8 TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT Travel Demand Management (TDM) Refers to Various Transport Strategies That Encourage Efficient, Sustainable Transport

165 8 TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT Travel Demand Management (TDM) refers to various transport strategies that encourage efficient, sustainable transport. The aim of TDM is to reduce the number of vehicle trips and trip times, while still supporting the person trip demand. TDM strategies give priority to the use of public transport, while simultaneously applying constraints on the use of private vehicles. The benefits of TDM include reduced congestion on roads, the promotion of public transport and a reduction of the environmental impact of transport activities through the decrease in fossil fuel usage and consequently vehicle emissions. Additionally, because TDM reduces private vehicle trip demand on particular routes at certain times, traffic volume decreases and expensive infrastructure upgrades to increase the physical capacity of highways can be postponed or negated. 8.1 Typical TDM Strategies Various TDM approaches are available that influence travel behaviour, including: Physical infrastructure measures: construct bus lanes, decrease parking; Voluntary measures: encourage travel changes through incentives and awareness campaigns promoting for example flexi-time and ridesharing; Regulatory measures: force changes in travel behaviour through policy; Pricing measures: increase private vehicle travel costs through road user charging and parking pricing; and Intelligent Transport Systems: ITS can provide information on congestion and alternative modes of transport. These strategies influence commuters to change their travel behaviour, such as the decision to make a trip, mode choice, trip timing and vehicle occupancy. Most TDM programmes incorporate a combination of strategies that are particularly suited to the population and area in which they are being implemented. TDM programmes can be implemented for a wide range of areas, for example an entire city, a specific corridor, a small local area such as a commercial zone, or a single building. The most effective TDM programmes, however focus on smaller areas and are employer-based, that is they target specific businesses with the aim of employers encouraging TDM programme execution. The availability of alternative transport options, such as public transport, non-motorised transport (NMT) and ridesharing possibilities, are essential for the effective implementation of TDM strategies. TDM itself does not provide for the implementation of public transport or NMT systems, but it is vital that effective and attractive alternative transport modes exist for TDM to be successful in changing travel behaviour to favour these modes. 8.2 TDM Proposals for NMBM Nelson Mandela Bay is well positioned to make use of TDM because of the Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IPTS) that will be operational in NMBM. A TDM programme in conjunction with the IPTS project will encourage additional ridership of the public transport system by stimulating the transfer of commuters from private vehicles to public transport. The previous update of the CITP for NMBM, dated July 2008, indicated that the only TDM measures that were to be considered by NMBM included the provision of separated median bus lanes and the removal of on-street parking for private vehicles along busy arterial roads. These measures would indeed influence trip behaviour by making public transport more efficient and decreasing the convenience of private vehicle use. However, additional TDM Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan: 2011/12 166 strategies should be considered for wide-spread implementation throughout NMBM in order to significantly reduce demand on the arterial road network and promote public transport use. This section broadly identifies various TDM strategies that could successfully be implemented in NMBM, but a more extensive investigation into TDM implementation and operation is proposed if TDM is to have a significant influence on travel behaviour in NMBM. 8.2.1 PRECINCTS SUITED TO TDM INTERVENTIONS As discussed previously, the most effective TDM programmes focus on small local areas such as a commercial zone or single building, and are employer-based, targeting businesses. Additionally, TDM should be focussed in commercial areas where single occupant private vehicle use accounts for the majority of vehicle trips and a public transport system is or will be operational in the immediate vicinity, as these areas represent the greatest potential for the influence of TDM. According to these conditions, the following commercial zones are positioned to particularly benefit from intensive TDM programmes: Newton Park; Walmer; Port Elizabeth CBD; Greenacres and Cape Road; Uitenhage CBD; and Alexander Park Industrial Area (including VW factory, south of Uitenhage). The implementation of TDM measures in these areas will aid in alleviating recurring congestion, associated with the morning and afternoon peak periods, on the roads linking residential areas to the commercial zones earmarked for TDM implementation. A number of these roads currently experience unacceptable levels of service (LOS), of LOS E or less. They are extracted from Table 7-3 and presented below. A description of LOS is presented in Table 7-2 of this document. Main Road, Walmer William Moffett Expressway, Walmer Buffelsfontein Road, Walmer Heugh Road, Walmer Additionally, a number of intersections experience congestion during peak hour traffic, as listed in Table 7-4. The congested intersections that will benefit from TDM programmes in the above stated areas, include: Intersections of Cape Road with Bramlin Street, William Moffett Expressway,; Intersection of Burt Drive and Third Avenue; Intersection of Disa Avenue and Newton Street; Intersection of Caledon Street and Church Street (Uitenhage); Intersection of Durban Street and Cuyler Street (Uitenhage); 8.2.2 TDM STRATEGY PROPOSALS FOR NMBM A number of TDM strategies could be implemented in NMBM, each with varying practicality, success rates, installation periods and costs. An investigation into TDM was conducted for the City of Cape Town in 2006 for inclusion in the ITP for the City. Six TDM strategies were identified for implementation. 1 These TDM applications have been prioritised in terms of practicality of implementation and provide a good platform for the development of a widespread TDM programme for implementation in NMB. Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan: 2011/12 167 a) Park and Ride b) Programmes for Large Employers c) Marketing and Education d) Policies and Tax Incentives e) High occupancy vehicle (HOV) Promotion f) Congestion Pricing and ITS Programmes A description of the above listed strategies and the potential to implement them in NMBM is discussed in the following paragraphs. (a) Park and Ride Park and ride lots are facilities usually provided at public transport stations, that allow commuters to travel to public transport opportunities (such as rail and bus services) or carpool meeting points, by private vehicle and then leave the vehicle in a safe parking area until the commuter returns at the end of the work day. Safe and conveniently located park and ride facilities can encourage commuters to convert from private vehicle usage to public transport and car pools if these services are available. The effectiveness of park and ride is therefore dependant on an attractive and effective public transport system. Additionally, factors such as the distance that commuters must travel to the park and ride, apparent safety of the facility, congestion levels, as well as visibility and marketing strategies of the park and ride, greatly influence the success of park and ride facilities. It is important to study the necessary and desired extent of park and ride facilities in NMBM so that they can be planned together with the IPTS stations that are currently being developed in NMBM. The provision of adequate, safe, visible and well advertised park and rides can increase public transport usage and provide a platform for ridesharing and carpooling. The costs associated with park and ride facilities include land procurement costs, facility construction costs, annual maintenance and security costs, as well as the cost of an ongoing marketing campaign. It is therefore impossible to produce a cost estimate or time frame for the implementation of park and ride as a TDM measure until a comprehensive study has been done by NMBM to determine the extent of park and ride provision. (b) Programmes for Large Employers Large Employer Programmes (LEPs) are TDM strategies that focus on large organisations with numerous employees. LEPs are generally very successful because specific TDM measures can be implemented that meet the particular needs of a certain demographic of commuters and worksite characteristics. The following list summarises LEP strategies: Financial incentives for employees (for example public transport allowances or parking benefits for employees using a carpool) Rideshare matching within the company Company subsidy of a public transport (bus or taxi) service that caters only to employees of the company Alternative working hours (such as flexi-time or compressed work week schedules) Telecommuting, where employees work at home and use telecommunications such as internet and email Marketing and promotion of TDM within the company Promoting NMT by providing bicycle parking facilities, showers and change rooms Provision of a company vehicle for business travel during office hours to avoid the need for employees to drive to work Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan: 2011/12

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