Visuomeninio transporto funkcionavimo analizė didėjančios motorizacijos sąlygomis

Abstract

Motorization problems in towns may be solved only after a full investigation of a complex process related to transport connections, versatile use of individual cars and public transport. Lately the passenger transport problems of Vilnius and Panevėžys were analysed. Data on the functioning of passenger transport on the town routes, the growth of individual transport, the size and distribution nature of pedestrians and transport flows in the street networks, the trips and mobility of the inhabitants were collected. In 1998 the number of passengers carried daily by public transport routes was 856.7 thousand including 459.1 by trolleybuses, 336.6 by buses, 13.0 by taxobuscs, 12.0 by route taxi. Most of the inhabitants of Vilnius use the following transport means: trolley-buses (39%); buses (24%); private cars (25%); taxobuses and route taxi (4%); taxi (1%), bicycles (1%); go on foot (5%). The fact that even 67% of respondents use the public transport of the town proves the necessity to give priority to the development of the public transport in the town. The main priority in the system of communication of the town must be given to the public transport by improving its high quality service, creating priority traffic conditions in streets and crossroads. The achieved level of the intensity of traffic and motorization exceeded significantly the forecasted level and resulted in overloading of the street network and crossroads, reduction of competition among public passenger transport and carriage (20-30 percent). For improving the passenger transport in the town, an optimum and rational network of routes is needed. Control of the motorization growth in the towns of different size of the Republic would highly correct the functioning of the public transport system. It is necessary to take into consideration an improvement of traffic regulation and measures combating negative factors to the environment. The route network of the public transport of Vilnius. was formed long ago and recently it did not have many changes in spite of changes in working conditions. The main types of the public transport are the following: buses, troley-buses, and private micro-buses. At the beginning of 1998 the regular route network of buses (on working days and weekends, inter-peak period and in the evening) did not make it possible for a great number of the inhabitants to get to the main districts of Vilnius unless using other transport means. It is especially obvious during non-peak hours when the traffic of buses is reduced even by 60%, the number of the routes of buses is reduced by 44%. Only recently measures were taken to ensure a constant traffic of buses on routes not only during non-peak hours but also on weekends, in the daytime and in the evening. Л great part of the city buses traditionally served the outlying districts of Vilnius by carrying passengers up to the developed network of trolley-buses. During the last decades a tendency has formed which forces to pay serious attention to the level and status of the excisting communication network. The rapidly growing level of motorization which during the last 5 years increased by 1.5 times created possibilities for increasing of private carriages. Now it becomes more difficult to drive along the centre of the city and its approaches, most of the existing crossroads have reached the limit of permeability and they need to be reconstructed. The fact that the network of the main streets have increased only by 1.07 times within 5 years indicates the complexity of the situation and poor perspectives of the communication system. At present a program of development and reconstruction work of the main communication network is made in Vilnius which was first of all oriented towards reconstruction of the existing crossroads by increasing the level of permeability: arrangement of additional traffic lines, modernization of the technical equipment of traffic-lights control, a co-ordinated traffic development. In the perspective (2005) it would be useful to maintain the existing size of the renewed fleets, although lower volumes of passenger carriage are planned as it would create possibilities for improving the carriage quality (to reduce crowdedness). Several types of bus routes are foreseen according to the standards: regular speed, serving of the city centre, express. For realization of those route types it is also necessary to review the types and capacities of buses. One of the most important strategic tasks in Vilnius is the priority service of the public transport in the general communication system of the city. With an increase of the motorization level it is the only transport type able to ensure the needed trans¬port service for the inhabitants and enterprises. In future the public transport of Vilnius should consist of buses and troley-buses which would be served by the state and private carriers, railway and - in the perspective - fast tramway.