This report presents the results of research into the cost of running suburban transport according to a number of alternative systems. The research is part of a multi-disciplinary research programme which also deals with aspects of environmental protection, but the present report is confined to the aspect of costs. Two variants are investigated; the reserved lane system and the ordinary road system without reserved lanes. The former is more expensive than the latter even with heavy passenger flows but according to the report a reserved lane may be desirable or even necessary for reasons other than financial ones. Within the reserved lane variant, the articulated trolley bus is cheaper than the express tram, with the passenger flows investigated but this in turn is cheaper than the conventional tram. However, with very heavy passenger flows the express tram would be the cheapest. In the variant without a reserved lane the articulated bus is cheaper than the standard bus even with moderate passenger flows; the articulated trolley bus is more expensive, but the difference decreases with an increase in traffic. All the results are presented subject to the limitations which accompany the exploitation variants concerned; the above conclusions therefore are not universally applicable but must be tested in any particular situation. All figures quoted in the report are based on the 1976 cost structure. (Author/publisher)
Abstract