FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas FLIPPER Final Conference FTS as a way to Enhance Sustainability and Social Inclusion Almada, Portugal 21° October 2011 Presented by: Brendan Finn, ETTS Ltd., Ireland Opening Session Title: The Role of FTS in the Overall Public Transport Offer

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 2 The Transport Challenge Modern society is structured around transport systems This gives us opportunities, but also many challenges : Reducing social exclusion and inequality of opportunity Minimise negative impacts such as accidents, intrusion, noise Optimise public and private spending Minimise greenhouse gas and other emissions Environmental concerns are now ‘centre-stage’ We cannot wait for technology solutions for transport to solve either environmental or social challenges The main solution lies in more use of Public Transport

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 3 But can Public Transport meet the Challenge? Rail-based mass transit offer good technical solutions along the main arteries … … but they are expensive, have long lead-times, and do not serve the modern diffuse travel patterns Conventional bus services are functional, but are not attractive to car-users and lose time in traffic Local travel and diffuse travel are poorly served by PT, so people use car even for short trips Rural travel is also poorly served by conventional PT Traditional PT offer is not sufficient for 21 st Century society

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 4 New Concepts for PT The fundamental concepts of PT need to be expanded At the “high-end”, we need affordable, effective mass transit solutions Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has emerged in recent years to provide a viable range of solutions At the “low-end”, we need flexible, adaptive solutions which are people-based and at appropriate scale This has not yet been solved Flexible Transport / DRT can fill this role Still at “building blocks” stage, it must upscale Policy-makers must provide leadership and frameworks

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 5 The Emergence of BRT Until recently, policy-makers and planners dismissed bus as a credible option – “car-users won’t ride a bus” Only Metro and LRT were considered for mass transit projects, but these have high financing costs There has been a “global revolution”, emerging from South America, North America and now Asia and Africa Decision-takers understood the potential, gave support What were the critical success factors? Can achieve the functionality of rail at cost of bus ($3-7mn/km) Flexibility – BRT is a range of solutions, highly adaptable Can build on what’s there already, and expand/upgrade

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 6 What is the key lesson of Bus Rapid Transit? … that an effective new mode of transport can be developed if the decision-takers decide to support it

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 7 The Transport and Social Role for Flexible Transport A large part of the transport consists of diffuse patterns, rural areas, and short trips (c. 50% of all trips < 5 km), Conventional transport cannot serve these (nor BRT) Outcome is either use car, or lack of travel opportunity Negative transport and social impacts A wider range of solutions is needed – these will not be as efficient as mass transit, but they will be effective In environmental terms, more efficient and less emissions than alternatives per person trip/person-km

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 8 The Scope of Flexible Transport A very wide range of solutions : Flexible bus routes Demand responsive transport (DRT) ‘Jeepney’/paratransit Shared taxi schemes Car-sharing schemes Special services for mobility impaired/elderly Special services for closed groups (e.g. employees, Google-bus) Occupies the ‘space’ between conventional fixed-route transport and normal taxi / private car Different application in urban, peri-urban and rural areas

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas Mobility Challenge Mobility services to meet the needs of citizens Widely available, ‘always on’ Flexible Transport needs to become a full mode of transport, rather than a fringe activity Need step increase in: –Scale –Coverage –Frequency

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 10 Likely Attributes of Large-Scale Flexible Transport Transport mode in is own right, understood as such by policy-makers, planners, operators and travelling public One or more defined roles in the transport ‘hierarchy’ Makes a visible contribution to the transport offer in the area of coverage Most or all of the service available to the general public ‘Large-scale’ by way of coverage area, intensity of coverage, range of destinations, volume of users, … Operates within appropriate regulatory and fiscal frameworks (not a demonstration or special exempt)

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 11 The Issues for Local Decision- Takers 1.Which Flexible Transport concepts are applicable to the decision-takers’ area, and how would they work in practice? 2.Where does the Flexible Transport fit within the overall transportation offer of the area, and how does it relate to / integrate with it? 3.On what scale might it operate, what would be the impacts (transportation, social, benefit, fiscal, environmental), and what support should be given ? 4.What is the appropriate form of regulation?

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 12 What issues need to be developed? 1.Concepts and operating models 2.Business models 3.Legal and Regulatory Frameworks 4.Marketing and establishing mode/brand identity 5.Operating methods 6.ITS and other support tools 7.Vehicles – supply and specification 8.Assessment of impacts

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas Issues for Policy-makers Conventional PT doesn’t provide the needed mobility Alternatives need to be comprehensive and creative “Large scale” does not imply large projects or vehicles –1,000,000 = 10 x 100,000 = 100,000 x 10 Implementation will be local and closely connected to the community it serves Change in services cannot happen without change in policy and frameworks: –The willingness may be there, but regulations will stifle it –Will communities or operators invest without assurance? The building blocks are already there, they need to be mobilised

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas Main challenges for FT Policy –Are there any target levels of “Mobility” for citizens? –Whose responsibility is it to Operationalise them? Planning –Role and potential of flexible transport not recognised –“Small vehicles for special needs” –Cannot model it, so ignore it Regulatory –Existing transport regulations restrictive, protectionist –DRT, FT not recognised, so illegal Financial Frameworks –FT not recognised, cannot allocate funds to it as PT

FLIPPER Final Conference Almada, PT, Partner Logo FLIPPER FL exible transport services and I CT P latform for eco-mobility in urban and rural Euro PE an a R eas 15 Reflection 1.The Public Transport concept must be expanded 2.BRT has successfully done this at the mass transit end – ten years ago, this would not have been considered possible 3.A “paradigm shift” is needed at the “low end” of the transport market, where conventional PT cannot compete with private car 4.Flexible transport has the potential to do in the next 10 years what BRT did in the last ten – become a new transport mode 5.The FLIPPER project demonstrates many “building-blocks”, both for transportation and social benefit motivations 6.It is now the responsibility of policy-makers to develop the vision and supporting framework for flexible transport on large-scale