Overview
The National Research Programm (NRP) 41 was launched by the Federal Council at the end of 1995 to improve the scientific basis on which Switzerland's traffic problems might be solved, taking into account the growing interconnection with Europe, ecological limits, and economic and social needs. The NRP 41 aimed to become a think-tank for sustainable transport policy. Each one of the 54 projects belongs to one of the following six modules:
- A Mobility: Socio-institutional Aspects
- B Mobility: Socio-economical Aspects
- C Environment: Tools and Models for Impact Assessments
- D Political and Economic Strategies and Prerequisites
- E Traffic Management: Potentials and Impacts
- F Technologies: Potentials and Impacts
- M Materials
- S Synthesis Projects
This study aims to find out more about so-called Integrated Mobility Services. The study wants to:
- Gather information about existing Integrated Mobility Services in Switzerland;
- Find out more about the users und non-users attitude towards Integrated Mobility Services;
- Have a closer look at the chances and the diffusion of mobility services (mobility packages);
- Estimate the environmental impact of mobility services (mobility packages);
- Make suggestions for a service marketing for mobility services (mobility packages).
This study, which focuses on mobility-packages, is based empirically on four inter-related surveys in Switzerland as well as two complementary ones in Germany.
For Switzerland these are:
- a pilot survey among users of 'mobility-packages' in Bern, Zurich, Winterthur, Lucerne, and Lenzburg (310 persons net in 1997);
- a survey among non-users of these mobility-packages in the same cities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland (233 persons net in 1997);
- a survey among non-users in the French-speaking agglomerations Geneva and Lausanne (394 persons net in 1998);
- as well as a complementary survey among 50 Swiss experts regarding the chances and pre-conditions of a further spreading of such mobility-packages in Switzerland (in 1998).
These surveys were extended by means of a pilot survey with a similar questionnaire in the city of Essen (Germany) among 79 non-users as well as by a survey in the German agglomerations Cologne, Nuremberg and Dresden (750 persons in 1998) in parts methodologically similar and carried out by Prognos AG. The analyses of the study are founded mainly on the comparison of the following groups:
- users and non-users of mobility-packages (in both the German and the French-speaking parts of Switzerland),
- holders of a driving licence in the non-users group who are or are not interested in mobility-packages, as well as complementary
- those interested in Switzerland and Germany,
- additionally the potential customers' wishes regarding the services are related to the experts' opinions.
Funding
Results
A season ticket for rail and bus transport and, if necessary, access to a car - such a 'mobility package' has considerable market potential and could make a contribution to the reduction of environmental pollution. A combination of a season ticket for public transport with easy access to car rental or CarSharing - such 'mobility packages', or similar offers like the 'Mobility Rail Card 444', have become increasingly popular in Switzerland.
The study has shown that between 7% and 10% of Swiss driving licence holders would be prepared to test such 'mobility packages'. About half of them (90,000 people) would be willing to buy such an offer immediately. A survey among users of such 'mobility packages', and comparisons with non-users, has revealed that a move to 'mobility packages' would reduce usage of the car. If the market potential in the urban conurbations could be exploited to the full, then some 15 to 50 million litres of petrol could be saved annually (0.4% to 1.4% of Switzerland's consumption). This would reduce related costs for environmental measures by 10 to 40 CHF million. According to the survey and further analyses, this potential is particularly large in the French and Italian speaking regions of Switzerland where 'mobility packages' are less well known, because larger mode shift effects could be achieved. In these regions, it appears that technological innovations such as chip card systems in particular would be in demand.
The research team concludes that 'mobility packages' need to be kept simple but offer high quality public transport and car rental systems. Improved provision for cycle traffic is also required. Technical systems should be standardised throughout Switzerland. It is recommended that Communities, Cantons and the Federal Government should increase their support for 'mobility packages'.
Policy implications
Possible measures in politics and administration:
1. National authorities, cantons and local authorities can implement the following direct instruments promoting integrated mobility services:
- making use of their room for manoeuvre as 'buyer' of transport-related services (parallel to reforming public transport as well as when introducing the principles of New Public Management);
- participation in the development of criteria for a quality management (compilation of the thematic basics necessary for quality management, establishment of the respective structures and procedures);
- (initial) financing of pilot-projects for the further development of know-how and for the development of transferable solutions;
- buying of services by public authorities for the business trips of their employees (this helps administrative bodies to save money and at the same time supports integrated mobility services by way of better legitimation).
2. Moreover there are indirect ways for public bodies to promote the spreading of integrated mobility services:
- promotion of know-how transfer for an early multiplication of successful solutions;
- promotion of innovative processes (targeted financial support for certain projects, ini¬tiative programmes to support social innovation processes);
- far-reaching communication measures (awareness campaigns, e.g. in schools);
- setting-up of supporting frameworks: internalisation of external costs of transport, regional and town planning less focused on cars; traffic calming and accompanying measures to support pedestrians and cyclists; more rigid conditions for parking areas; taking into account car-sharing in building regulations and road traffic laws).
3. There are a number of reasons why the promotion of integrated mobility services is of public interest:
- The developments described make new solutions to improve the traffic and transport situation in agglomerations possible; they contribute to the reduction of the emission of air pollutants and to the reduction of external costs in transport.
- The ressources used are indeed investments for an increase of the degree to which public transport companies are self-financing.
- The suppliers of transport services in Switzerland can distinguish themselves on the gro