 Telematics Applications for Transport Library
 Document item |
|
 Title : |
TABASCO - TR 1054 - Park & Ride Information in TABASCO Results of demonstration and evaluations |
| Author : |
T. McLean; J. van Berkum; P. Amels; M. Kiers; D. Hardt |
| Ref. No : |
TR1054 D4.3 |
| Date : |
01/03/98 |
| Size : |
79 pages |
Exec Summary : |
An obvious shortcoming of conventional P+R facilities is their failure to inform a prospective user about current P+R opportunities. There is no way of knowing beforehand whether there is still free parking to be found, what kind of public transport offers are available, or whether the traffic situation in town makes the use of P+R advisable. In Munich and Amsterdam dynamic information and guidance systems have been implemented on motorways in the context with P+R and parking (only Amsterdam).
In Munich, the P+R information system was built in the context of the P+R facility Fröttmaning with a capacity of 1270 car spaces and 80 bus spaces. The dynamic P+R information system consists of 3 freely programmable Variable Message Signs (VMS). It offers - in addition to conventional information systems - information about public transport, and the traffic situation on the motorway and in the city.
Amsterdam has combined the building of a new stadium for football matches and other events, with the realisation of a P+R location. The stadium is named Arena, the P+R location is named Transferium. The Transferium is the place where people should transfer from one transport mode to another. The capacity of the P+R site is 2,500 places. It is connected to the metro/railway-station Bijlmer.
The P+R system with Variable Direction Signing is designed to encourage modal shift and thereby reducing car traffic and parking in the city centre. For the Stadium function, reduction of congestion on the network around the Stadium and avoiding parking problems are the objectives.
In Amsterdam as well as in Munich some technical problems had to be solved in the first time. For example both demonstrators had problems with their signs. Now they are working satisfactory, just as the system software and the data transmission. The total system reliability of the systems are equal with 95% in Amsterdam and 96% in Munich. This is a good and sufficient result for an information system.
For the user acceptance assessment both demonstration sites had very different initial positions. While in Amsterdam one main problem was that most people do not use the Transferium because they think P+R stands for Park and Restaurant, in Munich the car and public transport user is very familiar with P+R.
All information systems - parking guidance and P+R guidance/information in Amsterdam, as well as P+R information in Munich - had been evaluated as good and necessary. The results of the Amsterdam survey show very clear that a lack of information is existing, as well as the Munich survey indicated that travellers are always interested in traffic information. For Amsterdam and Munich it can be said that by P+R, a lot of car drivers can be shifted to public transport. In Amsterdam about 60 % of the P+R users would use only the car if P+R Transferium does not exist. In Munich about 40 % had used only the car before Fröttmaning. Furthermore, another 40 % have used P+R facilities in the city of Munich. This means, for Amsterdam and Munich, that P+R has a positive impact on car traffic directed to the city by shifting it to the public transport in general or on an earlier time.
This report has proven that information and guidance are useful, that with such systems a positive effect on traffic can be achieved. A shift from car traffic to public transport in a considerable amount is possible. The application causes a higher benefit than the costs if the basic conditions are right and the user needs have been considered.
This deliverable consists of 1 volume : tabasco d4.3.pdf |
|
