An International Consultancy

Project Experience

Public Transport Strategy: Noosa, Australia - ITP was commissioned by Noosa Council to undertake a public transport study of the area. Noosa is a small – medium sized town in Queensland with a strong car culture and low density, dispersed neighbourhoods. The study encompassed reviewing economic models for public transport services, examining alternative funding models, researching appropriate vehicles for future use, studying existing routes and potential future routing options, considering locations for transport hubs / interchange, evaluating the environmental, social and monetary benefits of new services and outlining an implementation programme.

Accra Rapid Transit: Ghana - ITP was appointed to undertake a feasibility study for the implementation of a mass transit system for the Ghanain capital city of Accra. Commencing with a thorough review of existing studies and policy, the intital feasibility moved through examination of opportunities and constraints and technology option evaluation to settle upon a high quality rubber tyred solution of the kind developed in Curitiba, Brazil and Bogota, Columbia. The project was led by Ghana Infrastrructure Limited and funded by the UK Department of Trade and Industry, sponsored by the Ghana Minister for Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City. Further project development saw widesread consultation with officials and ministers, together with other transport stakeholders, and the design of two pilot line corridors. A comprehensive approach to user needs analysis was adopted with interviews conducted with a wide range of potential users, origin and destination surveys, counts and journey time surveys which allowed refinement of scheme design and the building of a passnger/revenue foprecasting model. The project, a private sector initiative, will revolutianise public transport in Accra improving accessibility, safety and the local environment.

Intermediate Transit In South Africa - The potential of intermediate transit systems to the upgrading of public transport in the cities of South Africa was recognised by a delegation on study tour in Europe and South America. As part of the tour ITP introduced officers to the intermediate transit schemes of Europe and was thereafter charged with the development of a business case in conjunction with Gauteng Provincial Government and the National Department of Transport in Pretoria to develop pilot projects for Intermediate Transit Systems in three South African cities. The projects are to be part of a public private partnership using high quality European developed vehicles assembled in South Africa .

City Deep: Inland Port Johannesburg: South Africa - ITP was commissioned, as part of the Portfutures team, to develop a business plan for the revitalisation of the inland port outside Johannesburg. The study commenced with a review of transport opportunity and institutional barriers to the development of this prime site on the edge of Johannesburg. The area is part of the Blue IQ regeneration initiative sponsored by Gauteng Province and National Government and possesses a major asset in an existing rail freight facility. The area itself is poorly served by road transport and lacks overall vision. The Portfutures team brought expertise accrued through the development of the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal in the UK and developed infrastructure proposals and institutional structures for regeneration.

Railway Leasing & Rehabilitation Initiative for Southern Africa - ITP through its sister company Portfutures Africa assessed the technical and financial viability to operate a railway equipment leasing company in Southern Africa. The study focused on a market analysis of the supply, demand, accessibility and condition of railway stock and equipment in the SADC region. This included the development of a business model and negotiation with stock controllers.

Southern Africa Railway Network Review - ITP through its sister company Portfutures Africa undertook a review of the railway network for Southern Africa serving the SADC region. The study covered the condition of the infrastructure and equipment, operations, management, traffic volumes, projected growth, transformational and restructuring, planned developments and identified potential opportunities for investors.

Transport for Women: Accra - ITP was commissioned to investigate the development of a ‘Women’s Transport Cooperative’ (WTC) that would own, manage and operate a transport fleet in Accra, Ghana. The concept of the WTC was designed to improve transport services for women traders and also to support the Government’s Public Transport and Poverty Alleviation Strategy. Across Africa, women are not normally involved in the planning, management and operation of transport systems although most transport investment decisions are likely to affect their mobility, access to employment opportunities and the success of their commercial activities. ITP liaised and consulted with Government departments and other Ghanain stakeholders including surveying the women market traders to implement and establish the WTC. The WTC will also complement the Rapid Transit System proposed for the city.

Road User Charging: Hong Kong Feasibility Study into Electronic Road Pricing - Jamie Wheway of ITP served as transport strategy team leader for this ground-breaking and award-winning project in Hong Kong. Jamie had particular responsibilities for development of ERP transport model, specification of model runs, assessment and evaluation of alternative ERP strategies, and identification of a preferred strategy including charge rates, charge area, exemptions, and complementary measures. He was responsible for day-to-day liaison on transport planning and modelling matters with the Transport Department.

Intermediate Transit Systems: Pan European - ITP undertook a review of the available Intermediate Transit Systems including Civis, TVR, Translohr and Phileas. The final report consisted of detailed analysis of the different systems examining the vital statistics of the vehicles used, their guidance mechanisms, construction impacts, environmental impacts, costs and implemented projects. The review enabled ITP to prepare an evaluation of the relative strengths and weaknesses of each system and has been useful in a number of projects.

High Quality Public Transport User Needs Research: France and Holland - ITP was commissioned by Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive to undertake three pieces of related research. The first piece of research required a review of vehicle options, the second piece involved a review of existing research and the last piece involved revealed preference surveys. ITP collaborated with fieldwork agencies in Paris and Eindhoven to undertake surveys with 500 intermediate transit system users in each of the cities of Caen (TVR transit system), Clermont Ferrand (Civis transit system), Lyon (Cristalis transit system) and Eindhoven (Phileas transit system). The survey asked for people opinions on journey times, service reliability, ticketing options, bus stop environment, vehicle appearance and layout and the advance technologies used by the system. Respondents were also asked to compare the public transport vehicles and their cars to animals as this can often be very revealing of their feelings. The results of the surveys were analysed and cross city comparisons were drawn in order to distinguish the most important elements of vehicle design, however the results showed that all elements were equally important.

Plymouth Civitas II Bid - ITP was commissioned by Plymouth City Council to assist them with their Civitas Initiative II bid in 2003. The Civitas Initiative has 3 main objectives; to promote and implement sustainable, clean and (energy) efficient urban transport measures, to implement integrated packages of technology and policy measures in the field of energy and transport in 8 categories of measures and to build up critical mass and markets for innovation. Working with Plymouth City Council and their partner city Vaxjo, Sweden, ITP produced a strong bid detailing innovative transport measures for Plymouth in the future including biodiesel fuel production, clean fuel conversion grants, development of a car club, parking charges linked to emissions and air quality, a water taxi service, city-centre car parking demand management linked to emission standards and many others.

RUBIS European Economic Interest Group - ITP have taken an active role within this Economic Interest group consisting of manufacturers, operators and local authorities seeking to develop and demonstrate new forms of public transport technology in medium sized cities and regions. With trials in Paris, Trieste, Rome, Clermont Ferrand and Madrid ITP’s specific responsibility was to advise on evaluation methodology in order to define user reaction to novel transport systems. The role has now extended to one of a review of systems operational in Clermont Ferrand, Rouen, Caen, Nancy and Eindhoven.