What first? Public transport or houses?

Abstract

Modern cities are seeking possibilities to create healthy, sustainable and liveable urban environments. Yet these endeavours should not come at the expense of the accessibility of the city. Therefore, many cities try to promote the use of sustainable modes of transportation by developing transit-oriented neighbourhoods. An ongoing debate related to these developments is the development timing of the public transport connection. Even though it is generally assumed that early provision of public transport is favourable, the significance of this notion has not yet been studied, and the considerations of the different parties involved in the decision making process in practice are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore what development strategy of public transport in a residential area results in high ridership levels while still being feasible for the different parties involved. This is done through an evaluation of both the influence of development timing on travel behaviour and an evaluation of the development process based on stakeholder interviews. The results suggest that it is indeed beneficial to provide public transport from the moment the first inhabitants start to live in the area. However, the study also revealed that provision in a later stage does not necessarily mean that it is doomed to fail, as the car-ownership levels can slowly decrease in the years after the public transport is provided. The stakeholder interviews show development strategy needs to be tailored to the specific development, as the feasibility of a development strategy and the need for early provision are highly dependent on the location and the budget available for the subsidisation of public transport is limited. Thus, a tailor made solution is required for each location.