Can the local train still attract passengers? The concept of `local train' appears to be at the end of its `product-life-cycle'. For commuters it still fills a gap in the market but compared to intercity trains and tram/metro systems, the other passengers seem to ignore it. Because a large part of all trips are short distance, a market segment where the local train can playa major role, there is still an opportunity for local train services to make a bigger contribution to the viability and accessibility of, in particular, urbanised areas. A "tempting" pattern of local train services has to anticipate the desire of travellers for fast, frequent and direct connections. Two concepts meet this desire: LightTrain: a system evolved from stopping services that allows a large number of stations to be served by frequent services with short dwell times at stations and high average speeds; LightRail: the revolutionary integration of urban rail systems (metro/tram) and regional stopping services; direct connections between suburban areas and various destinations in town centres become possible. A number of potential solutions illustrate how this concept might apply to LightTrain and LightRail in the southern `Randstad'. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting