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Public transport at its best, video

  • 03-07-2016 8:11pm
    #1
    Impetus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,667 ✭✭✭


    I came across this video on youtube – featuring the tram system in Zurich, the city with the most densely used public transport in the world. Close to 80% of journeys in Zurich take place on public transport.

    Few, if any buses are allowed in the centre – those that are, are electric. The city’s air is extremely clean as a result.

    The traffic control system manages cars, bikes, trams, pedestrians, with close to zero wasted time. Irish traffic control lights seem to waste between 30 and 40% of the junction capacity due to imprecision of timing. Dozy public servants, scared that an accident might take place if a phase or two was removed from the algo, pedestrian phases showing green and holding up vehicles while nobody crosses the road, etc.

    The burgers in Zurich tried to install a metro system three times. A referendum was required, given that this involves an ‘investment’ of over 10 mil CHF. Each time it was thrown out.

    The Zurich system involves about 16 tram lines and 10 duplex train lines (double deck trains that can carry up to 1’500 people at a time). About fifteen years ago, some people working in Zurich public transport invited their opposite numbers in Dublin to view and consider the public transport focused system they had developed. The Dublin lot sent them a two finger reply.

    Dublin now has two un-connected tram lines with no identifying numbers.

    Various single deck train lines serving suburbia – with no consistent numbering or branding. No integrated ticketing system. No railway line that stops at its airport. No train service either obviously from the airport to suburbia – be it Naas or Belfast.

    Zurich was unsatisfied with traffic signal management software on the market, so it arranged for people at its local technical university eth.ch, one of the top 10 universities in the world, that shuns the university word in favour of technical school, to develop a public transport favouring system. As a result, it is a breeze to drive around Zurich, because most people use public transport. If you buy a new TV or whatever, you won’t be delayed taking it home in the car. This system (VS plus) is freely available to other cities. Why don’t Irish cities use it?

    https://youtu.be/m9-y4SyO2sY?list=PLTsyIakhAvwA0MUnodB_8Jny-L0nqJ1s6


Comments

  • #2
    monument
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Impetus wrote: »
    Close to 80% of journeys in Zurich take place on public transport.

    Where did you get that from?

    According to this http://www.moma.biz/files/prae_MobStrat_MoMaBIZ_100929_MBY.pdf Public
    Transport has a 27% modal share in its inner city.

    Impetus wrote: »
    Few, if any buses are allowed in the centre – those that are, are electric. The city’s air is extremely clean as a result.

    The traffic control system manages cars, bikes, trams, pedestrians, with close to zero wasted time. Irish traffic control lights seem to waste between 30 and 40% of the junction capacity due to imprecision of timing. Dozy public servants, scared that an accident might take place if a phase or two was removed from the algo, pedestrian phases showing green and holding up vehicles while nobody crosses the road, etc.

    A lot of Zurich's progress seems to be from removal of cars from the city centre -- something Dublin is soon due to make large steps on.
    Impetus wrote: »
    The burgers in Zurich tried to install a metro system three times. A referendum was required, given that this involves an ‘investment’ of over 10 mil CHF. Each time it was thrown out.

    I think Dublin should built more surface tram lines, but for balance, it's worth saying cities around the size of Dublin are happy with their metro lines.


  • #3
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,226 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Voting against a metro and restricting buses in a city are fairly bizarre ideas - the city's PT is good despite these, not because of them. The tram to the airport was only built in 2008, and trams aren't suitable for longer journeys like that anyway - by their nature they cover distance much more slowly than heavy rail. Our tram lines are just about to be connected up and rail to the airport isn't as important as many think. (In any case, such a rail connection is on the way). Traffic control systems done to the Swiss level wouldn't work in a free-thinking spontaneous country like Ireland.

    Was over in Zurich for a trip a few years ago. Amazing public transport that worked like clockwork - the electronic board displays the train arrival time down to the second, and of course the train arrives right at zero. Very nice natural setting and well-designed architecture everywhere.

    Sadly, it's a deathly boring place, with no craic and ludicrously expensive drink. They demolished their old town in the 60s and replaced it with a new fake old town. I'd have our spontaneity any day. You can take your referendums on metros and stick them.


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