Global Mass Transit Report Information and Analysis on the Global Mass Transit Industry
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DECEMBER 2009 VOLUME I, ISSUE 2 Global Mass Transit Report Information and analysis on the global mass transit industry Public Transport in Seoul Curitiba BRTS Reforms pave way for sustainable transport A benchmark for integrated transport planning ublic transport reforms in Seoul, Republic of Korea, have idely considered a model bus rapid transit system (BRTS) Preinforced the necessity for an integrated transport network. Wproject, the transport system in Curitiba, Brazil, was Covering only about 12 per cent of the country’s geographical founded on an integrated land use and transport policy along area, the Seoul metropolitan area is currently home to over 48 the major radial corridors of the city. The Curitiba bus system per cent of the total national population, and is currently the was developed by the Curitiba Municipal Government as an second largest and fastest growing metropolitan city in the world. integral part of an overall master plan formulated in 1965, which laid out details about traffic integration and land-use for the The Seoul national capital area, as of 2007, has a population future. of 24.5 million people. It is also an important destination for immigrants to South Korea, with a rapidly growing international population of over 255,000. Project details Seoul is also the country’s foremost economic, political, and The management and operational planning of the BRTS system cultural centre. On the economic front, Seoul contributes about in Curitiba, which was launched in 1974, is undertaken by Urbs, 21 per cent of the national gross domestic product. It is also one the company that controls the public transport system in the city. of the leading business and financial centres of the world, ranking Having progressively expanded over the years, Curitiba’s median sixth in terms of the number of headquarters of transnational busways currently span across 65 km. companies. (continued on page 2) (continued on page 4) Metro Systems in Europe INSIDE THIS ISSUE A large market for asset replacement Features • Public Transport in Seoul ................................................................... 1 • Curitiba BRTS ...................................................................................... 1 apid transit systems, popularly referred to as metros, are • Metro Systems in Europe ................................................................... 1 Remerging as an essential mode of public transport in Europe, particularly in large metropolitan cities. Since the launch of the News • North America ..................................................................................... 7 first such system in the world, the London Underground in 1863, • Latin America ...................................................................................... 8 the metro technology has spread rapidly to 175 cities in 49 • Asia Pacific ......................................................................................... 12 countries across the world. Of these, over 75 systems, covering a • Europe ................................................................................................. 14 track length of about 3,500 km, are located in Europe. • Middle East and Africa ..................................................................... 17 TA/TSO Focus • The Roads & Transport Authority, Dubai ...................................... 20 Understanding the metro phenomenon Policy Review The International Association of Urban Transport (UITP) defines • Energy Efficiency for Road Transportation in Asia ....................... 22 a metro as “a tracked, electrically driven local means of transport, Spotlight which has an integral, continuous track bed of its own.” Existing • Transit Financing in US .................................................................... 23 metro systems in Europe are rail-based passenger systems comprising both underground and elevated sections. These Data & Statistics • Denmark: Key Figures for Bus and Rail Transport ....................... 28 systems are usually served by electric multiple units (EMUs), although monorails and magnetic levitations are also used in Finance .................................................................................................... 30 some locations. Other variations of the standard metro system Project Update ....................................................................................... 34 also function in Europe, including the small-scale light metro Company News ..................................................................................... 38 and commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn. Basically, a system is classified Tenders & Contracts ............................................................................. 44 as rapid transit based on its configuration and implementation. (continued on page 6) www.globalmasstransit.net Features Public Transport in Seoul (Contd...) metro system), the rising bus subsidy had become a major issue. The private firms, in their quest to maximise profits, Against this backdrop, the Seoul Metropolitan Government disregarded safety norms and rider comfort. Also, bus operators (SMG), in July 2004, introduced a range of public transport did not have the funds to invest in vehicles, which were old, reforms to resurrect the ailing transport system and meet the poorly maintained and did not meet international standards. The increasing demands of urban mobility. The reforms, primarily sharp decline in the quality of bus services led many bus focused on bus services, led to increased government regulation passengers to transfer to car use, resulting in increased road of bus services and greater coordination between these services congestion and air pollution. and Seoul’s extensive metro system. Several attempts were made by SMG to improve bus services. Until 1974, buses were the primary mode of transport in the For instance, curbside bus lanes were installed in 1984 to protect city. After that, increasing roadway congestion, reduced bus buses from roadway congestion. Later, in 2003, these lanes were speeds, higher passenger volumes and longer trip distances expanded to 219 km. However, these measures were basically necessitated the setting up of a rail-based transport network. The makeshift and did not address the core issues of unregulated first metro line in Seoul was constructed in 1974, with an initial and uncoordinated private bus services. line length of 8 km. Today, the network runs over 287 km, and is one of the most The urban transport reform process widely used rapid railway transport systems globally. It caters To improve urban transport systems, the newly elected mayor to about 10 million inhabitants of the city and the provinces of of the city, Myung-Bak Lee, commissioned a series of Gyeonggi, Incheon and northern Chungnam. The latest addition comprehensive studies in 2004. Detailed project reports were to the network is a new 25.5 km section, Line 9, was opened in undertaken recommending coordination and modernisation of 2009 to connect Gimpo Airport with Sinnonhyeon in south-east the metro and bus fare structure and payment systems, better Seoul and serves 25 stations of the metro system. integration of services, an expanded network of reserved bus The lines of the metro system are operated by four companies lanes and a complete overhaul of the organisation and operation - Seoul Metropolitan Subway (Seoul Metro), Seoul Metropolitan of bus services. This was followed by intensive public relation Rapid Transit (SMRT), Korail (Korea National Railroad) and campaigns to explain the merits and benefits of the proposed Metro 9. reforms. The metro network was constructed at very high cost, One of the first major initiatives undertaken, as part of the consequently the city has a huge debt liability to service. The reforms process, was the redesigning of the bus route network passenger box collection manages to cover only 75 per cent of to better structure and integrate the 400-plus bus routes. Bus the operational expenses, with the remaining 25 per cent services were grouped into four different categories, with buses subsidised under various programmes by the city government. colour-coded to help passengers distinguish among them. Financing metro construction and operating services placed • Blue buses are long-distance express buses that connect enormous pressure on the city’s financial health. outlying suburbs with each other and with the city centre. A cost-effective alternative transport mode with enhanced • Red buses are long-distance express buses connecting satellite speed, connectivity, comfort and overall attractiveness was, cities (planned new towns) with the city centre. therefore, sought for by the government. • Green buses provide local services throughout the metropolitan area to feed metro stations and express bus stops. Pre-reform situation • Yellow buses provide local services within the city centre. Bus usage rose rapidly with the economic growth of Seoul in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. But around 1985, bus services lost As part of the reform process, the SMG increased its control both overall market share as well as total passengers. over bus routes, schedules, fares and overall system design. It achieved this through a semi-public operation system which It had to compete with the ever-expanding metro system, as retains private firms but allows the government to decide on well as rising car transport. Declining service quality because of matters related to routes, schedules and fares.