7.4.1 Description
Improved marketing and information provision relating to local connecting services at interchange locations. This may involve devising more effective branding strategies (for example, by renaming services according to mode and destination or by reducing the number of different brands allowed) so as to avoid confusion and to make it easier for unfamiliar passengers to obtain information on the most relevant connecting services available to reach their destination. Another type of action that falls under this measure is more proactive marketing at the origin point or on-board the main leg of a given journey for connecting services available at the destination end.
7.4.2 Problems Addressed
Even though inter-modal pre-trip information is important, it can do little to reduce the burden imposed on passengers by the need to interchange between services or modes at potentially unknown locations82. The impact of incorrect or unclear information, combined with the high degree of uncertainty involved, contribute to a significant increase in the cognitive and affective effort expended by passengers. Yet, the fact that it is at stations that multiple transport providers come together makes the provision of effective and adequate information a major challenge. This is where the regulatory fragmentation of the transport system is most likely to be felt as passengers are exposed to a number of different, and potentially competing, operators. Each operator will often have its own marketing and information conventions culminating in the perception of a chaotic environment for the user.
Also many passengers do not seek information on local connecting services prior to making the journey and may instead rely entirely on wayside information to make their choices. Unless relevant information is marketed effectively, passengers may remain unaware of the alternatives available and make suboptimal choices as a result.
7.4.3 Applicability
At the wayside stage the key challenge for infrastructure managers and the operators of connecting services consists of both informing the passenger about the existence of a given service along with the need to provide a consistent, integrated and effective message. Although the operator of each alternative connecting service will often do its best to market their services, this can easily lead to information overload and confusion. It can also make it difficult for passengers to quickly identify the most suitable and cost-effective alternative to meet their needs. This type of measure may therefore require some form of regulation by interchange managers. For connecting services to be marketed before or during the main leg portion of the journey the development of partnerships between operators are required.
However, operators and infrastructure managers will, quite naturally, give more priority to publicising their own services or those of their clients than local connecting services for which they will receive no revenue. Local operators, on the other hand, may be reluctant to compromise their own brand image by allowing it to be diluted by association with a joint venture with another provider or group of providers. In fact, in many cases, operators may have worked very hard to establish an instantly recognisable brand and may see their greatest asset in attracting demand. As a result passengers are exposed to inconsistent or incomplete information and marketing messages as each operator
81 J Radley, personal communication
82
Lyons, G. and Harman, R. (2002), “The UK public transport industry and provision of multi-modal traveller information”, International Journal of Transport Management, Volume 1, Issue 1, Pages 1- 13.
strives to differentiate its service and promote a distinctive brand. Since infrastructure managers and main long distance operators (whom, it could be argued, have greater influence over the self- regulation of the market) do not often see greater interconnectivity as a key objective they may not be forthcoming in ensuring improved pre-trip marketing of connecting services.
Examples of potential confusion are provided by Heathrow Airport where passengers are bombarded by different brands sending out conflicting messages. RailAir, for example, is a bus service connecting to a rail station (rather than a high speed rail service such as the Lufthansa AIRail service), Heathrow Express is a fast rail connection to London, whereas Heathrow Connect is a stopping rail service, and the Airline is a coach service operating exclusively between Oxford and Heathrow. So a passenger arriving from Frankfurt might quite sensibly follow signs for RailAir, expecting to find a high speed rail service. While each of these services will probably benefit from very high brand recognition at their point of origin (e.g. there is only one “Airline” service in Oxford, and Heathrow is the nearest airport) they are likely to be extremely confusing to international inbound passengers.
A related problem for international travel in particular is the fact that connecting services are usually provided and marketed by local companies. This can lead to highly ineffective marketing for international passengers as in the case of Oslo Airport’s Flytoget service, which, most foreign passengers will be unaware of, translates into “the Plane Train”.
7.4.4 Performance
Costs Set up and variable costs for individual services or interchanges are likely to be low (<€1m). The greatest costs are likely to occur where this type of measure is part of the complete re-design of the information strategy at a given interchange or where connecting services are marketed at the origin point of journeys through staffed information points (as in the case of Terravision, for example). Technical feasibility No significant hurdles.
Financial feasibility May generate profit through increases in demand. This is easier to gauge for staffed information points but a significant challenge for branding and marketing at interchanges. The effect is likely to be small given the number of passengers potentially affected (i.e. those who are unaware of connecting services through some other source of information and who would change their behaviour as a result). A conservative estimate of the potential long term increase in demand might be in the range 1% to 4%.
Organisational feasibility Main operators and interchange managers may consider this measure a waste of effort as it is aimed at persuading their own passengers to use the services of a different operator. However, this measure can actually contribute to increase main operator demand by widening catchment areas and attracting new demand segments so it’s likely that this initial opposition can be easily overcome. This measure also relies on effective partnerships being developed between operators which can sometimes be a challenging task. These arguments are also valid for interchange managers.
Acceptance by users This measure aims to give passengers improved intermodal information close to the point of use so it is likely to be popular amongst users.
Impact on users’ door to door travel time This type of measure may have a considerable impact on some passengers’ travel time by informing them of an alternative connecting mode they may have been unaware of.
Impact on users’ door to door travel cost This type of measure may have a significant impact on some passengers’ travel cost by informing them of an alternative cheaper service they may have been unaware of. For example, an existing connecting public transport service may prove considerably cheaper and, often, just as quick as a taxi service.
Comfort and convenience There is likely to be some reduction in the level of uncertainty and anxiety experienced by passengers thereby making the travel experience more enjoyable. By
eliminating the need to obtain and combine information from a range of different sources this measure is also likely to make intermodal journey planning more convenient.
Users’ safety No impact is envisaged. Personal security No impact is envisaged.
Access for people with reduced mobility Any measure that reduces the cognitive and affective effort required for information acquisition is likely to have a positive impact on travellers with disabilities.
7.4.5 Other Impacts
Small positive environmental impact may be expected if passengers are encouraged to switch from car or taxi to public transport.
7.4.6 Examples
An excellent example of the provision of information about connecting services at the origin point or on board main services is the Terravision coach service linking a number of European airports to nearby destinations. As a results of partnerships between Terravision and several airlines, the company markets its services at check-in gates, on-board flights and is also available through some online flight booking systems. Although there is a risk that this approach may lead the passenger to make sub-optimal choices it certainly reduces the information acquisition burden for unfamiliar users very considerably.
Lufthansa’s AIRail service highlights the important role of station/airport managers or leading operator in streamlining information and adapting it to the needs of long distance passengers.