MODAL CHOICE IN URBAN AREAS

THE APPROACH DESCRIBED IN THIS PAPER ASSOCIATES A VALUE OF TIME WITH EACH TRANSPORT MODE AND ASSUMES THAT FOR JOURNEYS ON WHICH ANY TWO MODES CARRY THE SAME NUMBER OF TRAVELERS THE GENERALIZED COST FOR THE TWO MODES IS THE SAME. THE PROCEDURE FOR FINDING THE VALUES OF TIME ON THE MODES AVAILABLE IS TO PLOT THE PROPORTIONS OF TRAVELERS ON EACH MODE AGAINST JOURNEY DISTANCE, TO ASSUME A VALUE OF TIME FOR ONE MODE, AND AT EACH EQUAL PROPORTION POINT ON THE GRAPH TO CALCULATE THE VALUE OF TIME ON THE OTHER MODE NECESSARY TO GIVE EQUAL GENERALIZED COSTS. THE GENERALIZED COST FUNCTIONS OBTAINED BY THIS METHOD ARE FOUND TO YIELD GOOD CORRELATIONS TO SURVEY DATA FROM TWO DISSIMILAR URBAN AREAS (CENTRAL LONDON AND STEVENAGE NEW TOWN). SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE AS TO HOW THE MODEL CAN BE APPLIED TO SITUATIONS WHERE A NEW MODE IS TO BE INTRODUCED. /AUTHOR/