Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence

Annex A

OBJECTIVES OF LRT SCHEMES

  1.  The Report of the International Light Rail Commission to the 1991 Congress of the International Union of Public Transport (UITP) was entitled "Financing Light Rail". I was the author (along with others) on behalf of the Commission. The Report was based upon 10 Case Studies and operators were asked to list, in priority order, their objectives in promoting light rail schemes.

  2.  The Objectives were to:

—  improve the quality of public transport;

—  provide more capacity or improve reliability;

—  combat congestion;

—  improve the environment;

—  reduce pollution;

—  encourage new development;

—  reduce overcrowding;

—  encourage re-development;

—  reduce subsidies;

—  reduce operating costs;

—  reduce fares; and

—  encourage more employment.

  3.  Some schemes were introduced for Political reasons. Others, less focussed objectives were to:

—  improve access;

—  reduce noise; and

—  complement other public transport in the area.

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Prepared 8 June 2000