This paper is intended to address the current absence of a formal rationale for bus shelter investment in the public sector, and to address the parallel absence of design standards. The first major class of shelter investment rationales developed in this paper is health benefits. Only at bus stops do old people wait for long periods outdoors without doing anything to keep warm, so bus stops may be key to many winter ailments. The second major class of investment rationales is patronage benefits both in the peak, and off-peak. Off-peak patronage is likely to be most sensitive to the waiting environment, and influences total system capacity available for congestion relief in the peak. Funding has not yet been sought to test or quantify the various shelter benefits beyond a preliminary level. However the evidence so far available suggests that such benefits may be large enough to render the lifetime cost of shelters a minor consideration. Details of shelter design for storm-proofing, personal safety and attractiveness are also addressed with a view to eventual establishment of regional or national standards. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E213656.
Abstract