Since the aftermath of World War II, urban planning has overwhelmingly favoured private car infrastructure over pedestrian and public transportation amenities. Consequently, this bias has erected physical and psychological barriers to health, social interaction, and employment accessibility. However, recent shifts in environmental perceptions by the public have had an increase in the use of multimodal public transportation, particularly railways. This paper investigates how we can design the public realm surrounding and inside major rail hubs, to support and promote the use of sustainable multimodal public transport. The paper will use a variety of different primary and secondary data collection techniques to produce an end framework giving guidance on how a positive public realm can be created. Some of these methods include; semi-structured interviews with professional transport planners to understand what makes a positive public realm from a professional perspective, using GIS to assess walking distances between transport modes and amenities, calculating future need through TRICSs and assessing case studies from the UK and abroad to see how others create a positive public realm. Anticipated findings suggest that an effective public realm for promoting sustainable multimodal transport is characterised by mixed-use functionality, accessibility within a 500-metre walking radius to alternative transit options, proactive provisions for future needs such as expanded cycle parking and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and favourable public perceptions. By addressing these considerations, we can anticipate and accommodate the escalating reliance on public transportation while concurrently enriching the user experience, thereby advancing the overarching objective of sustainable urban development.
Permanent link to this resource: https://doi.org/10.24384/R235-4V63
Easton, George
School of the Built Environment
Year: 2024
© Easton, George