Factors combining to bring about best practice in the delivery of transport policy, a study of the most successful areas of Europe for delivering transpsort policy, the effectiveness of the mechanisms employed, and the transferrability of these mechanisms to Scotland were invesigated using a literature review, questionnaires and interviews. The most important and inescapable factor related to success is a willingness to spend money on infrastructure and fare subsidies. This achieves increased public transport use but rarely a modal shift from the car. The second factor is policies that restrain car use. The third factor is a regional structure that can deliver integrated ticketing, service integration and promote public transport investment. Policies based on restraint of the private car proved the most difficult to implement. Long-term political support is considered essential. Eleven case studies are presented for major cities. These showed that Scottish public transport investment is considerably below that in the cities studied. Areas where modal shift to public transport has been achieved had above average financing and strong land use and parking policies. Recommendations for Scotland are given.
Abstract