The Roles of ‘Conventional’ and Demand-Responsive Bus Services
Paratransit: Shaping the Flexible Transport Future
ISBN: 978-1-78635-226-2, eISBN: 978-1-78635-225-5
Publication date: 28 September 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The roles of ‘conventional’ (fixed-route and fixed-timetable) bus services is examined and compared to demand-responsive services, taking rural areas in England as the basis for comparison. It adopts a ‘rural’ definition of settlements under a population of 10,000.
Design/methodology/approach
Evidence from the National Travel Survey, technical press reports and academic work is brought together to examine the overall picture.
Findings
Inter-urban services between towns can provide a cost-effective way of serving rural areas where smaller settlements are suitably located. The cost structures of both fixed-route and demand-responsive services indicate that staff time and cost associated with vehicle provision are the main elements. Demand-responsive services may enable larger areas to be covered, to meet planning objectives of ensuring a minimum of level of service, but experience often shows high unit cost and public expenditure per passenger trip. Economic evaluation indicates user benefits per passenger trip of similar magnitude to existing average public expenditure per trip on fixed-route services. Considerable scope exists for improvements to conventional services through better marketing and service reliability.
Practical implications
The main issue in England is the level of funding for rural services in general, and the importance attached to serving those without access to cars in such areas.
Social implications
The boundary between fixed-route and demand-responsive operation may lie at relatively low population densities.
Originality/value
The chapter uses statistical data, academic research and operator experience of enhanced conventional bus services to provide a synthesis of outcomes in rural areas.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
In part, findings presented in this chapter have been derived from a study commissioned from the author by the International Transport Forum (White, 2015) in turn making use of special tabulations from NTS data by DfT staff. The work undertaken by staff at Leeds University on economic evaluation of bus services (Shires et al., 2014) has been particularly valuable. Dissertation work at the University of Westminster supervised by the author has provided further insights into local case studies. Particular thanks are due to Ben Colson and Martin Higginson for commentary on and data from, the Norfolk Green operations, and also to Paul Sanders of Lincolnshire County Council for responding to queries raised. All inferences drawn from data quoted are those of the author.
Citation
White, P. (2016), "The Roles of ‘Conventional’ and Demand-Responsive Bus Services", Paratransit: Shaping the Flexible Transport Future (Transport and Sustainability, Vol. 8), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 307-330. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-994120160000008015
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016 Emerald Group Publishing Limited