The introduction of metro in tyne and wear has resulted in considerable changes to travel opportunities in the area. This report deals with the effects of the changes on shopping behaviour in gateshead, one of the major district centres. It is based on surveys conducted in 1979 and 1982. Metro began operation through gateshead in 1981. In 1982, metro was used for 13% of shopping trips to gateshead. The proportion of shoppers using bus fell by 11%, showing that metro has primarily attracted people who previously travelled by bus. There has been little change in the total number of public transport passengers crossing the river tyne to newcastle. Metro has made it easier for some people to travel into newcastle and this has lead to a loss of shopopers from gateshead. However more bus passengers now stay to shop in gateshead, rather than interchange to metro. There have been definite shifts in pedestrian flows towards the bus/metro interchange. There has been a general decline, both in the average expenditure. While expenditure by bus and metro passegners was similar, car users were spending more and pedestrians less. Durable shopping showed a greater decline than shopping for convenience goods. 21% of metro based shopping trips to gateshead were new trips, mostly from newcastle. (Author/publisher)
Abstract