“Quality Urban Transport for Sustainable Development and Urban Regeneration in Small and Medium Size Cities 

Emmanuel Manos Vougioukas

TranSUrban Project

Director, Management & Co-ordination Unit (MCU)

Dieuropaiki Symvouleutiki – University of Thessaly, Greece

www.transurban.orgwww.transurban.org

Introduction of Rapid Transit Systems (Tramway, Light Rail, Guided Busways) in Small and Medium Cities (SMCs)

Difficulties in implementing and operating such systems

Costly investment – needs operating subsidy… Funding problems Road space reallocation problems

Particularly in Small and Medium size Cities

Indirect (Socio-economic and urban regeneration) effects for SMCs

The long and difficult process of development and implementation can be facilitated if the indirect benefits are taken into consideration from the outset

TranSUrban project aims to examine the development and operation of new transit systems in SMCs through innovative strategies towards socio-economic sustainable development, cohesion and urban regeneration.

250 000 inhabitants

Quality urban mass transit system:

mainly independent from other traffic

with high service frequency

TranTransit sit SSystems Development for ystems Development for Urban Urban RegenerationRegeneration

Existing transport planning methods do not take directly into account the expected indirect socio-economic development benefits of Urban Transit Systems.

This may lead to distortions in decision-making and investment appraisal.

Previous studies have concluded that the indirect benefits of urban transit systems can be substantial, particularly in the form of employment creation, Regional GDP and urban regeneration.

There is a need therefore to bring the results of research to the city and public transport authorities so that to assist in their decision-making.

BackgroundBackground

Lessons learnt from previous researchLessons learnt from previous research

TranSEcon Project in EU RTD 5th Framework programme

Multiplier effect of transport infrastructure investment costs for regional GDP is about 2.2 on average (range of 1.9 – 2.5) and for regional income is about 1.4 (range 1.2 – 1.6)

Multiplier effect of total investment costs (including follow up investments) for GDP is up to 6 for public transport investments

Additional employment effect of infrastructure investment per Million € is 25-32 persons employed per year

To investigate the indirect benefits of LRT/Tram/GB systems, in terms of employment creation, urban regeneration, socio-economic development and cohesion, sustainable urban development, city aesthetics, urban governance

To exploit available research results in the field of urban transport and local socio-economic development, including policy and urban regeneration impacts

To investigate technical issues of alternative innovative, environmentally friendly public transport systems and the required accompanying measures for sustainable mobility in urban areas

To assess the institutional and legal frameworks and requirements for implementing urban transit systems, with particular reference to small and medium-sized cities, including the operating experience of existing systems

To examine the needs of funding mechanisms and procedures of financial institutions and funding agencies for planning, designing, developing, implementing, extending, modernising and upgrading of urban transit systems

To evaluate the potential environmental and energy efficiency benefits, socio-economic development, intermodality and urban regeneration impacts of LRT/Tramway/GB systems in Small and Medium Cities.

TranSUrban Project objectives:

The The TranSUrbanTranSUrban partnership partnership

Lead PartnerMunicipal Enterprise of Urban Studies and Construction of Volos (DEMEKAV), City of Volos, Greece  Cambridgeshire County Council, UK 

Livorno Public Transport Company (ATL), Italy Madrid Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM), SpainCase study: Valdemoro 

Municipal Enterprise for Planning, Constructions and Development of Nea Ionia Magnesia (DEMKA), Greece University of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences (ITS BOKU), AustriaCase study: Linz

Implementation procedures of Guided Busway System – Monitoring and documentation

Awareness of public transport stakeholders, investors and users; potential effects of PT investments; marketing and public awareness programme

New Guided Transport Systems on the basis of added value generated by New Urban Development

Realization of dedicated pt corridor for the traditional buses; study of impacts of a BRT line through models and dynamic simulation tools.

Strategic Plan for the development of Rapid Transit System including funding options, public awareness, consultation with responsible bodies, liaison with Transit System Suppliers and Central Government bodies

TranSUrban Case Cities

Development of an Urban Transit System

Urban Development and Regeneration

Through accompanying Transport Policy Measures

Tool to get to socioeconomic and spatial planning targets through indirect

benefits of Urban Transit Systems

Success in development of PT System needs integrated approach

need to bring the results of research to the city and public transport authorities so that to assist in their decision-making

A comprehensive common methodology has been set up to evaluate and quantify the indirect benefits in terms of: employment opportunities

urban regeneration

regional GDP

institutional development

urban governance issues etc

1. Functional Analysis

Indicates the effects of the investment on travel behaviour (transport supply / demand)

2. Extended Cost Benefit Analysis

Determines the feasibility of the investment by quantifying its costs and benefits (direct and indirect). Economic costs are defined as a monetary evaluation of the consumption of resources

3. Sustainable Development Analysis

Determines the contribution of an infrastructure investment for the sustainable development in the study area

ConclusionsConclusions Small and Medium size Cities face additional

problems in implementing Urban Rapid Transit Systems

Previous research and past experience shows that there are significant indirect benefits in terms of socio-economic development and urban regeneration impacts from implementing modern high-quality Urban Transit Systems

There is a need for an agreed procedure to include indirect benefits in investment appraisal

TranSUrban Project has established an evaluation framework which can provide such basis

Application of the evaluation framework in the five case cities of TranSUrban produces further evidence of significant indirect benefits in SMCs

Policy implications on sustainable urban mobility, institutional frameworks, new funding opportunities, potential socio-economic development and urban regeneration benefits of new Transit systems in SMCs

The project results will be disseminated to SMCs looking for Urban Rapid Transit System Implementation to assist in the decision-making process

The evaluation framework will be made available to funding agencies (EIB, EBRD, ERDF) and pan-European and international organisations (UITP, AET, Eurocities, ECMT) to facilitate investment decisions for Urban Transit Systems in Small and Medium size Cities

Extended Network of SMCs to further jointly study the impact of Quality Transit Systems on Sustainable Urban Development and Regeneration, based on TranSUrbanTranSUrban

Next StepsNext Steps

Linz

Livorno

Cambridgeshire

Valdemoro

Volos – Nea Ionia

: www.transurban.orgwww.transurban.org