In the Netherlands, the Provinces have recently been given control of the integral traffic and transport policy at a regional level. As a consequence, it is necessary to define which public transport services have to be considered as 'regional', and what the structure of the service networks should be. To obtain a basis for allocating responsibilities and authorities for regional public transport (both bus and rail), `IPO' [the interprovincial consultation] has asked TNO Inro [Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development] and Delft University of Technology to develop a vision of regional public transport. The results are presented in this paper. The objective of the research is to develop a design method for regional public transport service networks. The following central characteristics apply to the design method developed: (1) each level (international, national, regional) is preferably designed independently; (2) when designing the structure, choose a primarily top-down approach (from high to low level), with feedback from the bottom up; (3) first, define an ideal service network, separately from infrastructure and means of transport, then bring this network into a relationship with existing rail and road infrastructure; (4) first determine the access points (stops/stations) that must be included, and secondly the connections (links) between the access points; and (5) design primarily on the basis of core hierarchy, comparison with transport flows only in the second phase. As an example, an application of the design method for the Utrecht region is included.
Abstract