"Before and after" studies in a turbulent environment - main findings based on 11 different urban public transport case studies in Norway.

From 1996 to 2000, The Norwegian Ministry of Transport provided financial support to 18 Public Transport packages of measures. In this paper, we present some of the main results from the evaluation of 11 of these packages. The uniform, comprehensive evaluation undertaken has provided an unique source for knowledge on use of and attitudes to public transport and effects of a variation of measures that are useful in future transport planning. There is a clear correlation between the passengers attitude to the measures undertaken and whether they have increased or decreased their use of public transport. But at the same time, most of the passengers have not changed their use of bus, irrespective of whether they state that the changes are for the better or worse. In fact, 14 percent of the passengers who are not satisfied with the changes travel more than before. One of the main findings is that reduced supply affects the dropout of passengers more than improvements influence passenger increase. Another finding is that improvements of public transport supply reduce the share of compulsory passengers. Access to alternative transport modes does have significance for changes in bus use. The increase in use of bus is greatest among those who already use public transport frequently. Season ticket holders are overrepresented, which means that the increase of passengers not necessarily will influence the companies income. A cost-benefit analysis was carried out. The main conclusions from the economic evaluation indicate that the packages of measures have, in total, been a good investment of public funds.In total, the short-term environmental effects of the schemes, measured in exhaust discharge and noise, were negative. In calculating the marginal external effects, we have looked at effects on the environment and on accidents and congestion costs. The packages of measures have not succeeded in producing more environmentally friendly transport. This is due to the fact that major increases in bus kilometres are not sufficiently outweighed by positive effects of reduced car usage. For the covering abstract please see ITRD E135207.