In the 1989 Regional Plan for Greater Copenhagen, the spatial main structure of the famous Copenhagen Finger Plan from 1947 was re-established. A core element was to integrate land-use and transportation through a location strategy for offices and other urban functions that create substantial passenger transport. The strategy requires that such urban activities should be concentrated on areas close to transport junctions, i.e. the railway stations with the best location and connections. The implementation of the strategy is examined through analyses of the location of new office space and new dwellings constructed since 1989. The take-up and use of land in proximity to stations are examined. Barriers for implementation are discussed and new tools for better implementation are proposed. Based on interviews with 13,000 employees in 52 large companies and interviews with 3,600 dwellers in 33 newly built housing areas, the impacts of location of office workplaces and dwellings on transport behaviour are analysed. The analyses showed that while the average commuting distance is not much influenced by the location of office workplaces, the modal split and car use are very much influenced by the distance of the offices to well facilitated railway stations. The greatest reduction in car use is achieved if workplaces are located in the central parts of Copenhagen where access by car is limited through parking policy. Substantial impacts on modal split are also achieved at workplaces located in proximity to well facilitated railway stations even though the accessibility by car is good in such locations. Locating a workplace in proximity to a well facilitated railway station implies 10 km less car travel per person every day, even if there is free parking space available for all. Depending of the kind of company, between one fifth and one third of the employees who drive cars choose public transport if the company is located near a railway station. This shift is of peoples own volition because they find that public transport gives the most optimal travel. The main effect of locating dwellings on areas in proximity to a railway station is about 4-5 km less car travel per person every day. Concerning the location of dwellings the distance to the city centre is of greater importance. The total daily travel distance for people living in new housing areas about 25-30 km from the city centre is twice the total travel distance for people living in new housing areas in the inner parts of Copenhagen. The daily travel distance in a car is 3.5-fold longer. These impacts of location are valid even for people having the same income, having access to a car or having children. For the covering abstract see ITRD E124693.
Abstract