Travellers' attitudes towards Park-and-Ride (PnR) and choice of PnR station: Evidence from Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

An attractive transport alternative that combines the efficiency of public transport with the flexibility of cars, with the potential to reduce traffic congestion and become integral part of the transit-oriented developments, PnR received much interest in the last decade. This is particularly relevant to Australian urban landscape and especially Perth, where the low urban density means thatmore than 90% of residents live outside of 800 m distance from train stations. Drawing on an intercept survey, we identified PnR and basic facilities within the station perimeter as key differentiating factors of access and service across rail corridors. Then, using discrete choice models we found that paid parking bays, bike lockers, access mode and time-of-day were the most influential in determining the choice of train station, more so than the distance. Notably, there were two classes of travellers, one seeking stations with good facilities, and the other being more interested in quick access to the station.