NICHES+: Helping European cities to implement urban
transport innovationOasis First International Conference, Firenze, 4-5
November 2009
NICHES+ Facts
• Coordination Action funded under the 7th Framework Programme – DG Research
• Midterm of the 3 years (2008-2011)• Coordinator: Polis• 6 partners: Rupprecht Consult, Eurocities, Newcastle
University, Transman, University of Southampton
• 7 Champion cities
Principal Aims
• Networking opportunities: stimulate exchange between a wide range of urban transport stakeholders from all over Europe
• Publishing effective guidance for cities: brochuresincluding key information on how to successfully
implement the selected urban transport innovations• Spreading the word: European and national events to
effectively disseminate the project results and to encourage uptake of the twelve innovative concepts• Working with cities on the ground: resources and support
for 7 champion cities, helping them to develop concrete implementation plans for NICHES+ concepts
5 Working Steps
During the 3 year duration of the project NICHES+ will follow 5 successive steps to meet its goal:
1. Selection of champion cities & innovative concepts2. Identification of needs and expectations of potential
users and implementers, stakeholder analysis3. Reviewing the transferability of innovative concepts,
transferability analysis4. Research and policy recommendations5. Implementation scenarios and preparation of take-up
ApproachCoordination
Commission
Involvement
Recommendations, Guidelines, OSMOSE, Reports, Publications
good practice
WP 5 Implementation Scenarios and Preparation of Take Up
WP 6 Dissemination and Exploitation
WP 3 Reviewing the Transferability of Innovative Concepts
WP 4 Research and Policy Recommendations
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R&D results
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WP 1 Selection of Champion Cities and Innovative Concepts
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WP 2 Needs and Expectations of Potential Users and Implementers
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4 Thematic areas
1. Innovative concepts to enhance accessibility
2. Concepts for efficient planning and use of infrastructures and interchanges
3. Traffic Management Centres4. Automated and space efficient transport
systems
3 concepts for enhanced accessibility
• Concept 1.1.: Travel training for public transport
• Concept 1.2.: Neighbourhood accessibility planning
• Concept 1.3.: Tailored traveller information for users with reduced mobility
• This presentation will further focus on concept 1.1.
Enhanced accessibility
Internet info: travelling without barriers
Munich: Neighbourhood accessibility planning with citizen participation
Salzburg: Training for older passengers
Stakeholder analysis for innovative concepts to enhance mobility
• Critical success factors to make transport innovation a success: – Sound understanding of user needs– Understanding of the right project team– Definition of stakeholder involvement
Key target groups of users of travel training for public transport
• School children. In many places children do not learn how to use public transport from their parents. Frequently they are taken to school by car. Travel training can help them to become independent users of public transport and also has an important marketing element.
• People with learning difficulties need individualised buddying that responds to their situation and helps them to use certain public transport services or the whole network independently. This includes children, teenagers and adults.
• Disabled users. A very heterogeneous group, which includes for example people with physical disabilities, reduced sensorial abilities, cognitive disabilities or mental impairments. It also concerns people with newly acquired disabilities (e.g. after an accident.) This requires a range of tailored approaches.
• Older people who do not know how to use public transport and/or do not feel safe. This is a heterogeneous group. It includes the younger old 55+ up to very old users 80+.
Needs and expectations of older people towards travel training for public transport
Target groups of users
Needs and expectations How to respond?
Older people Acquiring knowledge and confidence on how to use the bus
Tailored training schemes covering all relevant aspects (e.g. standing safely, ticketing, info, communication)
Knowing who to talk to in case of problems
Approachable bus drivers and special contact person in customer service
Feeling personally safe (e.g. concerning bullying, crime)
Instructions on how to behave in case that something happens and addressing irrational fears
Social contacts at travel training
Providing nice atmosphere and sufficient time for social part
Stakeholders Conceptual/ planning phase Implementation/ demonstration
Full scale operation
: :: :::
Interest groups (core project team)
Pushing the travel training concept, role in designing training concept, contact to users and input on user needs.
Getting trainees on board first and carrying out first trainings, collecting feedback.
Being part of training staff, lobbying for continued funding, support in evaluation, communication with users.
Transport operators and associations(core project team)
In first phase may still need to be convinced of added value of travel training. Once on board important partner to designing training concept and providing necessary resources.
Provision of funding and vehicles if needed. Carrying out first trainings. Press releases, media contacts.
Continued funding and involvement in training activities. Fine-tuning of concept and contact to customers.
Local authority(core project team)
Possible role in actor coordinating, pushing for initiatives.
Less pronounced role, provision of funding.
Political support and continued funding.
Chaning roles of stakeholders for implementation over time
Transferability analysis
• Complex task with these objectives: – To show how the selected NICHES+
Innovation Concepts could be implemented successfully in other ‘cities’ in order to encourage the transfer of good practice.
– To assess whether the success of an Innovative Concept is dependent on any particular conditions, and whether the success achieved and the lessons learnt in one ‘city’ can be transferred to other ‘cities’.
Methodology for transferability assessment
1. Clarify the impacts and measures of success of the Innovative Concept
2. Identify if up-scaling is required and take into account subsequently as appropriate
3. Identify the main components of the Innovative Concept and its context relevant to transferability (examples of components include ‘strategies and policies’, ‘finances’, ‘stakeholders’ etc)
4. Identify the main characteristics of each component and their level of existence/achievement in the current context Assess the likely ease or difficulty in achieving the necessary level of the characteristic in a receiving city
5. Consider the set of values across the characteristics and assess the likely potential for transferability and any conditions that may be required.
Transferability barriers and success factors for travel training
• Minor • Significant • Major Importance
Continuous Accessible infrastructure (SF)
Demographic development (SF)
Improved image of PT (SF)
• Involvement of public transport company (and organisers, e.g. Public transport
executives) (SF)• Dedicated team (SF)
• Close cooperation of operator and NGO (SF)
Planning phase Start small and build step by step (SF)
Initial cash injection (SF)
User experience of others (SF)
• Close cooperation with NGO (SF)
Implementation phase
• Communication• Information- Brochure- Personal contactbuild confidence (SF)Budget: time + money (SF)
Operation phase Training for bus drivers (SF/B)
Addressing the target group with tailored approach (SF)
Personal touch in delivery (SF)
• Communication• Information
- Brochure- Personal contact
• build confidence (SF)
Evaluation phase Reduced accidents , increased safety (SF)
Reduced car use (SF)
Feedback from clients and other significant stakeholders (SF)
Testing transferability in practice with NICHES+ Champion Cities
• Artois-Gohelle• Burgos• Cork• Daventry• Worcestershire• Trondheim• Skopje
Artois-Gohelle: Accessibility
• Currently poor accessibility of public transport network• Marginalised parts of population that rely on PT• Strong car use in region, only 3.5% PT in modal split• Key driver to become active: Obligation to make PT
accessibility by 2015 through French Accessibility Act SMT’s accessibility scheme ready for adoption
• Fragmented responsibilities as barrier to achieve full accessibility (incl. neighbourhood accessibility)
• Need to lobby among decision makers (especially local authorities) to address accessibility topic
Challenges
Establish accessible bus stops in urban renewal areas
Deal with strong car use and car dependent structures
Artois-Gohelle: Vision & Objectives
• Remove accessibility barriers in bus network and plan new tram line in a way that ensures “accessibility for all”
• Consider whole “seamless” travel chain• Adapting infrastructure and soft measures to remove
psychological barriers• Foster participatory processes • Facilitate stakeholder cooperation and remove
institutional barriers• Concrete targets set for year 2015 (accessibility
scheme)• Guidance document for local authorities on
neighbourhood accessibility planned
Artois-Gohelle: Focus of work in NICHES+
• Travel training for public transport– Target group older people – Designing first travel training scheme
• Neighbourhood accessibility– Accessibility to bus stops, cooperation with
1-3 “communes” (access towards the bus stops)– Innovative participatory approaches– Guidance for local authorities– Consideration in plans for new tramway
• Raise awareness for accessibility topic– National seminar (supported by POLIS)
ConclusionsNICHES+ has put effort in better understanding 3 innovative concepts in the
field of accessibility for all. The analysis of these concepts relate to the stakeholder structures and transferability components and characteristics.
Regarding the transferability potential of the accessibility concepts, the following can be concluded:
• Positive impact and measuring success: All three concepts provide a range of positive impacts from the level of the individual user (e.g. more self-confidence for PT users) to the level of societal benefits (e.g. quality of public space, environment). It is in many cases difficult to measure the concrete impact quantitatively.
• Political factors: All three concepts build on the interest and motivation of stakeholders involved in implementation. The positive perception of and image gain for public transport operators or public administration is a success factor. Support from politicians or back up through political strategies can be a key factor.
• Economic factors: Travel training is a cost efficient measure requiring comparably little resources, but a constant funding stream to keep activities alive.
Conclusions ctd.• Social: All three concepts respond to the user or affected citizen
with tailored approaches. Considering the individual needs of certain groups is a success factor for the implementation process. Ideally there is a “personal touch” in the communication with users who are directly involved in the process.
• Technological/ organizational: Good project management, the use of adequate tools and methodologies and the involvement of the right expertise are crucial.
• Environmental: All three concepts can reduce the negative impact of transport on the environment, although this is not the prime motivator, which is social inclusion.
• Transferability: All three concepts appear transferable to other places. Perhaps easiest to transfer is the travel training concept, which can be implemented with comparatively little resources and a small dedicated team. Taking account of experiences in forerunner cities is highly recommended.
Project Websites
www.niches-transport.org
www.osmose-os.org
Contact Info
POLIS• Ivo Cré
– [email protected]– Phone: +32 2 5005676
• Karen Vancluysen– [email protected]– Phone: +32 2 5005675