Overview
CIVITAS (City – Vitality - Sustainability) is a European Commission (Commission) initiative to promote cleaner and better transport in cities. Through the CIVITAS Initiative, the Commission aims to generate a decisive breakthrough in clean and better urban transport by supporting and evaluating the implementation of ambitious integrated and sustainable urban transport strategies that make a real difference for the mobility and quality of life of citizens.
Under the umbrella of the CIVITAS initiative, five European cities were clustered in the TELLUS project: Rotterdam (the Netherlands), Berlin (Germany), Göteborg (Sweden), Gdynia (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania). Within the TELLUS project 48 demonstration measures were implemented, which varied in number and differed widely regarding contents, type and underlying policies. Particular local circumstances, specific city characteristics as well as needs expressed, problems faced and priorities given shaped the selection of a specific set of innovative transport measures in each city.
The TELLUS project set itself ambitious transport-related, environmental and societal objectives to be reached after four years (2006). Moreover the project formulated target quantifications also for 2010. This orientation towards objectives emphasised the process character of the project not ending with its financial assistance but bringing effects for the city beyond this phase.
The specific objectives of the project were to:
- increase the modal share in favour of public transport;
- increase public transport use;
- reduce road casualties and injured people;
- reduce congestion;
- reduce car kilometres;
- increase bicycle kilometres;
- reduce air pollution and noise to levels below national and EC directives;
- reduce NOx emission from heavy traffic;
- reduce traffic related CO2 emissions and energy use;
- improve intra-organisational co-operation at the city level;
- achieve extensive political and public awareness for TELLUS;
- improved public-private co-operation.
Each city implemented a set of measures. There are no two cities that had exactly the same mix of measures. The number and spectrum of measures differed from city to city according to the focus identified as relevant for the respective city and the city’s role within the CIVITAS-Initiative (leading cities and followers). Rotterdam implemented 26 measures, Berlin 10, Göteborg 8, Bucharest 4, and Gdynia implemented only 1 measure.
The TELLUS demonstration measures were not an isolated attempt to improve the living conditions of the citizens, but they were integrated into the cities’ urban transport policies and plans. In general, the focus of the TELLUS project was on translating urban transport policy into practical implementation of innovative measures, whereas ‘innovative’ is understood in the city-specific context. However, not all measures were concerned with implementation, but some aimed at preparing the ground while others supported strategies and measures by developing a concept to be implemented later and/or through a different scheme. Out of the 48 TELLUS measures 28 were aiming at direct implementation, 17 at concept development and implementation, and 3 measures developed concepts only.
Funding
Results
This form reports on the TELLUS results relating to the CIVITAS policy field “Integration of Transport Management Systems” according to the demonstration site (Berlin, Bucharest, Göteborg, Gdynia, Rotterdam) and measure. If you are interested in the TELLUS results relating to other CIVITAS policy fields, please see the form "TELLUS (Overview)" available on the TRKC website to identify the exact name of the policy field and search the corresponding form on the TRKC website.
1) Berlin (Germany).
- Dynamic real-time passenger information for trams and buses.
Description.
This demonstration measure aimed at prototyping an interface necessary for expanding BVG's dynamic passenger information system (Daisy) from underground to surface public transport. The rationale behind this system was that tram (and bus) users were to be enabled to get information about the actual departure of the next two to five trams or buses and about disruptions as well. The added benefit of the service was seen in the improvement of journey conditions through limitation of uncertainty and discomfort while waiting for the tram/bus. The dynamic visual displays were supposed to provide information about the route number of the tram or bus, the destination of the arriving vehicle, and about the waiting time with one minute accuracy.
Results.
The first implementation phase in 2003 contained 104 panels. This number included 4 displays at bus stops. The second implementation phase that lasted until winter 2004 included 78 panels, among them 38 bus panels. Altogether 700 displays will be implemented over the next years. As in Berlin round about 7,000 bus stops and about 800 tram stops exist roughly 10 percent of the stations will eventually be equipped. Panels will provide the dynamic information at the most frequented stops. When all the panels will have been installed 50 percent of all bus customers and 80 percent of all tram customers will benefit from the improved information service. For all stops the text message service is already now available. The same information is available from the BVG homepage. Changes in behaviour, such as a wider use of public transport, caused by the introduction of this system, could not be proven. Passenger data hardly changed. As during the implementation phase seve
Technical Implications
None
Policy implications
The policy implications relating to the CIVITAS policy field “Integration of Transport Management Systems” according to the demonstration site (Berlin, Bucharest, Göteborg, Gdynia, Rotterdam) and measure are as follows.
1) Bucharest (Romania).
- Fleet management by GPS.
The level of this investment and the large scale of the demonstration require a permanent political support. A pilot system implementation represents a very important stage in order to eliminate the risks that can occur if this measure is not taken. Thus, the pilot implementation impacts can be analyzed and some corrections can be made, when their economic costs are much lower. The implementation of such system cannot be successful without a very good coperation between different institutional stakeholders.
2) Rotterdam (The Netherlands).
- Integration of Transport Management
The lesson learnt from this measure is that the idea behind DRIPs on city roads leading to the ring road is somewhat superseded by other developments such as the introduction of in-car GPS systems and the changed traffic situation on the ring road. At the same time however, the insight has grown that the DRIPs will be of great use in case of accidents or road works on the ring road. However, as such situations did not occur yet it is recommended to assess the effect of the DRIPs in such situations as soon as they occur. In this assessment proves the DRIPs added value, it is recommended to implement DRIPs on the other city roads leading towards the ring.
- Intermodal Travel Information.
It is recommended to investigate the possibilities to give real time information on public transport on mobile phones.
- Dynamic public transport information.
The high acceptance amongst passengers is a clear incentive for the introduction of passengers information systems. However the information deleivered should be correct right away to avoid a false start. So a major recommendation is to start a system only when it is fully operational and without initial start-up failures.