Nova Terra on the EU supported project ‘Connected Cities’ / February 2007

nova terra on the eu supported project ‘connected cities’ / february 2007

3 editorial cohesion
6 connected edges
11 space and line
17 high speed investments
22 tramways in france – born again for urbanism
27 towards a new mobility concept for cities
32 covilhã: mobility in a mountain town
Nova Terra on the EU
Content 3 6 11
supported project
‘Connected Cities’,
February 2007.
http://connectedcities.eu

Publisher
Nirov, The Hague,
The Netherlands
(www.nirov.nl)

Editorial Board
Jan Hein Boersma
Evelien Brandes
Huib Haccou
Frank van der Hoeven
(issue editor)
Derek Middleton
(English editing)
Anne Schram
Michiel Smit (editor in chief)
Athanasios Ziliaskopoulos
(guest editor)
17 22 27 32
Graphic design
Studio Bau Winkel

Print
Gewa, Arendonk, Belgium

Correspondence
Nirov, Michiel Smit,
Postbox 30833, 2500 GV
The Hague, The Netherlands,
smit@nirov.nl
Office support:
Helen Kokshoorn,
kokshoorn@nirov.nl

ISSN
1570-0402

Editorial tramways in france – born

22
3 editorial cohesion again for urbanism
Frank van der Hoeven Sophie Labbouz and Youssef Diab

Project part-financed
by the European Union Public transport and regional urban landscapes The potential of cybercars

6 connected edges towards a new mobility

27
Henrik Sander and Michael Koch concept for cities
Antonio Cunha, J. Varandas, Jorge Dias, Rui Rocha and Stefan van der Spek

A spatial survey for Stedenbaan 2010–2020

The South Wing of the Randstad 32 covilhã: mobility in a

The content of this
publication reflects the 11 space and line mountain town
views of the authors. Atelier Zuidvleugel Jorge Humberto, Gaspar Gonçalves and Frank van der Hoeven
The Managing Authority
is not liable for any use
that may be made of the 17 high speed investments
information contained
Detlef Golletz, Egon Walesch, Gösta Weber and Celine Chambron
therein.

Cover photo: Atocha station, Madrid (photo: Frank van der Hoeven, Rotterdam)
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 3
Editorial cohesion
Objective 1
Objective 1
Phasing-out (till 31–12–2005)
Phasing-out (till 31–12–2006)
Special programme
Objective 2
Objective 2
Objective 2 (partly)
Phasing-out (till 31–12–2005)
Phasing-out (partly)
(till 31–12–2005)
Structural Funds 2004–2006: Areas eligible under Objectives 1 and 2
Frank van der Hoeven, TU Delft/ Faculty of Architecture,
Lead Partner Connected Cities, Photos: Frank van der Hoeven
The Interreg Community Initiative is an integral part of Europe’s
regional policy. Interreg’s main objective is to strengthen economic
and social cohesion. In pursuing this objective the European Union
realised that it also has to consider the territorial dimension of
cohesion. No clear and precise definition of territorial cohesion has yet
been made, but as European regional policy focuses mainly on economic
and social disparities, territorial cohesion may follow a similar path.
This would put it on a course for easing the territorial disparities
that exist between countries and regions as a way to contribute to
the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives. What will be the territorial
consequences of Barroso’s call for a post-industrial revolution?
As Interreg III comes to a close many of our partners are looking to the
future. What will the new cross-border, transnational and interregional
cooperation programmes under the Interreg IV ‘European Territorial
Cooperation’ objective bring us? In this editorial we look briefly at these
policy shifts and try to assess how they relate to our current initiatives.
the eu in your own street
Not many people know about Interreg IIIC, Interreg III, the
Community Initiatives, the European Regional Development Funds
(ERDF), or any of the Structural Funds and European regional policy
in general. These are not easy to explain to outsiders. Most of us
occasionally come across a construction sign with the blue EU logo
with its fifteen yellow stars signalling an EU financial contribution
to the project. I came across one this summer in my own street.
I moved to a new home in the Oude Noorden district of Rotterdam.
Apparently, this district is one of the few ‘Objective 2’ pockets in
the province of Zuid-Holland eligible to receive Structural Funds.
As part of the programme for improving the economic and social
Convergence Regions
Phasing-out Regions
Phasing-in Regions
Competitiveness and
Employment Regions
Structural Funds 2007–2013: Convergence and Regional Competitiveness Objectives
cohesion of this part of the city, our street was paved with noise
reducing asphalt, two bicycle lanes were added, the pavement was
resurfaced and some trees were planted. In mid September the
residents held a street party to celebrate the reopening of the street.
The European flag was prominently displayed as the backdrop for
the local musicians who entertained the party-goers. I would not
even be surprised if the musicians’ fees were eligible for European
funding as part of the dissemination measures for the project.
As the lead partner in an Interreg IIIC project, I could disseminate
the experience of the renovation of my street by adding a fact sheet
to the on-line guide to good practice on the connectedcities.eu
website. This would be appropriate because the renovation of the
street (part of an Urban II Community Initiative project) clearly
First and foremost,
European regional policy
promotes solidarity
combines sustainable mobility and urban development. Having
added this ‘good practice’ to the website I could even claim in our next
progress report to the Joint Technical Staff of Interreg IIIC West that
we had increased the effects of the Structural Funds programmes by
identifying another good practice related to the Structural Funds. It
may sound bizarre, but, in a nutshell, this is basically what European
regional policy is all about.
structural funds
First and foremost, European regional policy promotes solidarity.
The policy on reducing the disparities between regions and citizens Y
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 4
takes up about a third of the EU budget. It works mainly through
four Structural Funds, one of which is the European Regional
Development Fund. Besides the Structural Funds there are other
financial instruments, such as the Cohesion Fund.
During the 2000–2006 period most of the Structural Funds were
spent on three objectives. Objective 1 helps regions lagging behind
in their development. Objective 2 supports economic and social
conversion in areas facing structural difficulties. Objective 3 is
about modernising training systems and promoting employment.
Financial assistance from the Structural Funds under such objectives
is restricted to specific regions or areas. The result is a complex
tapestry of Objective 1 regions and Objective 2 areas, as can be seen
on the eligibility map.
Besides Objectives 1, 2 and 3 and the Cohesion Funds, The Structural
Funds support four Community Initiatives: Interreg III, URBAN II,
Leader+ and EQUAL. Interreg III was financed from the European
Regional Development Fund and its mission was the development
of cross-border, interregional and transnational cooperation. Interreg
IIIC is the interregional strand of the programme. ‘Cooperations
under INTERREG IIIC shall give access to experience of other actors
involved in regional development policy and create synergies
between ‘best practice’ projects and the Structural Fund’s mainstream
programmes. The overall aim is to improve the effectiveness of
regional development policies and instruments through large-scale
information exchange and sharing of experience (networks) in a
structured way.’1
EU party in a Rotterdam neighbourhood.
In the transition towards the new programming period (2007–2013)
three new objectives have taken the stage: convergence,
competitiveness and cooperation. The eligibility map has been
drastically simplified. Interreg III will continue as Interreg IV, with
the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives forming the main criteria
for assessing projects.
territorial imbalances
Awareness of a territorial component to European cohesion
policies has grown over the last six years. As a result, territorial
cohesion has emerged as a new objective alongside economic and
social cohesion. ‘The concept of territorial cohesion extends beyond
the notion of economic and social cohesion by both adding to this
and reinforcing it. In policy terms, the objective is to help achieve
a more balanced development by reducing existing disparities,
avoiding territorial imbalances and by making both sectoral policies
which have a spatial impact and regional policy more coherent.
The concern is also to improve territorial integration and encourage
cooperation between regions.’2
Discussion documents on regional policy mention a number of
territorial imbalances and the high concentration of economic
activity and population in the core area of the EU, referred to as the
‘European Pentagon’, the area between London, Hamburg, Munich,
Milan and Paris. The European Pentagon covers less than one fifth
of the EU15 land area, but contains over two fifths of its population
and accounts for almost half of its GDP and even three-quarters of
its expenditure on R&D. The concentration of people, wealth and
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 5
investments in the European Pentagon is not the only territorial
cohesion issue, though. The EU faces territorial imbalances in the
distribution of towns and cities, marked disparities between and
within cities, intra-regional imbalances and regions with geographical
handicaps. All of these issues should be examined in the light of the
Lisbon and Gothenburg ambitions. Territorial development strategies
and policies have to be aligned to Borraso’s call for a post-industrial
revolution.
The European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP) warns in their on-line
discussion paper on territorial cohesion that Europe might become
a boring place if we try to systematically eradicate the differences
between regions and places. The ECTP constitutes our Quality Team,
so we should take such warnings seriously. But what does this mean
for our Guide to Good Practice?
connected cities
Should we listen to the more sceptical view of Henrik Sander?
The HafenCity Universität Hamburg, also rooted in the European
Pentagon, seems to be well aware of the territorial shortcomings
of the Pentagon. Or should we applaud the Stedenbaan initiative,
which tries to bring rail mobility to as many citizens as possible in
the province of Zuid-Holland?
Sophie Labbouz (EIVP) shows that every self-respecting French town
is re-embracing the tram in the fight against congestion and pollution.
What do we say to a partner city like Toledo that has set its mind on
building its own tram system? Should Toledo draw on the French
experience? Or should we point out the territorial differences between
French and Spanish cities? The steep hill on which Toledo’s city centre
is located could be one such difference: trams cannot climb the steep
slopes in the centre and would have to bypass it.
Maybe territorial
disparities are not
so bad after all
Illustration: Mietzeb, Rotterdam.
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), located in the
north-west corner of the European Pentagon, is investing much of its
energy in the HST network and the economic and social opportunities
it offers. But the United Kingdom itself is reluctant to build a high
speed rail infrastructure outside the South East. At first glance, the
HST looks like something that typically belongs to the European
Pentagon. Wrong again! Look at the HST network that Spain is building.
But again we could question if this is the right approach. If the aim
is to ease the stark differences between the European Pentagon and
the rest of the EU, it would seem to be a sound approach. But the
inhabitants of Toledo, whose regional train service has been replaced
by the HST (AVE), are not at all happy about the steep price rises
that came with it.
The mountain town of Covilhã is one of the few partners that clearly
suffers from a geographical handicap. The field demonstration of
the cybernetic transportation system organised by IPN would seem
to be a justifiable approach. But some doubts creep in here too.
On average, the people of Covilhã spend fifteen minutes travelling
between their home and workplace. Living in the European Pentagon
is rather different. To travel home from work I can choose to travel
by car, take the train or use the cycle path in my street subsidised by
the European Union. No matter which mode of transport I choose,
during the rush hour my journey to and from work will take me
about three times as long as the equivalent journeys made by the
citizens of Covilhã. Maybe territorial disparities are not so bad after
all. And who knows, the ECTP may be right to make some of their
criticisms.
Notes
1 Source: www.interregc3.net
2 Ibid
Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 6

Public transport and regional urban landscapes

Connected Edges
Just as regional urban landscapes depend on public transport for their further development,
an efficient public transport system itself depends on networks to connect regional urban landscapes.
Connected edges are an integral part of connected cities. Against this background we can observe
different trends and strategies, taking Germany as an example.

The German Autobahn near Essen. (photo: orange.edge, Essen)

Henrik Sander, HCU Hamburg, Department
of Urban Planning
Michael Koch, orange.edge, Ruhr-Area
Traffic infrastructure is one of the main
determinants of urban development.
The mobility revolution brought about by
trains during the industrial revolution broke
down the spatial boundaries of cities,
allowing totally new forms of urban growth.
Cities like Berlin expanded into more
outlying areas, penetrating even further into
the surrounding regions along the railway
lines. In the 20 th century the car enabled a
new scale of urban growth in more
dispersed suburbs, mainly in attractive
landscapes between the main railway lines,
stimulated by low real estate values and
good traffic access.
During the period of industrialisation there
was a direct relationship between public
transport and urban development. The
expansion of Berlin by development
companies (Terreingesellschaften) was well
coordinated with the development of the
public transport network. The mobility
patterns of the new citizens inevitably led
to high passenger frequencies on the public
transport network. In contemporary urban
landscapes shaped by the individual mobility
offered by the car, lifestyles, mobility patterns
and patterns of demand are becoming
extremely diverse, with serious implications
for public transport.
Changes in traffic patterns are not only
influenced by the suburbanisation of housing,
but also by the suburbanisation of the retail
industry, which is becoming increasingly
concentrated in fewer and bigger locations
in non-integrated areas. The small-scale
graininess of traditional urban structures
is being lost. This deconcentration affects
not only the retail trade but schools and
kindergartens too. As the distance people
have to travel increase, so do the volumes
of car traffic. Each business park on a highway
creates jobs, but if these business parks are
only linked to the public transport network
by irregular bus services they do not
automatically raise the demand for public
transport, but generate more car traffic.
diverse traffic patterns
Apart from spatial fragmentation, traffic
flows themselves are becoming more and
more diverse. In the 1980s, traffic planning
was still about managing traffic flows
characterised by commuter traffic and its
highly concentrated peaks. Today, commuter
traffic in Germany only accounts for 20%
of the total traffic volume, whereas leisure
traffic accounts for 50%. Leisure traffic is
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 7
more diverse both spatially and temporally
and therefore even more car-based than
commuter traffic, which itself is becoming
less predictable due to shorter and more
flexible working times. The growing functional
independence of suburbia creates stronger
internal relationships in the outskirts of cities
and increasing levels of tangential traffic flows
that are more difficult to integrate into radial
public transport networks.
As for the radial based public network, in
Germany a discussion is taking place on the
‘renaissance of inner city districts’. The diverse
modes of transport available in the inner city
are making it an ‘infrastructure home base’ for
flexible working and suitable for the lifestyles
of the knowledge-based society. But this
trend cannot wipe out the social and spatial
developments of the last 100 years. Future
urban development will be characterised by
the simultaneity of centrifugal and centripetal
forces, as well as by a complex diversity of
individual working and living patterns.
demographic decline
The ‘renaissance of inner city districts’
will have only minor impacts on public
transport because of the long-term dominant
demographic trend. The Federal Statistical
Office predicts a decline in German population
from about 83 million now to 75 million in
2050 (figure one). The Institut für
Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW) is even predicting
-ILLION

-IDDLE
SCENARIO
6ARIANTEßß SCENARIO





ß
Figure 1: Demographic development of Germany. (source: Statistisches Bundesamt, Bonn, 2003)
a decline to 60 million inhabitants by 2050
if there is no significant immigration.
This demographic change itself will lead
to a dramatic decline in demand for public
transport, a trend that can already be seen
in regions dominated by school traffic.
No conclusive answers have yet been put
forward on how public transport can face the
challenge of fragmented urban structures,
demographic decline and increasingly
individualised patterns of demand.
By definition, public transport depends on
spatial density and more or less constant
traffic flows. The coverage of whole regions,
one of the prerequisites for the efficiency
of main lines, can hardly be assured. At the
same time, subsidies for public transport
are declining and are already leading to
price rises and line closures.
contraction of the rail network
Deutsche Bahn is concentrating on the
ICE high speed train, which provides fast
connections between major cities, for example
Hamburg-Berlin and Munich-Cologne.
Deutsche Bahn is also building new
intersections. The new train station at
Frankfurt Airport, for example, now has more
high speed ICE connections than the main
station in the city. The major stations are being
upgraded and developed under a ‘renaissance
of train stations’ strategy, including real
-ILLION

(IGH
6ARIANTEßß 


,OW
SCENARIO
6ARIANTEßß


ßß
Since 1945 60%
of all regional
train services
have been closed
estate developments like the AirRailCenter
Frankfurt and the conversion of the main
station of the city of Leipzig into a major
shopping mall. But despite investments in
the ICE system, cuts are being made in
regional and local connections. In recent
years many regional connections have been
cancelled and InterCity connections replaced
by RegionalExpress lines. Since 1945 30% of the
rail network, 60% of all regional train services
and 43% of all stations have been closed.
To provide a flexible connection to the regions,
Deutsche Bahn is offering more car-based
services like Park+Ride and agreements
with car sharing companies, and has been
expanding its car parking space at stations
since 2005. The newly founded DB BahnPark
company will develop and operate multi-
storey car parks close to the main stations.
Pursuing this strategy to its logical conclusion
will lead to a point where the coverage of
regions is abandoned in favour of
concentrating on the main lines that can
be operated efficiently, supported by highly
developed station areas. Car-based services
such as Park+Ride, car parks or car-sharing
arrangements will then take over the
connections to the regions. A highly developed
paratransit system would make this scenario
a serious proposition.
the city of short distances
In response to the growth of regional
urban landscapes the German government
developed an urban planning strategy called
‘the city of short distances’. This concept is
based on the pattern of the historical European
city with mixed of housing, employment, retail
and other uses. This type of concept can be
implemented successfully in traditional
medium-sized cites like Freiburg with an
attractive urban fabric. Between 1982 and
1999, the modal share of public transport in
Freiburg was raised from 15% to 26%, while
the share of car traffic declined by 4%. This
has made Freiburg more attractive, but it also
made housing in the city more expensive Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 8

dynamic centres – due to rising oil prices and

AirRailcenter, Frankfurt. (source: Deutsche Bahn AG)
and speeded up the movement of residents
into the suburbs. Paradoxically, the successful
implementation of the strategy is generating
growing traffic problems despite the traffic
management measurements. Moreover, as
an attractive centre for the region Freiburg
has to cope with increasing commuter traffic.
New urban developments like Rieselfeld in
Freiburg are also part of the strategy of short
distances. This new district, providing homes
for 12,000 residents and 1,000 jobs, with high
quality public transport links realised at an
early stage of the development, is a prominent
showcase for a successful mix of functions.
But most new urban developments suffer
from the basic problem that a historic mix
of functions is missing. Contemporary
economic and social conditions make it
almost impossible to create such a mix,
and even where mixed-use developments
can be created, diverse lifestyles and
mobility patterns do not automatically
mean that residents use public transport.
And if public transport connections are only
provided at a later stage of development or
the level of service provision is too low,
car-oriented mobility patterns emerge that
are difficult to change later.
a contradiction in itself: density is not what
people are looking for when moving to the
edge, whereas public transport needs a certain
density to remain economically viable:
– 1,000–1,500 residents within a walking
distance of 300 meters to bus stop
– 3,000 residents within a walking distance
of 400 meters to a light rail station
– 4,000 residents within a walking distance
of 500 metres to a regional station
inner suburbanisation
It can be assumed that regional urban
landscapes will not continue to grow
significantly - with the exception of some
the demographic trend. Instead, there will be
a process in which regional urban landscapes
will ‘settle down’. The trend towards single-
person households and a continuing demand
for housing will lead to a more homogeneous
distribution of the population density.
This process of inner suburbanisation on a
regional scale cannot be countered by the
concept of the city of short distances, nor can
it be reversed by concentrating development
around points on the main railway lines,
as Deutsche Bahn is doing. However, the
process of inner suburbanisation offers
the opportunity of connecting existing
settlements and traffic structures more
efficiently. This process will not be based
on large-scale urban development projects,
but on several small-scale measures for
optimising regional urban landscapes and
their infrastructures.
The classic approach within this context is
densification on brownfield sites, which needs
to be planned in relation to public transport

The fragmented political/administrative

structure of regional urban landscapes makes
it difficult to realise the ‘city of short distances’.
The logic of short distances is neither a
sufficient reflection of urban reality, nor
is it a fully developed planning tool under
contemporary conditions of urban
development. This logic may work in
traditional inner city districts, but these are
only a small part of the urban system in
relation to the dynamic and fast-growing
urban edges. Urban density in these spaces,
for example at public transport stations, is Freiburg Rieselfeld: 12,000 residents, 1,000 jobs. (source: Stadt Freiburg)
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 9
Karlsruhe Stadtbahn: integration of local and regional rail systems; passenger numbers increased six fold. (source: www.karlsruhe.de)
so that public transport at the edges does
not follow on the heels of suburbanisation.
Ruhrauenpark on the southern edge of the
city of Bochum is a good example of
coordinated urban and traffic planning within
the context of existing urban structures.
The development of around 600 housing units
on the site of a former freight depot offered
the opportunity to extend an existing light
rail line, not only to serve the housing
development but also to connect to a nearby
railway museum.
The Karlsruher Modell is another example of
the opportunities that the optimisation of
existing infrastructure offers on a regional
scale.1 In the early 1990s the city of Karlsruhe
developed a system called Stadtbahn that
allowed Deutsche Bahn tracks to be used by
light rail vehicles to connect the city efficiently
and economically with the region. Passenger
numbers increased six fold. Today, 100 light
rail vehicles operate on 470 km of railway
tracks. The basic principle behind this success
story is a combination of low investment and
operating costs, a reduced number of transfer
points, a reduction in travelling times and good
connections to other modes of transportation.
Saarbrücken, Chemnitz, Zwickau and other
towns now operate similar systems. Some
municipalities have even begun to concentrate
their urban development along these lines.
The development of business estates is
rarely coordinated with public transport
planning. Office parks or shopping centres
on greenfield sites, with their spacious car
parks, are almost synonymous with the
Americanisation of European cities.
The integration of these sites into public
transport systems, however, is a precondition
for a public transport system that covers a
whole region. Nevertheless, the inclusion of
these sites in the planning process is difficult:
in contrast to housing developments, years
can pass between planning and final
realisation. Nevertheless, such sites can be
effectively integrated into public transport
networks at a later stage. The Dortmund
technology park near the university has
been under development since 1985 and
today houses 235 companies with around
8,400 employees. In 2003 the technology
park was connected to the nearest S-Bahn
station by a hanging monorail, or ‘sky train’.
The sky train cut the travel time to the main
station to 15 minutes. Further extensions of
the sky train are planned.
In suburban areas, paratransit systems are
often used if bus lines cannot be run
economically. These are mainly used as a
substitute in times of low demand and today
are isolated systems with quite complicated
logistics. But these substitutes could
potentially serve bigger regions without
creating long travel times due to transfer
problems. The system is adaptable and can
cope with different mobility patterns with
variable destinations such as commuting or
leisure traffic. This, however, would require
a massive service with efficient technology
and corresponding advertisements to boost
acceptance, something that has not yet been
done. Jerry Schneider calculated that 10,000
taxi-buses could replace the entire bus system
in London, and offer a door-to-door service.2 Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 10
10,000 taxi-buses could replace
the entire bus system in London,
and offer a door-to-door service
renaissance of stations
The aforementioned ‘renaissance of train
stations’ has some spectacular showcases,
like the 30,000 m 2 shopping centre within
Leipzig main station, developed by Germany’s
leading shopping centre construction and
management company ECE. But the example
of the shopping centre cannot be used for
the functional and ‘psychological’ upgrading
of small and medium-sized stations.
The integration of these stations into the
urban environment is much more complicated
because shopping centres cannot be run
economically in such stations. No specialised
development companies have yet emerged
for small and medium-sized stations. How can
these stations once again be integrated into
public life? Ticket machines and architectural
restoration alone are not sufficient to increase
their appeal.
There are some examples of how stations can
be upgraded in relation to local demands,
mostly initiated by local authorities.
The municipality of Bönen in North Rhine
Westphalia transformed its station into a
Bürgerbahnhof (Citizen Station). The main
communal services are no longer provided
at the town hall but at the station. In the
Suburbia. (photo: Henrik Sander)
medium term the local authority is planning
a Bike+Ride station and a café as additional
services. In Harburg, a southern district of
the city of Hamburg, the station has been
transformed into a ‘cultural station’ providing
additional amenities. The former first class
lounge is now home to the local art society
and regular exhibitions of contemporary
artists are held in 300 m2 of exhibition space.
A jazz club has been based at the station since
2004, making the station a lively place even
at night.
All these different strategies are reactions
to the two central challenges facing public
transport: an ongoing suburbanisation and
a declining population. Both trends lead to
declining population densities, casting doubt
on the long-term viability of traditional public
transport systems. The gap between urban
development and public transport can only
partly be bridged by traditional concepts of
line-based public transport systems. Public
transport needs to adapt to suburbanisation
and the diversity of space as well as to
declining densities and the individualisation
of society on a regional scale. The rigid
boundaries between different modes of
transport will disappear in future: car, bus,
Leipzig main station: 30,000 m2 shopping centre.
(source: ECE Projektmanagement)
taxi and train will have to become elements
in an integrated mobility system based on
new forms of infrastructure, such as
information networks and nodes.
The challenge is to fully integrate the various
modes of transport, overcoming the
stereotyped thinking of public transport
versus individual transport, both on the supply
side as well as the demand side. In essence,
this means an efficient main line network
with flexible connections to the regions,
with car-sharing or taxi-buses replacing the
traditional line-based public transport. Such
a system would be able to connect urban
edges by reacting to individual lifestyles as
well as the more equal distribution of traffic
flows over time. But as the strategies are
not coordinated – paratransit in particular
is rarely a vision for the future, but more
a substitute for periods of low demand – it
is doubtful whether in the long run public
transport will be able to connect the edges
or disappear from the edges.
Notes
1 See: www.karlsruher-modell.de
2 See: www.taxibus.org.uk
Reactions to: sander@nova-terra.net Y

NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 11
A spatial survey for Stedenbaan 2010–2020
The South Wing of the Randstad
Space and line
Western European cities are tending to spread and coalesce into lower
density urban regions. As new centralities emerge within these urban fields,
public transport systems will have to evolve from monocentric hierarchical
structures into multinodal homogeneous networks. The Stedenbaan project
in the South Wing of Randstad Holland can make a major contribution to the
emergence of such a regional public transport network and support the
spatial development of the region.
Atelier Zuidvleugel, Commissioned by the Stedenbaan Spatial Development Committee
The Zuidvleugel, literally translated as the ‘South Wing’ of the Randstad,
is being transformed from a series of separate urban regions into a
single cohesive metropolitan area with a heightened level of interaction
between functions. The regional road network and public transport
system have not kept pace with these changes and are unable to meet
the growing demand for transport. In 2004, the Bestuurlijk Platform
Zuidvleugel (South Wing Administrative Platform, a partnership of the
local and regional authorities in the area and Zuid-Holland provincial
council) decided to take a critical look at the mismatch between the
dynamics of urbanisation and transport development. The Stedenbaan
project was launched in response to these developments and combines
two strategies:
– The creation of a high-frequency public transport system on the
existing national rail network
– A regionally coordinated urban development programme based
around the stations on the rail network
This ‘dual-purpose strategy’ rests on the assumption that transportation
and spatial development influence each other. A powerful planning
instrument can be created by identifying the various links between
urban development and the infrastructure network and exposing their
development potentials. Not only will this improve overall accessibility
in the South Wing, it will also be a crucial element in formulating a
growth strategy for the region based on integrated urban and network
development. This will have an important impact on the economic
development and physical appearance of this metropolitan region,
as well as its environmental, social and cultural potential.
!"#$%#&'%()!'*!#"+$)',#!0&1.&'2#1.".&$'1
!"#$%#&'%()!'*!#"+$)',#3+$4!*.!,#1.".&$'1
55#6"7#.+"'1%$+8".&$'#13"*!#!0&1.&'2#1.".&$'1
5#6"7#.+"'1%$+8".&$'#13"*!#3+$4!*.!,#1.".&$'1#
&(.#)3#"+!"
$9&'*!#$%#-$).6:;$(("',
!,!'/""'#<+"4!*.$+=
Spatial transformations along the Stedenbaan.
The ‘Space and Line’ spatial survey is one of a series of studies
examining several aspects of the Stedenbaan project. The survey
provides an overview of present and future spatial conditions in the
station areas along the Stedenbaan line and reveals the opportunities
for their development. The study also shows the benefits of coordinating
development in the 47 station areas. Many of these areas are not
intensively used at present but most are built up, the main uses being
housing, employment and mixed-use functions. The Stedenbaan project
will include development of greenfield areas but will also certainly
involve redefining the existing urban area with a view to greatly
improving accessibility.
The survey was carried out in three stages, examining (a) what
developments are feasible in terms of quantity, (b) what
developments are most promising, and (c) what local developments
are desirable in terms of their contribution to the objectives for
the South Wing region as a whole.
feasible
As a first step, an inventory was made of the areas within the
spheres of influence of the Stedenbaan stations that will undergo
change between 2010 and 2020. This inventory was based on plans
drawn up by local and regional authorities, and hence provides a
widely accepted picture of the future development space around
the stations. Y
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 12
The study shows the
benefits of coordinating
development in the
47 station areas
The zones within a 1,200 metre radius of the Stedenbaan stations
have a combined area of 18,000 hectares, or about a quarter of the
urbanised area of the South Wing. About 20% of this area – as large
as the towns of Delft and Voorschoten together – will be subject to
development between 2010 and 2020. The local authorities have
designated many of the station areas as housing or mixed-use zones.
Employment zones are also projected, mainly in the form of business
sites rather than single-use office parks.
The initial results of this inventory indicate that the targets for new
uses set by the stakeholders can be met. If the land is developed at
the average densities already found along the Stedenbaan line, the
area around the stations will be able to accommodate more than
40,000 dwellings and 1,000,000 m2 GFA of office space. Besides
clarifying a feasible development programme, this first step provided
an overview of ongoing and projected spatial transformations along
the line, a crucial basis for the exchange of ideas in a development
project consisting of several dispersed but interconnected locations.
promising
The dual-purpose strategy is based on developing a traffic and
transport concept in combination with a spatial development strategy.
However, this integrated urban and network development is not just
a simple equation for delivering a given number of journeys and more
intensive land use. Mobility networks influence a variety of spatial
characteristics, such as the size of cities and towns, the intensity of
functions, the degree of mixed use and the decentralisation of
activities. In turn, spatial characteristics influence the development
and use of networks.
The second step of the survey consisted of an inventory of the existing
relations between the areas and networks along the Stedenbaan line.
These relations were determined using a set of indicators which
describe the positions of the stations within the network and the
characteristics of the surrounding areas that will be influenced by
the network: (a) the degree of access by public transport and (b) by
car, (c) local housing and employment densities, and (d) the degree
of mixed use. Drawing on existing knowledge about how spatial and
network development influence each other, nine potential developments
were outlined for typical situations found along the Stedenbaan.
These nine potentialities can be seen as ‘Stedenbaan typologies’.
They describe developments that are promising since they are
inspired by the impacts of the transport network on specific areas
and vice versa. The nine ‘Stedenbaan typologies’ are described briefly
on page 13.
B>7A55#6"7
@A7555#6"7
>?55#6"7
<+"'1%$+8".&$'#D$'! -36!+!#$%#C'%()!'*! E)&(.#)3#F+!"
>?55#6"7 G!'#;""2#A>55#6"7 G!(%.#?H55#6"7 I$$+1*6$.!'#@?55#6"7
Size of the spatial transformations.
The station areas often correspond closely to one particular typology.
For example, Rotterdam Central closely matches the ‘city centre’
typology, while Schiedam Kethel is more like the ‘rural’ typology.
However, station areas can have a combination of indicators that
correspond to two or more different potentialities. The results of this
analysis show the existing potentialities of the stations on the strength
of their position in the network and their spatial characteristics.
They also show what characteristics of the network or the station area
must be changed in order to encourage a particular development.
desirable
The integrated planning of urban development and network
development can make use of the interactions between them not only
to ensure better access within the South Wing, but also to make a broad
impact on the economic development, the social and cultural potential
and the physical appearance of this metropolitan area. For instance,
urban sprawl and fragmentation of the landscape are caused partly
by the growth of high-speed traffic. The low density this creates in
turn reduces the support base for services and so generates even more
traffic. Higher densities will make public transport viable and good
multimodal access is an important characteristic and prerequisite for
attractive and sustainable mixed-use areas.
The coalition of public parties involved in Stedenbaan – over twenty
local authorities, five regional alliances, one provincial council and
central government – have set a broad range of goals for the future
development of the area. Furthermore, commercial and semi-public
organisations are also becoming interested in a supraregional
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 13

stedenbaan typologies Cities of the Future: easily accessible and Randstad Hubs: not intensively used areas,
Rural Areas: spaces in the middle of the dense housing areas; can gradually expand but highly accessible by road and local public
landscape for low density housing into mixed-use developments with their transport; excellent places for experimental
development and recreational use. own identity. new employment and mixed-use areas.
Small Towns: new housing sites close to Business Sites: extensively used areas along Creative Cities: urban centres accessible by
the small towns that can expand into the motorway to be turned into intensively every mode of transport, well suited to new
autonomous, compact, lively, multifaceted used employment zones. urban-type dwellings and creative
communities set in the countryside. Supraregional Crossroads: areas linked to workplaces.
Outskirts of Cities: restructuring areas on one of the major motorway intersections in City Centres: key sites, well served by every
the quiet, spacious and green edges of the the South Wing; highly suitable for mode of public transport but less accessible
cities; these qualities are consolidated, developing services with a supraregional by car; will have to be better designed for
enhanced and used. function. users of public transport.

approach to local development owing to the fact that a variety The developments which are promising because they are supported
of environments responds better to a variety of market demands. by the existing networks and areas (the potentialities) contribute to
Unsurprisingly, there are conflicts between some of the objectives higher-level goals in varying degrees. The three scenarios have been
of the various stakeholders in the region and between the different drawn up to reflect different aims. In each scenario the potentialities
administrative levels (local, regional, provincial and national). are assigned to the stations differently because they contribute to
Following the inventory of development sites in the Stedenbaan the relevant aim to a greater or lesser degree. The scenarios are
station areas and the review of the potentialities, the last stage outlined hereafter.
of the ‘Space and Line’ study explored possible aspirations for the
Stedenbaan project. Three scenarios were used to assess how these The Densification scenario
potentialities can be exploited to achieve the goals at the supraregional This scenario is in line with the National Spatial Strategy, which
level. The Stedenbaan scenarios show how local choices can support states that from a traffic/transport perspective it is important to
objectives at a higher scale, and therefore also show how the make maximum use of the potential for densification within the
ambitions of the Stedenbaan project can steer decision-making sphere of influence of transport hubs in order to create attractive
at the local level. cities and towns. Y

. IEUWER K ER K A A N DEN ) * S S EL
, EIDEN . OOR D  -ER ENWIJK

2 OTTER DA M 6EIL INGTER R EIN

2 OTTER DA M , OM BA R DIJEN
$EN ( A A G , A A N VA N . /)

$OR DR EC HT !M S TEL WIJC K

$OR DR EC HT . IEUW :UID
$EN ( A A G -A R IA HOEVE
, EIDS C HENDA M . OOR D

$EN ( A A G " INC K HOR S T

2 OTTER DA M !L EXA NDER

2 OTTER DA M # ENTR A A L

$OR DR EC HT , EER PA R K

# A PEL L E 3 C HOL L EVA A R

$EN ( A A G -OER WIJK

3 C HIEDA M # ENTR UM

$ E N ( A A G # E N TR A A L
2 OTTER DA M 3 TA DION

'OUDA 'OVER WEL L E

2 OTTER DA M . OOR D
:OETER M EER /OS T
3 C HIEDA M + ETHEL

2 OTTER DA M " L A A K

2 OTTER DA M :UID
, EIDEN DE -OR S

$OR DR EC HT :UID
$E N ( A A G ( 3

'OUWEK NOOP
" A R ENDR EC HT
6OOR S C HOTEN
3 A S S E NHE I M

:WIJNDR EC HT

:OETER M EER
$OR DR EC HT
$ E L F T :U I D

9PENBUR G
6OOR BUR G
T ( A A N TJ E
6OOR HOUT
( IL L EGOM

3 PA NGEN
2 IJS WIJK
$E 6INK
, EIDEN

'OUDA
" L E IZ O
$E L F T

2URAL !REAS 3MALL 4OWNS /UTSKIRTS OF #ITIES OF THE "USINESS 3ITES 3UPRAREGIONAL 2ANDSTAD #REATIEVE $OWNTOWN
#ITIES &UTURE CROSSROADS (UBS 3TAD

Nine potential developments for Stedenbaan.

NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 14

De Vink
am Centrum

Sp
@75> ;&((!2$8 >75> J!&,!'#,!#I&'O H75> G!'#;""2#M$!+N&4O H7@@ -*6&!,"8#W!'.+)8

Spangen
@75B I$$+6$). >75P I$$+1*6$.!' H75H S&41N&4O H7@? -3"'2!'

Rotterdam Centraal
Leiden Noord / Merenwijk
@75A J!&,!'#K$$+,#L#M!+!'N&4O >75B J!&,1*6!',"8#K$$+, H75P T.#;""'.4! P75@ S$..!+,"8#W!'.+""(

Rotterdam Blaak

?75H -"11!'6!&8 >75Q G!'#;""2#M"+&"6$!9! H75Q G!(%. P75? S$..!+,"8#E(""O

Delft Zui
Rotterdam Z

Leiden Cent

>75@ J!&,!' >75A G!'#;""2#J""'#9"'#KRC H75U G!(%.#D)&, P75> S$..!+,"8#D)&,

Spaland Rotterdam S

Leiden de Mo

>75? J!&,!'#,!#M$+1 H75@ G!'#;""2#;- H7@5 -*6&!,"8#V!.6!( P75P S$..!+,"8#-.",&$'

Plans for the 47 station areas involved in Stedenbaan.

The South Wing Network scenario
In this scenario the metropolis is not defined as a single urban
planning concept, but as a coherent programmatic whole. The
scenario offers maximum diversity of services and locations within
given temporal and spatial constraints. The quality of the location is
based on accessibility and on the sites designated for housing,
recreation and employment. The main goal within this scenario is
the formation of networks.
The Sustainability scenario
The aim of this scenario is sustainable development. Great value is
placed on the potentialities for densification in existing urban areas,
for mixed-use, and hence more sustainable, development, and
which preserve the typical landscape. These potentialities support
densification only where it will generate passengers for public
transport and not in places where it is also likely to generate a good
deal of vehicular traffic.
The outcomes of the modelled scenarios show that in all scenarios
the quantitative goals for new housing and employment uses are
met. In the Densification scenario the amount of new housing in
dense urban environments goes far beyond the projected market
demand. This scenario also demonstrates that when densification
is the prime goal it leads to the development of a one-sided offer
of working environments. The South Wing Network scenario delivers
a lower volume of development in terms of square metres of floor
space, but a broad variety of both housing and employment
environments. It also makes the biggest contribution towards the
development of an emerging regional transport network. However,
the high proportion of development with supraregional functions will
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 15

Rotterdam Lombardijen Nieuwerkerk aan den Ijssel

P75B S$..!+,"8#J$8/"+,&4!' P7@H G$+,+!*6.#K&!)N#D)&, B75Q D$!.!+8!!+ Q75B K&!)N!+O!+O#""'#,!'#C[11!(

Barendrecht

Capelle Schollevaar
P75Q E"+!',+!*6. P7@P G$+,+!*6.#F81.!(N&4*O B75A D$!.!+8!!+#R$1. Q75Q W"3!((!#-*6$((!9""+
Rotterdam Alexander
Den Haag Centraal

Spoor

Capell

P75U DN&4',+!*6. B75@ G!'#;""2#W!'.+""( B75U E(!&Y$ Q75A S$..!+,"8#F(!0"',!+

Veilingterrein

P7@@ G$+,+!*6. B75> G!'#;""2#E&'*O6$+1. Q75@ Z$),"#Z$9!+N!((! Q7@5 S$..!+,"8#I!&(&'2.!++!&'

Rotterdam Noord
P7@? G$+,+!*6.#J!!+3"+O B75H I$$+/)+2 Q75? Z$)," Q7@@ S$..!+,"8#K$$+,

P7@> G$+,+!*6.#D)&, B75B X3!'/)+2 Q75H Z$)N!O'$$3

generate additional traffic. The positive effects of the Sustainability
scenario can be seen in the outcomes for the environment and the
preservation of open landscape. As expected, this scenario generates
the least amount of car traffic.
from potentials to concrete ambitions
Emerging metropolitan regions require not only new forms of
transport but also new methods of spatial planning. Because
interaction within the region transcends traditional planning
boundaries it raises a number of questions, such as: Which
developments should be planned and managed at the regional level?
How much coordination between all parties involved (public
authorities and market players alike) is necessary? Which quality
standards should be set and enforced at higher levels? And how can
all this be organised and managed? Currently, in the Dutch planning
culture and development control powers are devolved to regional and
particularly local authorities. Apart from a few major infrastructure
and urban projects of national importance, most urban and
infrastructure developments that exceed the boundaries of a single
local authority have to be initiated, developed, coordinated or managed
by regional authorities or coalitions of local authorities (either
statutory or informal arrangements; the South Wing Administrative
Platform is an example), and often in partnership with developers
and other stakeholders. Such initiatives often have to be developed
through a complex process of agenda-setting and negotiation.
The ‘Space and Line’ survey by the South Wing Studio contributes to
the ongoing development of the Stedenbaan project and the South
Wing as a whole. The first and foremost task of the survey was to put
the Stedenbaan project onto the regional planning agenda. The idea Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 16
2URALß!REAS
3MALLß4OWNS
/UTSKIRTSßOFß#ITIES
#ITIESßOFßTHEß&UTURE
"USINESSß3ITES
2ANDSTADß(UBS
is that synergy and commitment can be stimulated by giving all the #REATIVEß#ITIES
#ITYß#ENTRES
parties, both public and private, access to the same information and 3UPRAREGIONALß#ROSSROADSß
basic understanding. The parties involved do not always have to make
hard-and-fast undertakings, but can work in a situation in which
plans and development programmes are continually coordinated,
refined and realigned. The stakeholders will work in a network
structure whose components are flexible and can respond to new
developments. A sound, flexible process will be vital for a project that
encompasses the metropolitan area of South Holland, involves a wide
variety of actors and will take half a generation to complete.

Secondly the study assesses the merits of the project not only for
the 47 individual station locations but for the entire South Wing.
It aims to provide a broad understanding of what can be achieved The Densification
at the regional level by a large-scale project such as Stedenbaan: scenario.

the satisfaction of market and transport demands within the region, 2URALß!REAS
3MALLß4OWNS
the creation of a variety of complementary living and working /UTSKIRTSßOFß#ITIES
#ITIESßOFßTHEß&UTURE
environments that offer a wide choice and flexibility to meet "USINESSß3ITES
2ANDSTADß(UBS
changes in market demands, and development that is environmentally #REATIVEß#ITIES
and socially sustainable. These qualities are based on the existing #ITYß#ENTRES
3UPRAREGIONALß#ROSSROADSß
potentialities found along the Stedenbaan line.

The present agreements between the leading partners in the

Stedenbaan project draw on the dual-purpose strategy only for
the purpose achieving their most direct goals: to generate more
travellers and accommodate major housing and employment
developments. But integrated urban and network development can
also be a strong catalyst for developing and enhancing the qualities
of a metropolitan region. The purpose of the ‘Space and Line’ survey
was to explore and describe more ambitious aspirations for the
Stedenbaan project. The results demonstrate that a much wider
range of objectives can be met.
The South Wing
Network scenario.
about atelier zuidvleugel 2URALß!REAS
3MALLß4OWNS
Zuid-Holland provincial council established the Atelier Zuidvleugel /UTSKIRTSßOFß#ITIES
#ITIESßOFßTHEß&UTURE
(South Wing Studio) in May 2005. The studio is supported by the "USINESSß3ITES
municipalities of Rotterdam and The Hague, the Bestuurlijk Platform 2ANDSTADß(UBS
#REATIVEß#ITIES
Zuidvleugel (the South Wing Administrative Platform), the Ministry #ITYß#ENTRES
3UPRAREGIONALß#ROSSROADSß
of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) and the
Habiforum and Transumo research programmes, who are now
co-owners of the project. The studio was set up to study the evolution
of the network city in the Randstad, the conurbation in the west of
the Netherlands. It focuses on the effects of the increasingly complex
and widespread social and economic interactions on the spatial
development of the South Wing, the southern part of the Randstad.

Reactions to: zuidvleugel@nova-terra.net Y

The Sustainability
scenario.
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 17

One of the biggest challenges facing the European Union

is to provide its citizens with a sustainable and competitive
alternative to road and air traffic. Gösta Weber, project
coordinator for HST4i, explains how two European investment
projects – HST4i and HSTconnect – will increase the value of
the High Speed Train (HST) network across North West Europe.

High speed investments

The HST Partnership.

Detlef Golletz, Egon Walesch, Gösta Weber
and Celine Chambron South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA), Guildford, UK
At its outset, the international High Speed
Train (HST) Network in Europe was conceived
to connect the major European capitals like
London and Paris. Since then the network has
grown so that today the HST network in North
West Europe gives not only major European
cities like Brussels, Frankfurt and Amsterdam
the opportunity to profit from this sustainable
form of public transport, but also other
European regions along the HST network.
The regions in close proximity to the HST
network see it as an opportunity to link their
regional economies to global hubs like London
and Paris and also to jointly achieve critical
economic mass. For example, the advanced
HST infrastructure of regional HST hubs like
Lille make them attractive to surrounding
regions, such as the Belgian border region
of Leiedal. These regions are starting to form
economic clusters with the HST network as
initial attractor. In return, strong and attractive
HST hubs pave the way for better services
and further enlargement of the HST network.
The HST projects facilitate this process on
different levels. First of all by co-funding
regional investments that improve the
accessibility of the HST network; secondly,
by bringing decision makers from different
regions and different countries together to
discuss and develop common economic and
spatial strategies; and last but by no means
least, by raising awareness on a European and
national level for the needs and aspirations
of the HST regions and the potential of the
HST infrastructure.
Since their inception in 2002/3, the HST4i
and HSTconnect projects have become more
relevant than ever. The steep rise in energy
prices, especially crude oil, together with
conflict and political instability in some of
the major oil producing regions, have brought
the potential risks of Europe’s heavy reliance
on oil and natural gas into sharper focus.
The connected geopolitical dangers, as
well as the direct and indirect costs of this
dependency, are enormous.
The transport sector is already one of the
biggest consumers of petrol and consumption
is set to grow in future, according to most
forecasts. Rail, however, is one of the most
energy-efficient transport modes. It is still
growing as a market (though slower than
other transport modes) and has the potential
to significantly increase its passenger and Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 18
freight mileage year after year. The HST
Partnership was established to invest in
creating a higher value European HST
network to satisfy the transport needs of
European citizens in the most efficient,
reliable and sustainable way as possible.
partnerships
The HST projects are being driven by
international partnerships consisting of
25 investment and strategic partners from
the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany,
France and the Netherlands. With the
assistance of its European partners, the
South East England Development Agency
(SEEDA) – the lead partner – was able to
secure European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF) co-funding for an investment
package of € 48 million for the two projects
(HST4i: € 29 M, HSTconnect: € 19 M).
The projects allowed the partners to secure
substantial, otherwise unavailable, funding
for their regional transport infrastructure.
In many cases, ERDF funding facilitated further
funding opportunities. On a political level, the
partners use the projects to raise awareness
of their regional infrastructure needs. The
partners of the HST projects by country are:
Belgium Investment Partners (Cities and
municipalities)
Leiedal Intercommunale, Liege
Strategic Partners (Regions)
Region of West-Flanders
Germany Investment Partners
(Cities and municipalities) Aachen
France Investment Partners
(Cities and municipalities) Lille-Armentieres
Strategic Partners (Regions)
Conseil Nord / Pas de Calais
The Netherlands Investment Partners
(Cities and Municipalities) The Hague, Heerlen
Strategic Partners (Regions) Parkstad Limburg
United Kingdom Investment Partners
(Cities and municipalities) Ashford, Cross River
Partnership, Dover, Ebbsfleet, Hastings,
Reading, Stratford
Strategic Partners South East England
Regional Assembly (SEERA), Government Office
for the South East (GOSE), Transport for London
(TfL), Government Office for London (GOL),
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) –
Thames Gateway Strategic Executive, Greater
London Authority (GLA)
south east england – transport bottleneck
The South East England Development
Agency (SEEDA) is one of nine regional
development agencies in the UK. SEEDA
is responsible for the social and economic
development of South East England. Together
with London, the region is the powerhouse
of the UK economy. South East England’s
share of the UK’s annual Gross Domestic
Product is 15.7%, London’s is 16.4%.
SEEDA’s infrastructure projects.
Due to its geographical position, South East
England has strong links to its European
neighbours France, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Germany. Additionally, the South East is
the gateway to continental Europe for all
other UK regions, thus its infrastructure has
trans-regional importance.
Along with London, South East England is one
of Europe’s biggest transport bottlenecks.
The Channel Tunnel Rail Link is probably the
best known infrastructure project tackling
this problem. But the region is not only a
bottleneck in terms of passenger transport.
Ports, roads, airports and freight corridors
all have restricted capacities, impacting
negatively on other UK and neighbouring
European regions. For example, the low
capacity of South East England’s ports
causes congestion and storage problems
at French harbours.
SEEDA Chairman, James E Brathwaite CBE,
describes in his introduction to the new
Regional Economic Strategy (RES) 2006–2016
how critical better infrastructure is for the
future of the region: ’Scenarios for the future
demonstrate the extent of the challenge.
Without transforming both business
innovation and the infrastructure of this
region to meet 21st Century expectations
we may face a tipping point in the most
prosperous parts. Congestion, skills shortages
and reducing quality of life could turn our
competitive advantages into blocks to future
prosperity.’
The main infrastructure aims of the RES
are very similar to other European regions.
Improving the accessibility of major transport
hubs like Gatwick airport or Southampton
port are aims that can be found in regions
all over Europe. It is interesting, however,
that beside Milton Keynes, the major growth
areas of the region are along the only UK
HST line, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL)
into London.
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 19
There are two reasons for this. Unlike other
European regions today, the South East already
faces capacity restrictions on all modes of
transport, whether rail, road or air. This is
something that the whole of Europe does not
face yet, but will have to in the coming years.
Development opportunities in the region are
already restricted and this is why SEEDA will
focus on capacity management mechanisms
like distance-based road charging. The CTRL, on
the other hand, is one of the few new transport
infrastructures in the region which offers new
transport capacity not only in the form of
international HST trains but, more important
to the immediate future, in the form of
domestic High Speed Train shuttles. This
allows the UK government to promote much
needed urban development next to the HST
stations in Stratford, Ebbsfleet and Ashford.
The ports in South East England exemplify
how increasingly interdependent European
regional economies are. Not only are
Portsmouth, Southampton and Dover global
access points for the whole UK, but their
Strong and attractive
HST hubs pave the way
for better services
restricted hinterland transport capacity
already limits the operation of French and
Belgian ports.
eu policy
The HST projects implement the aims of
the Lisbon and Gothenburg Agenda, the 3rd
Cohesion Report and the revised Transport
White Paper 2001. They focus particularly
on linking insufficiently connected systems:
spatial planning, economic planning, the HST
network and regional transport are seen as
one entity. The assumption is that by better
integration of existing systems, relatively
low financial expenditure and better usage
of existing infrastructure, a high socio-
economic added value can be realised.
The projects concentrate on the weakest
points of the European travel chain e.g.
cross-border rail services, transfer between
travel modes, the interdependence of the
public realm, station developments and
local businesses, industrial estates and
public transport, suburban settlements
and sustainable transport modes, real-time
and continuous travel information,
integrated ticketing, etc. The attractiveness
and accessibility of the existing European
HST network is improved by investing in
the linkage to existing regional mobility
systems, trans-border rail services, and the
regeneration of stations and high density
station developments.
achievements
Regional mobility and economic cycles
are still constricted by national borders, as
structures, laws, regulations, responsibilities
and stakeholders change abruptly at these
European borders, but this situation does
not reflect the way of life and the mobility
needs of European citizens. SEEDA, through
the HST partnership, brings these different
groups together via international workshops
like the HST Station Development Workshop
in Utrecht, October 2005, to facilitate focused
exchange of knowledge and experience. On
the ground, the HST partnership implements
trans-border investments, thus overcoming Y
Stratford – Main Urban Integration Route.
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 20
and ameliorating existing obstacles. Collected
experiences are regularly fed back to the whole
HST partnership in quarterly project meetings
and are reflected in the three HST Studies.
From the collective HST experience and
lessons learned, success factors applicable
to all elements of a sustainable European
travel chain are emerging, as follows:
Character
What is special about this place?
How is this reflected in my surroundings?
Continuity and Enclosure
Do I feel safe? Can I read the borders of
the space I am in? Do I have the feeling
of arrival? Do the borders of the space
lead me on my way?
Conviviality
Do I feel welcome? Is the service attractive?
Ease of movement
Is it easy to change places?
Can I find and choose my way from A to B?
Legibility
Do I always know where I am and where
my destination is?
Accessibility
Are there perceived or real barriers keeping
me from using services and the public realm?
Kortrijk Station: HSTconnect investment.
Partner studies and know-how of the 25 HST
project partners from five EU countries have
been collected, evaluated and underpinned
by three scientific papers: the HST Spatial
Planning & Transport Policy Study, the HST
Impact Study and the HST Connectivity Study.
These are important in order to formulate
common problems and perspectives. The
essence of these is used by the partnership
Until now planning has been
strongly limited by borders of
communities, provinces and
countries
to show EU politicians and programme
representatives how their political objectives
are carried out, e.g. at the HST Mid-Term
Event on the 8th November 2006 in Brussels.
The aim is a feedback loop between policy
and delivery.
london olympics 2012
Stratford is a very good example of the
development potential the HST hubs offer.
Furthermore, is it an example for the urban
integration work of HST4i. Stratford, in East
London, is an urban centre with a resident
population of 200,000. Its location between
Central London, Essex and East Anglia has
led to it becoming a strategic transport
interchange. It will also be the principal site
for the Olympic village for the 2012 London
Olympic Games. It lies within the Thames
Gateway Objective 2 economic area, one of
the priority growth areas designated by the
UK government for future development.
Immediately north of Stratford rail station lie
79 hectares of developable brownfield land.
Work is currently underway on this site to
construct an international station as part of
the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL). The station
will serve both international and domestic
passengers and is due to open in 2007.
The Stratford City development partners
and London and Continental Railways (LCR)
have been given planning consent for a
major mixed-use development. This will
consist of 175,000 million m 2 of retail and
leisure development, 4,800 residential units,
450,000 m2 of office space and up to 2,000
hotel bedrooms. Over 30,000 new jobs are
planned.
Both stations will serve the Olympic Park.
High quality transport access to the Olympic
sites in Stratford and surrounding areas
formed a pivotal part of London’s successful
bid for the Olympic Games and Paralympic
Games in 2012. The development of Stratford’s
stations is a crucial element of the 2012
Games transport strategy, and the Olympics
Organisation Committee is aiming for an
80% public transport share for the games.
There will be no on-site parking at the
Olympic Park site. For the duration of the
games themselves no international trains
will stop at Stratford International – instead
High Speed shuttles will arrive every three
minutes from King’s Cross / St. Pancras.
At Ebbsfleet international travellers will be
able to change onto the Olympic shuttle, and
5,000 park and ride spaces will be provided.
With co-funding from Interreg IIIB, the London
Borough of Newham will invest in a key
integration route, one which will link Stratford
rail lands, Stratford international and regional
stations with the existing Stratford town
centre. The London Borough of Newham will
focus the ERDF resources on the public realm
in and around Meridian Square, which is right
at the centre of this key urban integration
route. The square is the forecourt to Stratford
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 21
Intercommunale Leiedal.
regional station and a gateway to the Stratford
rail land development on the one side and
Stratford city centre on the other.
Meridian Square will also be heavily impacted
by the development link that will bridge
the Great Eastern main line. This rail barrier
currently divides Stratford rail lands, with
the international station to the north and
Stratford town centre, the regional station
and the bus station to the south.
crossing borders
Besides urban investments like Stratford,
the HST partnership also invests in regional
HST feedering services, for example from the
Belgian Leiedal region into Lille, France. Lille
is another major European urban centre, with
a population of 200,000. The conurbation,
which includes the cities Roubaix, Tourcoing
and the satellite town Villeneuve-d’Ascq, has
1.1 million (1999) inhabitants, making it the
fourth biggest French metropolitan area and
the regional centre of Nord / Pas de Calais.
Euralille station gives the region direct access
to the European HST network. Lille regional
station is situated near to Euralille. Together,
the two stations represent a transport hub
of pan-European significance.
On the fringe of the Lille conurbation, on the
Belgian side of the border, lies the province
of West-Vlaanderen. The HST project partner
is the Intercommunale Leiedal, which is
responsible for the social and economical
development of twelve local municipalities
with 280,000 inhabitants. For several years the
Intercommunale Leiedal has focused on better
connections to Lille, which is the regional centre
as well as the nearest access point to the
European high speed train network. Jointly,
HST4i and HSTconnect are investing €6 million
(and an ERDF share of €3 million) into the
upgrading of the stations at Wevelgem,
Harelbeke, Menen, Kortrijk and Waregem,
serving this cross-border service. Furthermore,
HST funds two background studies on inner-
regional integration and on economic impact.
Interim results show an increase in passenger
numbers on the Kortrijk-Lille line due to the
improved stations and stations environments.
Developing the train transport system as a
spine in the urban network, linked to a major
transport node across the border (Lille), is an
innovative approach to planning. Until now
planning has been strongly limited by borders
of communities, provinces and countries.
There is no tradition in planning for ‘borderless’
urban networks.
future
The results of the HST Studies and the
lessons learned by our investment partners
lay the foundation for devising new projects
for the EU funding period 2007–2013. We are
convinced that the problems the HST projects
are tackling will remain of paramount
importance for the EU. The Stern report
published in the UK on 30 October 2006 for
the first time puts a staggering price tag on
the impacts of climate change. European
expansion and further cohesion of the single
European market is creating more traffic –
traffic connected to the necessary economic
growth of the European community. How to
realise growth with minimised traffic needs
and minimised environmental impact will
stay at the heart of the HST partnership. The
partnership has requested that SEEDA advance
the partnership by developing new projects.
This development process will include
expansion and a new focus of the partnership.
The spatial expansion of the partnership will
include further work on cross-border train
services. Eindhoven as HSTconnect partner,
for example, has a strong interest in better
rail links to Germany. This could include a
direct link to the HST hub Aachen and further
on to Köln/Bonn airport. The Parkstad-Limburg
region, in cooperation with the cross-border
business park Avantis and German partners,
wants to link the business park to the German
and Dutch rail network. This would be a good
example of how economic development can
be achieved without additional traffic impact.
There is further need to increase the
attractiveness of train travel and to align
major infrastructure investments like HST
with urban development. In the new Interreg
funding period, the City of Aachen wants to
expand its HST project involvement. HST4i has
already contributed €1.9 million to Aachen’s
station forecourt. Aachen now wants to create
a new entrance opening the station to the
neglected southern part of the city, creating
better urban through connections and
development opportunities along the southern
side of the railway lines. This is a good example
of how economic opportunities can be opened
up without the need for more mechanised
traffic and at the same time upgrading the
urban realm.
Project websites
www.hst4i.net
www.hstconnect.net
Reactions to: weber@nova-terra.net Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 22

Tramways in France –
born again for urbanism

Trams are making a comeback in French towns to combat the stranglehold of the car and the
pollution it causes. Tramways are enjoying increasing recognition not only in France, but also
throughout Europe and the world because of their environmental benefits and their potential
for providing a backbone for urbanism.

Sophie Labbouz, City of Paris Engineering School (EIVP) A tramway in Paris, quai du
Louvre, 1916.
Youssef Diab, University of Marne-la-Vallée (UMLV), France
Photos: Sophie Labbouz (unless indicated otherwise)

The first tramway in France was built in the Loire department in 1837
and was 15 km long. In 1853, a line called ‘the American railway’ was
built for the universal exhibition in Paris. Trams were subsequently
introduced into many French and European cities because they were
faster and more comfortable than the omnibus. Trams really took off
once animal traction was replaced by electrical traction in the 1880s
and running costs decreased. The numbers of lines and passengers
multiplied rapidly: trams became the main form of urban transport,
with 71 lines in Marseille, 38 in Bordeaux, 26 in Toulouse and 286 km
of railway scattered in the city of Lyon and its suburbs.
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 23

From the 1950s, buses became a serious rival for the tramways
because of improved engine technology and the fact that they do not
require an expensive infrastructure. The public authorities decided to
invest in road infrastructure for cars and buses, which were viewed as
a sign of progress. The tramway networks were neither maintained
nor modernised and became discredited in the public’s eye. Tram
vehicles seemed old, noisy and uncomfortable and people preferred
to take the bus. The tramways were dismantled in most French cities
during the 1950, leaving just three networks operating, in Saint-
Etienne, Marseille and Lille.

Following the 1973 oil crisis and in the face of growing urban
congestion, mobility policies changed and public transport lines were
extended. A new tramway was tested in the city of Nantes, but
although the project was brought to a successful conclusion, Tramway in Strasbourg.

considerable modification was required to win over sceptical local

inhabitants and satisfy changed political requirements. The new
modern tramway came into service in 1985 and runs in special lanes
segregated from car traffic. Grenoble, Strasbourg, Lyon, Rouen,
Montpellier and Saint-Etienne have subsequently followed the
example set by Nantes.

The tramway is a good

compromise between
the metro and the bus
advantages
The tramway is a good compromise between the metro and the
bus: it is cheaper than the former and has a higher capacity than the
latter. From the transport point of view, tramways are ideally suited Nancy.

to medium-sized towns, for which a metro system is too expensive

but which have need of good public transport services.
Trams are much more efficient than buses for several reasons. The
first is the speed and, above all, the regularity of services. Thanks to
the segregated lanes and the priority given to public transport at
traffic lights, trams are largely unaffected by the hazards of the urban
environment. Secondly, the construction of new tram lines is linked
to restricted parking and car access to the town centre. Car parks are
built near tram stops in the suburbs to encourage motorists to take
public transport rather than drive into town.
Because trams are powered by electricity they are much more
environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel vehicles. With air
pollution in the cities a real problem and as sustainable development
becomes increasingly important, this is another factor in favour of
trams. Thanks to the electric traction and the rails, trams are very
quiet, which is a much appreciated bonus because city dwellers find
noise pollution to be one of the hardest forms of pollution to endure.
One of the most important advantages of tramways is the functional
link they make between transport and urbanism. The introduction of
tramways into the urban fabric presents an opportunity for the local
authority to reconsider the layout of public spaces and the urban
landscape in general. Urban spaces can be designed to give priority to
pedestrians, cyclists and public transport, with wide pavements and
pedestrian precincts, especially in the town centre where it is
pleasant to walk. The urban landscape associated with the tramway
can thus be used to increase the value of the areas through which
they run: paving materials can be changed, trees planted and grass is
often laid on the tramway. The image of the town is often governed
by the success of the tramway project and so all the detailing is
designed with a view to making life more pleasant for the residents. Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 24
For example, the street furniture, tramway and stops are usually
designed by famous architects and are specific to the city.
Tramways influence the development of the urban structure and the
urban fabric. By providing rapid links from the suburbs to the town
centre, tramways can open up disadvantaged districts for
development. Shops along the route benefit and real estate values
and rental values increase as well. It is hard to measure the real
impact of the tramway because of the time taken for the
construction and the influence of other developments on these data.
The city is really transformed when once the tram arrives.
bordeaux
The developments in Bordeaux are a good example of the
situation throughout France. In 1946 the tram network consisted of
38 lines and more than 200 km of tracks, but by 1958 all the lines were
closed. After a long deliberation on whether to build a metro or a
Montpellier. (photo: Raymond Linssen, The Hague, the Netherlands)
tramway network, the city council chose the second option and on
21 December 2003 the tram was operational again in the city.
The modern network has three lines: line A carries 55,000 passengers
each day, line B carries 60,000 per day and line C 20,000 per day.
On average, the tram services account for 53% of Bordeaux’s public
transport network frequentation.
The philosophy underlying the network is to increase the value of all
the areas served by building new pavements, roads and urban spaces.
Besides the technical requirements, aesthetic quality was the major
consideration in the choice of urban furniture and materials.
Elisabeth de Portzamparc’s design is highly specific to the Bordeaux
tramway. Castings, paving stones and granite kerbs were blended
with grass and green elements throughout the layout. The urban
furniture (stations, public seats, bins, etc.) has been created using a
mix of cast iron, glass and wood and is in perfect harmony with the
urban heritage.
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 25
Two improvements deserve a special mention. The first is the
renovation of all the facades along the quays at Garonne. During the
construction of the tramway the city council made the owners of the
buildings the façades, restoring their white colour and giving back
the quays their old charm. The second is a technical innovation.
To respect the urban heritage and the old buildings near the line, the
architects were asked to find a way to build the tramway without
catenaries. In response, Alstom created the APS system (alimentation
par le sol: ground power supply) in which the trams receive their
power from a third rail embedded in the tracks. No overhead cables
and masts are needed, thus limiting the visual impact of the
tramway.
the t4 tram-train
Between urban centres the tram can also operate like a train
service. The first such example is the T4, which runs in the suburbs of
Paris between Aulnay and Bondy and was opened on 16 November
Valenciennes. (photo: Raymond Linssen, The Hague, the Netherlands)
Between urban centres
the tram can also operate
like a train service
2006. The original railway line, called Coquetiers’s Line, was opened
in 1875 and follows the route of an old walk in the forest of Bondy.
It was closed to all traffic at the end of 2003 to allow construction
of the tram-train line, which is better integrated into the urban
landscape. The link between Aulnay and Bondy will serve nine
intermediate train stations on an 8 km route. The travel time is
19 minutes from end to end, or a commercial speed of 25 km/h.
During the rush hours the trains run at intervals of 4 minutes.
The line is expected to carry 44,000 passengers per day, or 12.4 billion
per year. Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 26
The conventional railway line between Aulnay and Bondy has been
transformed into a tram line with a reduced impact on the urban
landscape in collaboration with the councils of the department and
communes involved. Changing the old level crossings into crossroads
improves safety and the relieves constraints on traffic flows, while
the layout and design benefit pedestrians and bicycles. Where when
the tram-train is the only vehicle to use its lane, the surfacing
material used is ballast. In the same way, all the railway furniture
along the line is the same as that used by the SNCF. 1 This new light
rail service is therefore a compromise between a tram and train.
the t3 and beyond
After a break of 65 years, trams returned to the city of Paris on
16 December 2006. The line runs in the south of Paris from Pont de
Garigliano to Porte d’Ivry, enabling passengers to interchange with
five metro lines, two RER (express regional network) lines, 18 bus lines
in Paris and 19 bus lines in the suburbs.
Being a circle line the T3 service is a major step towards a
comprehensive public transport network in Paris. One of the major
issues facing the Paris region is to link up the various parts of the
public transport network and facilitate journeys between different
points in the suburbs. At the moment the entire public transport
network is oriented to the city centre. This new line makes it easier
to travel from east to west and is the first circular tram line in Paris.
A connection is planned with the T2 tram line in the west of Paris.
The ultimate, long-term goal is to create a continuous tram lime
encircling the centre of Paris.
Map of Bordeaux’s public transport network.
The development of tramways is continuing in France. Marseille,
Angers and Le Mans are the furthest ahead with plans to build their
first tram lines. Most towns and cities which already have tram
services are looking into possibilities to extend their networks.
Nevertheless, the development of new tram projects may drop off in
future because the French State has decided to stop financing local
public transport initiatives, which means that these towns would
probably choose to develop less expensive transport systems.
Busway systems, such as the fourth major line in Nantes, are likely to
attract increasing attention because they combine the advantages of
tramways for upgrading of the urban fabric with the cheap cost of a
segregated bus lane.
References
RATP Département du Patrimoine, Les cahiers de la mémoire n°6, Le tramway,
de ‘l’américain’ au métro léger (12 p), 2001.
RATP Département Développement et Action Territoriale, Insertion urbaine de tramways
en France, Collection Insertion Urbaine (113 p), 2005.
Websites
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramway
Bordeaux tramway: www.infotbc.com
Paris tramway: www.tramway.paris.fr
Nantes tramway: www.tan.fr
T4 tram-train: http://tramateurs.free.fr/tram_paris/aulnay-bondy/aulnay_bondy.shtml
Notes
1 SNCF is the French train operator.
Reactions to: labbouz@nova-terra.net Y
The T3 tramway in Paris. (photo: Gérard Delafond)
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 27

The potential of cybercars

Towards a new mobility

concept for cities

Small autonomous electric vehicles could provide an alternative to the motor car in an emerging new
approach to mobility that tries to offer the same flexibility as the private car, but with much less nuisance
and environmental impact. Their potential has been investigated in the European CyberCars and
CyberMove projects.

Antonio Cunha and J. Varandas, Laboratory of Automatics and Systems, Pedro Nunes Institute, Portugal The use of private cars causes traffic
congestion in many urban areas.
Jorge Dias and Rui Rocha, Institute of Systems and Robotics, University of Coimbra, Portugal
(source: European Community, 2006)
Stefan van der Spek, Department of Urbanism, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Illustrations: Antonio Cunha (unless indicated otherwise)

In many urban environments the use of
private cars causes severe problems of traffic
congestion, energy consumption (dependency
on oil resources) air and noise pollution and
safety, leading to a general reduction in
quality of life and Making historic city centres
less attractive to both tourists and residents.
Moreover, the problems of many city centres
are compounded by a movement of
businesses to the periphery. Although public
transport systems have recently undergone
many improvements (mostly due to
information technologies), in many cases the
private car still offers a much better service
for the individual. As a consequence, car use is
constantly increasing. All this amounts to a
non-sustainable development of urban
transportation. Y
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 28
Small autonomous electric vehicles or
cybercars, may be a flexible solution to public
transport systems in specific areas.
They could complement mass transit and
non-motorised transportation, providing
passenger services for any location at any
time. Such systems are known as cybernetic
transportation systems (CTS).
Cyber cars could
complement
mass transit and
non-motorised
transportation
cybernetic transportation systems
Cybercars use technologies which have
the potential to contribute to a sustainable
development of cities. These vehicles have
Frog peoplemover. (source: Frog navigation systems, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
fully autonomous driving capabilities and
are specifically designed for public use in
cities to provide on-demand door-to-door
services.
The European project CyberCars1 was an
opportunity to test and exchange best
practices for the development of a new
platform for urban mobility. A major part of
the work carried out during the project was
the development of several key technologies
to improve the existing systems: better
guidance, collision avoidance, energy and
fleet management, and the development of
simple user interfaces. The work was carried
out on a cooperative basis in order to reach
a consensus on the certification techniques
for these systems, which currently suffer
from a very imprecise regulatory framework.
The CyberMove project2 attempted to
demonstrate that cybercars have enough
potential to make an essential contribution
to the sustainable development of the cities
of tomorrow. The results of the selected test
sites were published and disseminated to
support other cities in planning future
targets for increasing the physical capacity,
energy saving, reducing traffic congestion
and potential safety improvements.
In the CyberMove project a comparison was
made between new cybercar-based
transportation systems in several historic
cities. Public demonstrations were carried
out in these cities to demonstrate that
cybercars offer a cleaner and safer mode of
transport for everyone, including people who
cannot (or should not) drive, and a better
level of service than private cars (individual,
door-to-door, on-demand transportation).
The essential goal was to demonstrate that
the new mobility concept has the potential
to make an essential contribution to the
sustainable development of the cities of
tomorrow. The ultimate aim is to create an
alternative transport system that can make
city centres more attractive and sustainable.
The advantages of cybernetic transport
systems (CTS) include the reduction of
congestion, better air quality and energy
conservation, increased safety when
compared with manual driving and no need
for a driving licence. Moreover, cybernetic
cars are easily moved from one location to
another and, when not needed, they can
drive themselves autonomously to a remote
parking area. The concept and associated
technologies may be appropriate for delivery
of goods and even for refuse collection.
The flexible design of CTS makes it possible
to optimise overall system performance.
CTS technology has already reached suitable
levels of reliability, safety and user
friendliness that they can be useful to solve
some mobility problems in cities.2
Although the first Cybercar was introduced
in the 1990s, the first operational project
started at the end of 1997 at Schiphol Airport:
the Parking Hopper (Frog). Other examples of
automatic guided vehicles in the
Netherlands are the ECS container terminal
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 29
Frog Park Shuttle in Capelle, near Rotterdam. (source: Frog navigation systems, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
in the harbour of Rotterdam and the Park
Shuttle I + II in Capelle (Frog). During the
Floriade in 2002 Yamaha provided a large
number of cybercars based on an adapted
chassis of a golf car offering transport up the
hill. These cars were later donated to and
used in the CyberCar and CyberMove
research projects. This meant research could
focus on technical issues only, such as
improving guidance, navigation, collision
avoidance, energy management and the user
interface. The design of the vehicle itself was
less significant at that stage.
Yamaha’s cybercar, or Automated Guided
Vehicle (AGV), is comparable with Frog’s
Parking Hopper. Another example of this
type of People Mover or Personal Rapid
Transit (PRT) is Robosoft’s CyCab. All are small
vehicles for two to four people potentially
offering individual door-to-door
transportation and are capable of driving in a
mixed-use urban environment. Another type
is the shuttle. The Park Shuttle, for example,
uses a dedicated lane with fixed stops, but
tests (e.g. Delft, Monaco) show that
implementation and application in a mixed
urban environment is possible as well. Other
types of shuttles, like the ULTra (BSA), use a
specific infrastructure.
covilhã showcase workshop and public
cybercar demonstration
The Connected Cities conference, steering
group meeting and showcase workshops
took place in Portugal on 9, 10 and 11 October
2006 in the town of Covilhã. The Showcase
Workshop included a public demonstration
of the operation and capabilities of
cybercars. This public demonstration took
place in an area between the Municipal
Square and the S. Francisco Church
(Rua Direita), with an approximate length of
500 m. In two periods of four hours each, a
fleet of three electrical vehicles was available
for the community. These vehicles covered
the designated area at a speed of 8 km/h,
making stops at four predetermined points.
Covilhã is built on the slopes of the highest
mountain in continental Portugal. The
uptown and historic centre lies at an altitude
of 680 m, the downtown at an altitude of
550 m and the new town at an altitude of
450 m. The climate is characterised by cold
winters (about 0oC) and very hot summers
(about 40oC). The town is spread out along
the hillside and has three natural barriers:
two creeks and the difference in altitude
between the uptown and the downtown. Y
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 30

yamaha agv
Each vehicle is an electric Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV) for
transporting up to four people. It is powered by lead acid batteries
with an operation time of 52 min/h in full mode operation. It can
travel at a maximum speed of 10 km/h or more and an average speed
of 8 km/h. Its range is 30 km. The vehicle was originally designed for
transporting people on golf courses and then further adapted for use
in urban environments. It has a built-in autonomous wire guidance
system.
The vehicle has been provided with important add-ins, such as
automatic passenger detection, a human-vehicle interface and
laser-based collision avoidance. The vehicle’s navigation capabilities
consist of an innovative navigation system, which was developed in
the CyberCars project, based on the fusion of differential GPS (DGPS)
and inertial sensors. The system benefits from the complementary
characteristics of both sensor modalities. DGPS provides reliable
positioning with a bounded error, but with poor precision (a few
metres). Dead-reckoning based on inertial sensors can provide high
precision short-term relative positioning (a few centimetres) but
suffers from the accumulation of integration errors. The navigation
system uses filtering techniques (Kalman filters) to attain highly
accurate positioning from inertial sensors, their errors being
bounded by the absolute localisation provided by DGPS.
In this system, any user can access the CTS by walking towards the
nearest stop and request the transportation service through the user
interface provided at those places.
During a demonstration in Coimbra, YAMAHA interviewed users of
the vehicles. Sixty-two per cent of the valid respondents thought
AGV has prospects compared with walking, cycling and other modes
of transport, especially for distances of about two kilometres.
Based on vehicle specifications, AGVs are promising at a distance of
between one and three kilometres compared to walking and public
transport. Ten aspects were checked in the interview: comfort,
getting on and off, seating, safety, operation, speed, acceleration,
design, ecology and silence. Most aspects scored above average,
except for seating and speed (average), and silence and ecology (very
good).

The gradient of the slope between the
downtown and the uptown is about 17%, and
between the new city and the uptown about
11%. The town has a population of about
35,000. The residents of the historic centre
are mainly older people and university
students. The population of the downtown
and new town, which contain three medium
to large commercial areas, is composed
mainly of middle class families.
In terms of mobility, the historic centre of
Covilhã has very narrow streets. Many of the
streets are one-way only, or only wide
enough for one-way traffic. Most of the
residents of the historic centre do not have
a legal parking space near their homes.
The main issues are traffic congestion to
and from the old city and the loss of urban
functions in the old town centre.
covilhã cybermoving workshop
In an attempt to bridge the gap between
invention and innovation, the workshop’s
main goal was to develop guidelines for
adjusting the specification for cybercars
designed specifically for use in towns and
cities. Based on the public demonstration
and the people’s opinion and reactions
(e.g. by urban planners, politicians, traffic
planners, users) the workshop questioned
the future applications of cybercars in this
specific context. An attempt was made to
evaluate the conditions in which cybercars
could offer innovative and practical solutions
for mobility in cities. The overall objective
was to develop a new product based on the
existing cybercars.
In the process of transforming the invention
into an innovation, the following items were
debated:
– Suggest new functions for the system to
fit the people needs
– Suggest new applications for the system
– Enumerate conditions for and constraints
on the use of cybercars in cities and
private sites
– List the potential users of this mobility
technology
– Suggest what types of demonstrations
are necessary to promote the product to
potential users, and what partners should
be invited to improve the demonstration
– Suggest what types of demonstrations
are necessary to persuade the local
authorities (politicians, urban planners,
traffic planners, etc.) to adapt the concept
workshop conclusions
In general, cybercars are considered to be
more suitable in specific (designated)
environments with different target groups,
such as hospitals, university campuses,
airports, golf courses, leisure and business
parks, where the distance covered is
considered to be small. Likewise, they may
be an option for tourist use, providing a fun
experience and particularly suitable for old
towns and cities – but careful marketing
would be needed.
Several improvements are needed before
cybercars can be transformed into a public
transport mode for a large number of people.
The major difficulties concern safety
(internal and external), accessibility, comfort,
space, costs, speed, vulnerability, driving
experience, design and product value. Some
of the main ideas for improving cybercar
systems (vehicles, system management, user
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 31

interface, new applications, etc.) try to
satisfy the general criteria listed here.
Several solutions were presented, some of
them solidly practical and others wildly
impractical.
The most important improvements to the
actual cybercars that will be needed to
develop a new product are improved
industrial design, mass customisation, voice
communication, low maintenance cost,
longer battery life and higher speeds. Some
transport. Such as strategy could speed up
acceptance of cybercars by the public and
adoption of the technology.
The main advantage of AGVs is their
flexibility, ease of implementation and cost-
effectiveness. Development of these vehicles
is already influencing car design and will
influence our environment. New techniques
developed for cybercars are already available
in modern cars (cruise control, adaptive
functions and dual mode cars, e.g. fuel and
Notes
1 See: http://www.cybercars.org
2 See: http://www.cybermove.org
References
– Parent M., Cybercars, Past, Present and Future of the
Technology, INRIA – project IMARA, 2005.
– Rocha R., Dias J., Cunha A. and Varandas J., Towards
A New Mobility Concept For Cities: Architecture &
Programming Of Semi-Autonomous Electric Vehicles.
Proceedings of 12 thIASTED International Conference,
Robotics and Applications, 2006.
– Valejo A., Meisner T., Dias J. and Nunes U., Cybernetic
Transport Systems in Coimbra: evaluation and
demonstration for CyberMove project, Proceedings of
2004 European Ele-Drive Transportation, 2004.

extra options should be added, such as electricity) and lorries (e.g. emergency
wireless internet, air conditioning, a platform breaking). In future, cybercar technology may Reactions to: spek@nova-terra.net Y
ramp and dynamic route information. It will give us safer and more sustainable cars.
also be necessary to ensure flexibility (no set We might not even have to look for our car or
route), improve the sensors, add lighting, search for a parking space: the car could find
provide automatic doors and make the its own remote parking space and turn up
cybercar more noticeable (light and noise). again when we need it!
The ideas collected during this exercise will
be included in the Connected Cities best
practices manual and will used by the Pedro
Nunes Institute for the further development
of the cybercar concept.

conclusion
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) were
first introduced some years ago. Today,
several types can be found in practice. People
movers using dedicated and separated lanes
have been introduced to transport people at
airports. Containers are moved by automatic
vehicles in designated areas of ports. Shuttle
buses without drivers are in service on
dedicated lanes, and Phileas, in Eindhoven, is
a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) based on
AGV technology. But a new era might come
with the introduction of the AGV. It makes
sense to start with controlled applications of
cybercars for short trips at special locations
like natural parks, hospitals, airports and
historic town centres before employing them
in cities to complement other forms of

The car could find its own

remote parking space and turn
up again when we need it
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 32

Covilhã: mobility in
a mountain town
Jorge Humberto and Gaspar Gonçalves, Universidade da Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal Steep gradients in Covilhã uptown.

Frank van der Hoeven, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Netherlands
Photos: Jorge Humberto and Gaspar Gonçalves

The activities of the Connected Cities network include showcase
workshops. These are based on a give-and-take formula in which a
partner can invite other partners to illustrate an inspiring case study
or present an issue or a problem and ask for advice. The ‘Mobility in
Covilhã’ showcase is a clear example of the latter. Showcases are
prepared in advance. In the case of Covilhã the local authority and
the university produced a lengthy paper and a comprehensive
presentation. Both documents provide insights in the main
characteristics of the town and the mobility problems it faces. Low
density mountain town Covilhã, founded in 1186, is a large town of
35,000 inhabitants in the eastern midlands of Portugal. The town is
located on one of the hillsides of the highest mountain of continental
Portugal. Around half the population live in Conceição, Santa Maria,
São Martinho and São Pedro, the four central parishes. The urban area
of Covilhã has a low population density, only a third of the national
average.
The easiest way to describe Covilhã is to divide it into three parts: the
uptown, the downtown and the new town. The uptown includes the
historic centre, old residential buildings, churches and services such
as banks, insurance companies, medical services, shops, the town hall,
local government offices, police and fire brigade, the main university
buildings and day care centres. The downtown has the train station,
NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 33

local shops, prison, elementary and secondary schools, some financial

services, day care centres, municipal offices and residential areas.
The main land uses in the new town are residential developments,
shopping centres, the regional bus terminal, the sports complex, the
hospital and health centre and the new medical school. Almost all
the old textile industries in the town have been converted into
teaching facilities by the local university or have moved to the two
suburban industrial parks, to the north and south of the town.
The main traffic generators are the university facilities, town hall
facilities, the new shopping centres, the hospital and medical school
and the central business district in the uptown.

barriers
Covilhã faces three natural barriers: two creeks (Goldra and
Carpinteira) and a difference in altitude of 230 metres between the
uptown and the new town. The steep slopes and medieval layout
makes it a challenge to implement good mobility solutions. The
difference in altitude hampers movement through the town, especially
walking. The barrier caused by the two creeks doubles the distance of
the main access road to the uptown centre. The low population density
does not create the best conditions for public transport.

Covilhã’s road network is determined by its historical centre. The

streets are narrow and most permit only one-way traffic. Slopes of
over 8% are common. In the uptown some gradients are as steep as
13%. The main artery through the town is a busy national road, which
is used to access the national park and ski track on the mountain
passes above the town. An external ring to access the mountain is
planned, but will still partly make use of the existing road network.
The new town is bisected by a road that connects the town to the
two industrial parks to the north and south (the TCT road axis). Gradients to overcome by pedestrians.

modal split
The private car plays an important role in the residents’ mobility.
Private cars are used for about half of the trips to work and school.
A quarter of the trips to work and school are made on foot, mainly in
the four central parishes. Buses account for about a sixth of the trips
to work and school, in line with other cities. In some areas, the share
of the bus in the modal split is double the average at one third.
Local people do not seem to experience many problems with trip
time; 90% of the journeys to work or to school take less then
30 minutes and 60% take less then fifteen minutes. Despite this,
at peak traffic hours, traffic queues still form, but generally last no
more than five to ten minutes each.
The town has well over 4,000 parking spaces for public use.
The uptown is the only area where paid parking spaces outnumber
unpaid spaces and provision of off-street parking outstrips the
amount of on-street parking space. Few residents in the historic
centre have access to a nearby legal parking space. Much of the
on-street parking space here is not well defined, which results in
illegal or irregular parking. Parking in the downtown and in the new
town is plentiful, mostly free and on-street.
The bus is the main type of public transport in Covilhã and the
network covers about 65% of the urban area of Covilhã. The average
distance between bus stops is around 300m. The admissible walking
distance to the bus stops is limited by the steep gradients of most
streets: the catchment area of the bus stops is 250 m, instead of the
usual 400 m. The urban bus routes are almost all one-way loops with
a low frequency, on average served by one bus per hour. There is no
space for dedicated bus lanes in most of the urban area. The
commercial speed is around 15 km/h. The public transport company is
private and has a fleet of fourteen mostly old buses and the present
operator is not encouraged to invest in providing a better service.
Occupancy rates are always lower than two-thirds and passengers
rarely have to stand. New users experience considerable difficulty
using the system because very little information is available and
there are only three ticket outlets.
Mobility problems Overall, Covilhã’s main mobility problems relate to
the use of public transport, private car usage and walking. These
issues are characteristic for a small town in a rural area. The Covilhã
experts did not refer to problems with links to the cities and regions
in Portugal or Spain, let alone to cities and regions in the rest of Y
 NovaTerra Connected Cities / february 2007 / 34
Europe. So, at first sight, Covilhã’s mobility issues seem to be
restricted to the town itself. These are outlined briefly below.
Bus system
The frequency of the bus service is low. The travel time is
unnecessary long because of the loop configuration of the system.
The buses are old and noisy, cause air pollution and use too much
fuel. They also have difficulty manoeuvring in the narrow streets and
road intersections.
Private car use
Access by car to the historic centre is limited by reduced
manoeuvrability and illegal parking of private cars in the uptown
obstructs public transport and pedestrians. Most off-street parking is
privately owned and out of the local authority’s control; the non-
central areas contain many unused parking spaces. Two underground
car parks in the town centre are privately owned. The revenues from
on-street parking contribute to their financing (for the next 40 years).
Walking
The steep gradients between the downtown and the uptown
make the town difficult to navigate by foot. The materials used to
surface the pavements are slippery during wet weather and many
pavements are often too narrow or cluttered with obstacles.
Measures and facilities to provide adequate access to the town for
people with reduced mobility are lacking, especially to the older
public buildings.
Local authority will apply
financial incentives for
the use of non-polluting
fuels
Covilhã downtown.
desired future scenario
As a next step the local authority and the university have drawn
up a desired future scenario, aimed at improving the residents’
mobility. Although the scenario may be considered too ambitious and
possibly unfeasible, its main objective, say the local experts, is to
provoke a reaction from the other partners and elicit their opinions.
The local experts wanted to know if the other partners have faced
similar problems and been successful in implementing adequate
solutions. The ambition of the desired scenario is to cut the share of
the private car in the modal split by half. To achieve this the
proportion of journeys by public transport needs to double. In the
scenario the town will design a self-sustainable public transport
concession that will ensure high quality standards. At the same time
the local authority will apply financial incentives for the use of non-
polluting fuels. Other sustainable transport modes of transport are
encouraged as well: electric bicycles (e-bikes) and walking. Residents
will be encouraged to travel to and from the uptown to make the
historical centre more attractive to live and shop, while the overall
pedestrian accessibility of the uptown and the older public buildings
will be upgraded. Parking facilities will be improved to make them
more acceptable to residents and illegal curbed as a result.
Paid on-street parking solutions will generate long-term revenue
that will contribute to the financing of other mobility systems.
The Covilhã experts already had some solutions in mind, steered the
discussion of the scenario by asking several detailed questions: Is the
desired modal split feasible? Can the quality of the bus service be
enhanced by moving towards mini- or midi-buses? If alternative fuels
are to be applied, what would be better: hydrogen fuel cells or
electricity? Is it feasible for buses to include spaces for bikes?
Can parking revenues or road pricing help to subsidise public
transport? Could pedelecs or e-bikes provide solutions for the steep
slopes of a mountain town like Covilhã? Could elevators and
escalators improve the accessibility of the town centre? And finally:
could park and ride systems be feasible and help to reduce traffic
problems in the town centre? Ensuring sustainable urban mobility
During the workshop the experts from the other partners formulated
opinions based on Covilhã’s scenario. The general feeling among the
Connected Cities network was that mobility should be used as a way
to influence or steer urban or regional developments. Without a clear
idea where the town wants to go, it is difficult to tell if a solution is
right or wrong, even if the solution is generally considered
sustainable. Covilhã has to develop a spatial vision before it can
address the mobility questions it has raised. The local authority
should undertake detailed traffic studies the get a better idea of the
main origins and destinations in the town. More insight into the use
of public transport and walking patterns is necessary as well. The
differences between the uptown, downtown and new town seem so
large that Covilhã probably needs tailor-made solutions for each of
the areas, with particular attention to the relations between them.
The specific conditions of the mountain town clearly require
innovative strategies for clean urban transport. These strategies
 Covilhã newtown.
The specific conditions of
the mountain town
clearly require innovative
strategies for clean urban
transport
should ensure accessibility for all. In the case of Covilhã, the
accessibility of the old town and the older public building is clearly
an issue. The bus system appears to be antiquated and the feasibility
of a European bus system of the future should be explored. The links
with the outer parishes could be served by new mobility concepts for
passengers that guarantee accessibility for all, such as paratransit.
All the solutions should be subjected to an interactive planning
process in which all the relevant stakeholders are represented. Once
applied, the efficiency of the solutions should be monitored and if
necessary adjusted to ensure the desired results. If Covilhã is serious
about curbing use of the private car, it has to offer alternatives and
apply restrictions on car access.
workshop results
In the end the workshop produced two solutions. In our
experience, such solutions should not be taken too literally because
they are developed in a limited time. It is more interesting is to see
what their objective is; what do they try to solve?
The first solution tried to integrate the existing bus system into a
park and ride scheme. The second solution focused on improving
pedestrian access to the town centre, overcoming the steep gradients
and height differences in the town. The first solution reflects the idea
that we should not choose between the car and the bus. Finding a
balanced way for several modes of transport to work together might
provide solutions that are more sustainable. The second solution
reflects the concern that the vitality of the historic town is under
much pressure. The limited accessibility is believed to contribute to
that problem.
In the end we left Covilhã with the feeling that the town needs a
spatial vision with an integrated innovative strategy for clean urban
transport based on adequate data. The Connected Cities network
combines enough knowledge and experience in this area and several
partners expressed their willingness to help with this task.
Connected Cities can offer the local authority an opportunity to work
in smaller expert groups on specific solutions: the overall spatial
vision, transport development, travel demand management, bus
rapid transit systems and paratransit. Additionally, we could explore
whether initiatives can be undertaken within the Seventh Framework
Programme (FP7), the European research programme. FP7 has just
published its first calls for proposals and the issues Covilhã faces
seem to match FP7’s focus. The challenge is clearly there and the
opportunities are plentiful. It is time to act.
Reactions to: goncalves@nova-terra.net Y
Connected Cities Bulgaria Netherlands
Connected Cities is about sustainable mobility and Municipality of Kardjali Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
spatial development. As EU-sponsored Interreg IIIC Eindhoven Regional Government Administrative
network it focuses on high quality public transport France structure (SRE)
and transport development areas, aimed at improving City of Paris Engineering School (EIVP) Netherlands Centre for Underground Construction(COB)
mobility and quality of life in urban and rural areas. Sénart Public Local Authority TNO Environment and Geosciences
The network activities will continue until the end of 2007.
Germany Portugal
European network Research Association for Underground Transportation City Hall of Covilhã
Connected Cities brings together twenty-five partners Facilities (STUVA) Institute Pedro Nunes (IPN)
throughout Europe. The partners in Connected Cities Hamburg-Harburg University of Technology (TUHH)
will share their experiences and insights through Spain
management and coordination, interregional showcase Greece Federation of municipalities and provinces of
workshops, dissemination and communication, including Municipal Enterprise of Planning & Development Castilla-La Mancha (FEMPCLM)
through a guide to good practice. of Patras (ADEP) Municipality of Toledo
Development Agency of Magnesia S.A. (ANEM)
http://connectedcities.eu Municipality of Philippi United Kingdom
Region of Thessaly Bristol City Council
Belgium University of Thessaly South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
European New Town Platform (ENTP) Transport for London (TfL)
Ghent University / Architecture and Urban Planning Italy
Municipality of Ancona
Municipality of Ferrara