Overview
The Government recognises that the present rate of increase in road use is unsustainable and aims to discourage urban car use. For such a policy to be successful there is a need for an increase in the number of conveniently located passenger interchanges. If new interchanges are to be economically viable, it is vital that they be built cost effectively and safely and fully satisfies the needs of all construction processes. There is also considerable scope for standardisation of designs and prefabrication of the necessary components in the construction of new rail stations.
The research objectives were the:
- investigation of generic design issues for new interchanges,
- development of a design brief for a good quality small passenger interchange, and
- production of a 'Package Design' for a quickly-built station.
The main design parameters for the design of small passenger interchanges were investigated through literature review, surveys, virtual three-dimensional modelling, and interviews.
Funding
Results
This project has:
- Pinpointed effective means of shaping the stations' physical environment to ensure safety and deter vandalism and trespassing;
- Determined the size of 'small interchanges' as varying from a bus-shelter size to a suburban interchange – falling under the railway station categories D, E, F, (and G of the new SRA-proposed categorisation);
- Identified key cost-factors and expenditure percentages incurred at each activity of a typical greenfield station build, using Davis Langdon and Everest's extensive database on station costs.
- Created a Brief for a Good Quality Small Passenger Interchange, to serve as a basis for the design of modular components to be developed in the subsequent design phase of the project. The Brief provided general principles of interchange design, explained the advantages of 'rapid construction' and presented the functional, architectural and engineering principles for the design of small interchanges. It also identified generic products for the design of new modular interchanges;
- In delivering the final research objective, production of a 'Package Design' for a quickly-built station, this research progressed to the design of the generic products including
- Platform Sub-structure,
- Platform and Canopy,
- Bridge.
Detailed drawings of the prototype design have been produced and augmenting the design drawings, are two costing models, one for a platform and canopy, and one for bridge construction developed by Davis Langdon and Everest.
The objectives of the Infrastructure provision theme research project were to:
- investigate generic design issues for new interchanges;
- develop design brief for a good quality small passenger interchanges; and
- produce 'Package Design' for a quickly-built station.
In particular the project complies with the Infrastructure provision sub themes of:
Policy implications
Conducting the majority of the work offsite, thus removing the dangers and costs associated with working near live railways, would allow the introduction of a manufacturing approach to the design and assembly. Construction activities at site would be restricted to site preparation and installation of foundations.
Assembly of the station platforms, ancillary shelters and over-bridges may then be achieved in a single weekend.
Similar techniques could also be applied to the construction of passenger interchanges for bus, tram and light rail systems.