its proposal for cooperation from an economic standpoint. This was successfully accomplished in London for its public-private partnership (PPP) with Barclays Bank for the establishment of a sponsored bike rental scheme. Barclays Cycle Hire (known colloquially as Barclay Bikes), has more than 10,000 bikes at over 700 docking stations located every 300 to 500 metres. The partnership is also engaged in planning and implementing “cycle superhighways” throughout the city to improve access for cyclists.

Lundahoj is Lund's bike sharing scheme which was launched on August 20, 2014. The system has 250 bikes across 17 bike stations, many of which are located at public transport stops. Lundahoj has integrated its ticketing with the region's public transport smart card, Jojo. The Lundahoj season pass can be connected to the Jojo card so that one card can be used for both bike sharing and public transport.

Intermodal journey planning software

Intermodal journey planning software (e.g. websites and apps) are the virtual equivalent of modal choice nodes: they help travellers link modes together so they can move in the most efficient way along their journey. Traditional journey planning websites and apps only link together public transport modes and sometimes walking. However, truly intermodal journey planning software includes cycling, car share, bike share, taxi, and the ability to bring your bike onto public transport.

Integrating bike sharing into journey planning software further promotes the use of sustainable modes, but it is not yet that common. One example comes from the Rhine-Ruhr area of Germany, where the ‘metropolradruhr’ bike rental service is integrated into the local transport association’s (VRR) trip planner (Stadt Bochum, 2012).

Integrated ticketing and e-ticketing

Integrated ticketing is the traveller’s passport across fee-charing sustainable transport modes (e.g. public transport, bike sharing and car sharing); it allows for greater freedom of movement and seamless transfers, thus saving time. All three of the frontrunners’ integrated ticketing schemes cover regional travel.

Pricing and demand management schemes

All of the measures discussed in this paper have so far been “pull” measures designed to provide more efficient access to sustainable modes of transport in an effort to draw people out of their cars. However, it does not always follow that if a public authority creates opportunities for easier access to sustainable modes, people will automatically begin using them. UITP (2011) argues that “mainly the fixed costs incurred lead car owners to spontaneously use their vehicles for every trip. The main challenge facing authorities is thus to decrease significantly the number of private cars”. Therefore, it bears mentioning that demand management and pricing schemes such as congestion charging and parking pricing can act as complementary “push” measures which reduce the number of cars on the road and encourage people to switch to more sustainable modes. As the largest and most densely populated of the three frontrunner cities, London is the only one with a congestion charge. Implemented in 2003, London has seen a 12% reduction in CO₂, PM and NO_x as well as a 21% reduction in vehicles entering the congestion charging area and a 38% increase in bus ridership as a result of the congestion charge.