Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
2011
Subject Area
mode - rail, place - australasia, policy - sustainable, economics - capital costs, land use - planning
Keywords
rail infrastructure, capacity, high set up costs, sustainable
Abstract
Rail infrastructure within urban communities within Australia is capacity constrained. Today, cities are committing to major rail improvements to meet current demand recognising the modes sustainability and efficiency credentials. The introductions of new rail services are often constrained by high initial costs. Today we need to start planning for the next generation of rail networks which will be delivered beyond 2035. The manner in which we approach this task will determine the success of such schemes years from now. In many cases, future rail services require better infrastructure and possibly new routes all of which have a design life in excess of 100 years. This infrastructure must be developed in a way which recognises demand and predicts how the requirement for rail services will change over the next half a century or more. New infrastructure for future services must be paid for in advance. Political pragmatism and financial constraints have often constrained rail enhancement projects and they remain today part of a ‘catch up process’. The paper argues that establishing an agreed strategic process within which infrastructure enhancements can be planned is a pre requisite to installing confidence in future rail service provision and facilitating future urban development.
Rights
Permission to publish this paper has been given by the author, P Koning, copyright remains with him.
Recommended Citation
Koning. P. (2011). Meeting the accessibility needs of urban communities through strategic route planning. Paper delivered at the AITPM National Conference held in Melbourne on 10-12 August, 2011.
