Introduction

Network design usually refers to the stage in public transport planning where the routes and frequencies are defined for the services in a public transport system. However, network design can also consider more strategic decisions, such as which transport modes will be involved, and how they will interact in the system. Designing a network is a very complex problem which spans economic, environmental and social aspects, involving a great variety of actors with conflicting interests. Passengers, for instance, are interested in a transit system with low fares, high frequency and direct, fast journeys; private car users may prefer a system that reduces traffic congestion without taking up car space; driver unions will care about the drivers’ working conditions; and operators may be interested in providing highly productive operations at low costs. All these trade-offs must be faced at the design stage, and good coordination of the involved bodies will play a decisive role in the successful outcome of the projected system. In addition, there are no blank slates and cities have to build on existing transit networks, operators, and travel and land use patterns. Chapter Three discusses some of the challenges in implementing a new integrated system.

Whether Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is introduced in an existing formalised transit system or used as a tool to formalise an informal bus sector, the service network will be questioned. In the case of a city already operating under formalised services, the integration between those services and the new BRT corridor should be discussed. Will previous services running parallel to the corridor be cut, changed by shorter feeder services or allowed to enter the corridor? How will the interchanging infrastructure between feeder buses and other modes be built? The implementation of a BRT corridor presents an opportunity to re-evaluate not just the routes, but also the network configuration. For example, if a system is being operated using point-to-point services, some of these services could be rerouted to use the capacity and improved speed of the BRT corridor. In some cases even a switch to something closer to a trunk and feeder network configuration could be justified in the presence of new BRT corridors and fare integration. This type of decision is further discussed in the next section of this chapter.