The Bus Stop as a Nodal Technology (5014kb) - ipenz

Friendly Berms
Overcoming the challenge of the car age, Part 1
Chris Harris

Consider “hard basket” sustainable transport
delivery issues where TAs often fall down….
• Bus Lanes
• Bus Stops
• Bus Shelters
• Walking
• Cycling
• Liveable Streets
• Shade
• On-street parking…and its limitation.

What do all have in common?
--- The Berm

PT users exposed to insults at berm:
• lack of shelter
• uncertain bus arrival (no priorities)
• stares of passers-by
Mostly side-effects of car traffic.

The car insults non-drivers but protects
drivers from insults.
Non-drivers become increasingly
‘marginal’
Friendly berms needed.

Car
Traffic
Space
Hungry
“The Squeeze”
Berm
Adjacent
Ratepayers
Object to
bus stops,
bus shelters,
loss of on-street
parking, etc.

‘Insult exposure’ is basically a social
marketing concept but at its worst it has
health implications.
Exercise the most obvious one, but also
consider ‘cold bus stops’ argument.
Nowhere else does a typically older user
wait in the open for 20 or more minutes
for an off peak bus, that may be late.

Despite considerable evidence, reduction of outdoor cold
stress has been largely ignored in official campaigns to
control winter mortality. Heating of waiting areas for
public transport,and at least windproof shelters on bus
routes subject to unscheduled delays, are obvious
measures that would help.
Keatinge & Donaldson, ‘Action on outdoor cold stress is
needed to reduce winter mortality’, BMJ 23 October 2004
Steps to promote … personal measures, and such public
measures as windproofing of bus shelters, offer ways to
reduce outdoor cold stress.
Eurowinter Group, The Lancet, 10 May 1997

New Zealand not as cold as Britain—but much windier (windchill).
NZ excess of winter mortality actually worse than in UK
(several reasons for this including draftier houses.)

All Berm issues point to an “Insult Pyramid”
model for transit users, walkers and cyclists.
Insults result from exposure of various sorts.
Low-level insults e.g. exposure to passing
cars, stares, “hobo effect.”
High-level insults e.g. health effects.

“From Insult
to Injury”
An Insult
Pyramid
Model for
Winter
Likewise for
lack of shade,
etc., in
summer. © CEH

Widening the berm, and making it more
interesting meets multiple objectives.
• Protection from cold stress
• Shade from street trees
• More visible bus routes
• Arterial road traffic calming
• “Skinny streets”
• “Second generation traffic calming”

Berm-Carriageway Interaction Cycles:
More Transit More Cars
Wider Berms Skinnier Berms
Attractive for PTUs ‘Insulting’ for PTUs
More Transit Use Less Transit Use
More Transit More Cars

Nantes, Cours des Quarante Otages, before Makeover

Nantes, Cours des Quarante Otages, after Makeover

Design specifics, for NZ Conditions….

Christchurch—Fendalton Road in-lane Bus Stop with Shelter,
Shade Tree Planting, and Cycleway Go-Around.

Christchurch—Fendalton Road Indented Car Park

Franklin Rd, Ponsonby. Note bus stop for which the footpath could
easily be extended as far as the white limit line without affecting
actual road function. A de facto outcome similar to Fendalton Rd.

Franklin Rd, Ponsonby, same bus stop. Note electrical works in
tree branches (includes insulated 11kV works).

Good design of shelters vital …

Conclusion
Berm action strategic complement to
carriageway initiatives.
Need to break down silos within TA and
within ‘whole of government’ e.g. health.
Remaining frontage ‘transaction costs’ point
to Quality Corridor solution.
Tree policy could be critical lever !