RP2021u1: Improving the connection efficiency of existing public transport interchanges

Public transport modal interchanges provide for transfers between motorised and non-motorised transport modes, including cycling and walking, private vehicles, and public transport. To reduce carbon emissions, many state governments intend to increase the public transport’s share of motorised trips within metropolitan areas at least by 20%. Achievement of this target will be influenced by, among many factors, the effective use of transport hubs/interchanges. Poor pedestrian connections and inefficient feeder connections for customers around modal interchanges are undermining the ability of the public transport system to function as an integrated multi-modal system.

This research will consider various aspects of the role of public transport interchanges may play in improving public transport patronage. The project will analyse MetroCard data plus interview survey data from interchange users, to draw some conclusions about user’s needs for various types of the transport interchange.

This research will address issues relating to (1) type of trips at the interchange (2) the distance, and duration of journeys involving interchange; (3) who is willing to interchange; and (4) what facilities and information passengers require at an interchange (5) origin and destination of passengers using the interchange (6) parking accumulation, parking volume, parking load, parking turnover and parking Index.

This study will develop guidelines that will enable transit authorities to understand user expectations of interchanges, and the effective catchment areas around major transport interchanges, and the potential to increase public transport participation. This research will also help authorities understand the drivers of parking demand at interchanges, and help them to rationalise the existing feeder services or proposing new feeder routes to the interchange. Our objective is to reduce carbon emissions from private vehicle use by making interchanges more efficient and popular with passengers. This study will use the Paradise O-Bahn interchange as a case study and develop approaches to improve the connections valid for existing public transport interchanges in other Australian locations.