RUNCORN BUSWAY STUDY

Runcorn is a new town being developed around A specially-built road reserved for buses - the busway. In 1973 surveys were made to determine the travel behaviour of residents living in the new estates and to observe the operation of buses on the partially completed busway. Information was also collected on pedestrian walking speeds, journey times by car, and car parking. This report presents and comments on the results obtained, with particular reference to the planning objective, which was being achieve master plan. A major objective, which was being achieved in 1973, was to obtain a modal split of 50:50 between bus and car for journeys to work within the town. This was not, however, due to car users being attracted to the busway as was hoped, but due to lack of choice for the many people who did not have a car available. A forecast is given relating the future modal split, for internal journeys to work, to increases in car ownership. Also considered are the effects of road congestion, fuel prices, bus subsidies, and parking charges on the generalised costs of travel by bus and by car. Car ownership and parking charges appear as the factors most likely to influence modal choice. A simple cost/benefit analysis shows that construction and land costs for the busway of about found6M are justified by a reduction of about found7M in expenditure on other transport infrastructure and by benefits to bus operator and bus users.(a) /TRRL/