This paper describes the results of a research project that aimed to establish passenger values of crowding on public transport services in the Paris region. Qualitative research, stated preference (SP) experiments, and passenger counts and surveys were conducted to obtain such values. A simple method was developed to quantify the passenger benefits of specific public transport projects aiming to reduce crowding on existing lines. This method was applied in a case study to the regional rail (RER) RER Line E extension project. With regard to the value of crowding, the research indicated that the perceived disutility of crowding could be more accurately described as a constant disutility per trip than as a travel time multiplier. However, for ease of application often the multiplier formulation was preferred. When the value of crowding was expressed as a travel time multiplier, values were obtained ranging from 1.0 when all passengers could be seated to 1.7 for standing bus passengers when the vehicles reached their maximum capacity. Also for seated passengers, multipliers well above 1.0 were observed for (highly) congested vehicles (maximum value 5 1.5 for bus passengers). These values were applied in a case study that estimated the effects of an extension of the regional rail line RER E in the western direction, partially running parallel to the existing RER Line A. This extension would reduce the current (very) high crowding levels on the RER A and B lines to more moderate levels and generate benefits of about �23 million per year.

The research project under discussion aimed to provide an operational methodology to assess the perceived benefits of investments to improve punctuality of suburban rail services to and from Paris. A literature review, train surveys and counts, and a stated preference (trade-off) experiment have been conducted to obtain values of reliability. Also, a simple tool was developed to quantify the benefits of specific projects. This was applied in a case study to the Réseau Express Régional (RER) B Nord+ punctuality improvement project. The research indicated that an improvement in punctuality, expressed as a 5% reduction in the number of trains delayed 5 to 15 min, was worth about 4.6 min of travel time for commuters and students. Comfort appeared to be important, with a particularly clear dislike of standing in crowded trains. Information was also valued as worthwhile: explicit information about the duration of delays (in addition to information about the cause of delays) was valued similarly as a 10-min reduction in travel time. The RER B Nord+ case study indicated that total annual benefits of about €10 million were expected, beyond the €31 million benefits due to travel time savings (€1 = US$1.34 in 2007).

No abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte.

No abstract