2023/24 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

TRAN3031 Public Transport Policy and Practice

10 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Andrew Tomlinson
Email: A.Tomlinson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

'Improving public transport' is often suggested as the way to get people out of their cars and to solve transport's environmental problems. But is this true and, if so, how can we make public transport better? In this module we seek to address these important questions and consider the importance of enterprise and innovation in public transport for the future of sustainable mobility.We explore how innovations in the design and delivery of public transport systems have developed to provide solutions to changing transport problems over time and in different parts of the world. This encompasses consideration of the varying organisational, economic and legal frameworks that this enterprise and innovation takes place in and some of the key technical and managerial barriers to and enablers of enterprise and innovation that exist.Key themes are introduced in lectures while weekly seminars provide opportunities for group work to explore specific problems in more detail and to look at cutting edge case studies from around the world. The coursework report will then provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of a specified public transport problem, and to use your creativity and analytical skills to propose a potential solution.By the end of this module, You'll understand how public transport can be improved, as well as appreciating some of the constraints faced by those seeking to make these improvements. You’ll understand how consultants are able to predict costs and demand for new public transport systems (and why they can sometimes be so spectacularly wrong). You'll understand how public transport has helped shape our cities and how ground breaking developments such as Tram-Trains and driverless public transport might change things in the future. And by the way, why do buses always come in 3's?

Objectives

After completing this module, students should have an understanding of the structure and workings of the public transport industry, and the role of modern techniques in the planning, provision and marketing of public transport. They will be able to critically assess alternative.
approaches to public transport provision at both national and local level, including ownership, organisational and regulatory issues, fares policies and service provision.

Learning outcomes
To understand the different ways in which the provision of public transport might be improved;
To appreciate some of the constraints that can serve to make public transport improvements difficult;
To understand how consultants are able to predict costs and demand for new public transport systems (and why they can sometimes be so spectacularly wrong).
To understand how public transport has helped shape our cities and how ground breaking developments such as Tram-Trains and driverless public transport might change things in the future.

Skills outcomes
- critical appraisal of policy
- working as a group
- problem solving

Syllabus

Public transport history milestones.

The roles and characteristics of public transport modes.

Public transport policy in the UK and Europe
- The role of central and local government and of the private sector
- Privatization and deregulation: experience in bus and rail

Understanding and estimating public transport demand
- Understanding and estimating public transport Costs

Public transport fares and ticketing.

Passenger information and marketing.

Designing and operating public transport systems.

Public transport accessibility and social inclusion.

Case study - The development and implementation of public transport policy in Leeds.

The future of public transport.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Workshop	10	1.00	10.00
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			80.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

40 hours - coursework report
40 hours – seminar-related and other reading

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Monitoring of progress is through questioning in seminars and feedback on the written report.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	2,500 Word report	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/10/2023

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