ABSTRACT
Policy debates, prompted by publication of the Transport White Papers at UK and Scottish levels (DETR, 1998; Scottish Office, 1998), have identified the need to reduce the number of car journeys and to encourage the use of public transport. Policy has been influenced by the notion of a seamless public transport journey where the underlying requirement is to make public transport more attractive and user friendly in terms of improved services, reliability, travel information, safety and improvements to associated infrastructure such as waiting rooms and public areas. Public transport interchange has assumed a new significance in the new transport agenda and the movement towards seamless travel by public transport (Steer Davies Gleave, 1998), yet despite this interchange is more common amongst rail users than bus users; 96 per cent of bus journeys consist of one stage compared to 35 per cent of rail journeys. Central to the requirement of a seamless public transport journey, is the need to reduce the costs associated with interchange, both perceived and actual, and to promote integration. Interchange within mode influences the demand for that mode through the effect it has on time spent waiting, time spent transferring between vehicles and the inconvenience and risks involved. Interchange between modes - which is covered by the term integration has additional implications in terms information provision, through ticketing and co-ordination. The valuation and behavioural impact of each of these factors will vary according to an individual’s socioeconomic and trip characteristics as well as the precise features of the interchange (Wardman et al., 2001). This chapter briefly reviews those costs that can influence the demand for public transport in terms of the effects that the interchange has on time spent waiting, time spent transferring between vehicles and the attendant risks and inconvenience that are involved with this activity.
