THE ARUP JOURNAL 2/1994 Front cover: The Marly courtyard at the Richelieu Wing Louvre Museum. Paris. (Photo: Peter Mackinven) Back cover: Kansai International Airport. with its mile-long terminal building, on the THEARUP artificial island offshore from Senshu, Japan. (Photo: C.K. Hiwatashi) Vol.29 No.2 Editor: JO2/1994 URNALDavid J. Brown Published by Art Editor: Ove Arup Partnership Desmond Wyeth FCSD 13 Fitzroy Street, London Deputy Editor: W1P6BQ Hel�ne Murphy 3 Transport pollcy This article outlines the facts and examines the issues behind In the UK transport provision in the UK: the demand for travel; attitudes to the Malcolm Simpson supply of road and rail infrastructure; and the need for a balance to be maintained between demand and supply so that accessibility can be preserved, but with a minimum of environmental damage. 5 Edinburgh Weatem Arup Transportation looked at the suitability of a bus-based Light Corridor Bu•way Study Rapid Transit system to alleviate Edinburgh's traffic congestion. The Gavin Dunnett study went on to assess various combinations of private and public Gordon Henderson sector ownership and funding for the scheme. 8 Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport: Ove Arup & Partners gave major assistance to the contractor's design Taxiway Bridge 3 - for this seven-span, 225m bridge across a waterway in Hong Kong Wing-Huen Fok '------ harbour for aircraft up to the 400 tonne Boeing 747-400F taxiing from - -- the runway to a new parking apron in Kowloon Bay. - �-'\-\tl�-· 10 Rlchelleu Wing Eight floors of former government offices in one wing of the Louvre Louvre MuMUm,Parl• have been converted into a further 22 000m2 of museum space, Alistair Lenczner including three sculpture courtyards and many painting galleries. Andrew McDowell Two teams from Arups designed the courtyard roofs and the natural Andrew Sedgwick lighting schemes for the top-floor galleries. 14 Oldham Broadway Ove Arup & Partners have made a major contribution to this scheme Bu•lne•• Park to transform 54ha of derelict, former industrial land north-eastof Colin Curtis Manchester into a well-serviced new business development. Arups' Nick Fennell team carried out a comprehensive study of the site; developed a Roger Milburn scheme masterplan; designed the new infrastructure and land reclamation schemes; and supervised construction. 17 Kan .. 1 Airport Terminal, The 300 000m2 terminal building, for which Arups carried out o ..ka,Japan structural, services, and fire engineering, opens in September 1994. Philip Dilley A full-scale article will appear in a future Arup Journal. 18 Cono•lon: This article outlines modern electrochemicalcorrosion monitoring I• there a problem? techniques, and discusses their use by Arup Research & Graham Gedge Development to predict flue corrosion in the 21 Orn chimney of the Pagbilao power station, at present under construction in the Philippines. 2 Transport policy in the UK Malcolm Simpson 1. Background Councils in the Home Counties which Transportation provision affects all have traditionally been the staunchest aspects of life, not as an end in itself, -- Air supporters of the current but as a means of achieving most 500 --Rall Government. The environmental activities. It affects us socially, it in­ -- Pedal cycles effects of new transport infrastructure fluences our work locations, and has Motorcycles range from local impacts such as E 400 a direct or indirect bearing on all x -- Cars & vans pollution, visual intrusion and loss of other activities in which we indulge. .. Buses & coaches amenity space, to the global effects of cC> It also has a direct impact on the work .. increased C02 emissions . ~ 300 that many people in Arups undertake ll. We are currently in a period of funda­ c: to provide the necessary infrastruc­ ~ mental change in approach to trans­ ffi ture and its future operation. 200 portation issues which will affect all of The problems are evident. Roads are us socially, environmentally, and becoming more congested, not only financially. There are very many mis­ in urban areas where peak periods 100 conceptions, and the wealth of trans­ are lengthening and speeds steadily port data can be used to prove virtu­ decreasing, but also on inter-urban ally any point that a particular interest routes and in places with high leisure O c =====------------------...l group wishes to make. This article attraction, such as roads to holiday ~'l, ,$ ~ ~~ ,# ;? .i>ro .i' °'~ °'~ ,g,'l, attempts to present some basic facts, destinations, and in national parks like " " " the issues, and the possible ways for- the Lake District. This congestion is 2. Passenger transport by mode. ward in preserving accessibility and matching this with sustainability. bad for the nation's health and its 3. Cars and taxis stock 1991 . economy. However, public transport The process can be split into three 600 use is reducing. Bus patronage is simple aspects: the demand for steadily declining and rail services travel; the supply of transport infra­ are often less attractive in terms of 500 structure; and thirdly the balance cost and reliability than they were a between these two and the options to few years ago. achieve the balance. Solutions to these problems are not Demand simple and the challenge facing The demand for travel is increasing. transport planners and politicians We are making more trips and longer covers a broad field of political, social, trips. Fig. 2 shows the pattern of economic, and planning aspects. The growth which is dominated by the complex inter-relationships between dramatic and continuous increase in all these factors is not clearly under­ .. car use - not surprising in view of ll. stood and much research is being the car's unmatched flexibility for undertaken into them. The general 100 shopping, delivering children to desire for more movement set against school, and family holidays through­ the inevitably slow evolution of the out Europe. Rail use has been steady, built environment means that change but road-based public transport has is slow, even if current trends can be declined continuously over the years. influenced. Apart from very minor reductions in Whilst attitudes to transport are growth rate at times of economic changing rapidly, the speed of this - Actual traffic growth to 1992 recession, the trend in car ownership change cannot be matched by the 800 - NRTF 1989 rebased to 1992 has been and will continue to be necessary changes in social be­ 700 steadily upwards. Fig. 3 shows the haviour or the time needed to 600 comparison of British car ownership implement any major new transport E with the major European countries ; 500 infrastructure. Such development .II and USA. It is evident that there is takes up to a generation from concept ~ 400 scope for further major increases in to implementation, so any solutions g 300 car ownership and use, as we are a must look to the longer term and be in long way from saturation level and set against the background of 200 below our European neighbours. increasing environmental awareness 100 Fig. 4 shows the Government's and the desire for sustainability. current prediction for road traffic Opposition to new transport infra­ growth and this demand will continue structure comes from all quarters, unless restrained by legislative or not only left wing activists, but also 4. National road traffic forecast. financial means. THE ARUP JOURNAL 2/1994 3 Fig. 5 shows the increase in freight users, and travel to alternative loca­ movement, again dominated by road tions would be more expensive and use, with a steady decline in rail use. less convenient for the vast majority of One current myth is that by increasing _ 120 the population. In addition, recent E the latter our road traffic problems ,c research on office locations has a, c would be solved, but the reality is that c shown that, even if good public trans­ even if we increase rail freight use by g port exists, the desire will remain to 50% - a major change against the ~ 90 use a car for access. Possible trend - the difference in road traffic €. changes in overall travel demand would amount to only a few months I cannot be immediate as land-use growth, a totally insignificant amount ~ 60 changes are very slow and travel in overall volume although there could patterns well-established. Social use well be justification in terms of environ­ I of cars has increased significantly, mental benefits. 30 with leisure trips the fastest-growing Supply component. Would we accept restric­ Growth in supply of transport infra­ tions on use of our car for holiday and structure does not match demand social purposes? It would be difficult growth. Fig . 6 shows the recent enough to stop the current trend, let increase in road length in Britain: the alone reverse it, but many people believe that this is essential if we are density of vehicles in this country is 5. Freight transport by mode. over twice that in France and the USA, to achieve sustainability. and 40% higher than in Germany. 6. Increase in British road length. Options Provision of road space does not, We must make better use of our entire 1981 1991 % increase therefore, match our neighbours and 81 - 91 existing infrastructure. Road space the increase is but a small proportion All roads should be effectively managed: of the increase in demand. Growing (1000km) 342 360 5.3 London 's Red Routes. for which pressures are put on urban main Motorwajs Arups carried out the pilot study, are 14.8 roads: the laudable provision of traffic (1000km 2.7 3.1 an example of urban road optimiza· Road traffic lion where parking is limited, through calming schemes to prevent rat­ (billion vehicle km) 2n 412 48.7 running through sensitive areas tends traffic including buses has priority, to put more traffic on already con­ and effective management systems gested major roads.