UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

OVERSEAS IMPLEMENTED PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY MEASURES

AND STUDIES APPLICABLE TO METRO MANILA

A TECHNICAL REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT

OF PLAN 259 - SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

SCHOOL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

BY
YOSEF MARU B. PABLO
MA URP

QUEZON CITY
DECEMBER 2016
I. Introduction

A. Metro Manila Congestion

Metro Manila at night has a population of 12 million and 15 million in the

daytime showing a migration of three million persons. This adds to the millions of
people who commute within the city. According to the MMDA, major roads are already
insufficient to cater to the rapidly rising traffic volume. In terms of costs, the national
government estimates that Metro Manila's congestion suffers a loss of around Php 128
billion due to lost productivity, illness, wasted fuel and vehicle maintenance. According
to a World Bank Report, pedestrians and commuters from lower income groups account
for 75% of all trips in Metro Manila. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
noted in a report that despite the economic growth, the country risks losing Php 6
billion a day by 2030 because of worsening congestion. The JICA said that such costs will
continue to rise if adequate solutions are not implemented. If adequate solutions are
implemented, suppose that 30,000 vehicles pass through main roads everyday and each
vehicle is able to save one liter of fuel per day due to congestion reduction. At an
average price of Php 45.00 per liter, this would create savings of Php 1,425,000 per day
per road.

Source: http://cnnphilippines.com/incoming/i3hxzy-EDSA_road_vehicles_CNNPH.jpg/alternates/FREE_640/EDSA_road_vehicles_CNNPH.jpg
Fig. 1. Metro Manila Congestion

B. Public Transport Priority and it's Benefits

Public transport priority is simply giving priority to public transport. Introducing

priority systems in urban planning transport is considered the most effective way to
create a modern, efficient, user-friendly service for passengers that is able to compete
with the growing popularity of the private car.

Public transport priority improvements are expected to help reduce travel time,
which is important because this can reduce costs of operating public transport service
and can improve quality of service for commuters. Another benefit is that they help
increase public transport service reliability. The reliability of public transport service is
highly dependent on factors such as traffic congestion on the routes. Most public
transport priorities reduce the impact of congestion on public transport vehicles, which
can lead to improved reliability. Improved reliability may increase attractiveness of
public transport priority. Public transport priority is not only the effective measure to
alleviate urban traffic congestion, but to improve urban living environment and to
promote sustainable development of cities.

C. Public Transport Priority in the Philippines

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/article/brt_3.jpg?itok=LFMfNWQ3
Fig. 2. Cebu BRT Concept Art

The World Bank approved a financing package for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit
(Cebu BRT). It is designed to show that BRT can provide the city's residents with a more
efficient, reliable, fast, safe and climate friendly bus system. It is expected to carry
330,00 passengers daily, improve mobility, reduce pollution and increase travel safety.
BRT runs on its own dedicated lanes, improving travel time, safety and reliability.
 Recently, in Metro Manila, the 48.6 kilometer Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit
along EDSA, was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. The project, estimated to cost
Php 37.8 billion, has an implementation period of three years (2017-2019). Expected to
be operational in 2020, it involves the construction of dedicated bus lanes, depots and
as much as 63 stations/terminals. The project will also procure high quality and high
capacity buses, install smart signaling system at intersections and a central control
system, and provide contactless automatic fare collection system.

D. The Technical Report

This technical report aims to look in the situation of Metro Manila's public
transport scene particularly the case of Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (EDSA). It will
also look into Public Transport Priority Measures implemented in other countries with a
similar congestion problem as that of Metro Manila. Some oversea cities with high
population density and serious traffic congestion have made some exploration in public
transport priority development whose experiences are worthy of references.

With a proposed BRT system in the works, the technical report also aims to
provide supplementary public transport priority measures applicable to Metro Manila's
current congestion situation.

II. The case of EDSA and its major public transport modes

The Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) is the main thoroughfare in Metro
Manila passing through 6 of NCR's 17 local government units. It also serves as a link to
the major financial districts in Metro Manila namely Makati Central Business District,
Ortigas Center and Araneta Center. Stretching 23.8 km, it is the longest and most
congested highway in Metro Manila. EDSA is popular due to its apparent congestion in
most parts of the day and this is due to a number of reasons such as clogging or
bottlenecking due to illegally parked buses, jeepneys or taxi cabs whose drivers are
waiting for commuters, the magnitude of buses but lack of bus stops, side streets
obstructed by vendors and on street parked vehicles slowing down turning vehicles,
motorists lack of discipline, provincial bus terminals etc.

A. Metro Rail Transit (MRT)

Metro rail transit(MRT) is a single line that runs on the general direction along
the north and south lanes of EDSA and is the busiest among Metro Manila's three rapid
transit lines. The thirteen station, 16.9 km line is the second rapid transit line built in
Metro Manila and started full operation in 2000. Travel guide Lonely Planet refers to
Metro Manila's metro system as a good way to avoid Manila's notorious traffic in air-
conditioned comfort during off-peak hours. However it is best to avoid during rush hour
when huge crowds make it virtually unusable due to long queues and jammed train cars.
The MRT travels a south-north route along EDSA. It is handy for getting to and from the
Ayala Center in Makati and to Quezon City. Every day an estimated 600,000 passengers
take the MRT trains to and from work with an estimated travel time of 40 minutes
(North Avenue to Taft Avenue). While many utilize the MRT as a mode of transport its
reliability has diminished considerably the past decade due to a variety of factors.
Queuing time to purchase ticket, pass through turnstiles, waiting time on platforms for
untimely arrival of train and time to squeeze passengers inside the trains almost take as
long as the hours spent on traffic by people who take the bus or shuttle vans. Also, the
MRT has been known to breakdown in the middle of stations forcing passengers to walk
alongside the tracks in the scorching heat of the sun. One notable accident happened in
2014 where the train overshoots the barrier at the Taft avenue station leaving 38
passengers injured.

Source: http://manila.coconuts.co/sites/manila.coconuts.co/files/styles/article_header/public/field/image/mrt_walking.jpg
Fig. 3. Passengers walking along MRT track at 6am

B. Bus

Source: http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/abs-cbnnews/a_images/topics/tvpatrol/2012july/071012_traffic.jpg
Fig. 4. Bus Transport along EDSA
 Another major mode of public transport is the bus with an estimated travel time
of more than two hours (North Ave. to Taft Avenue). A less preferred mode than the
MRT due to the travel time. According to reports, the bus system along EDSA is poorly
operated due to having too many buses and lack of proper bus stops. The government
franchise-giving body (LTFRB) seems to operate without any reference to the actual
capacity of EDSA to take all the buses plying the route daily. The lack of bus stops and
adequate lay-bys for the all too many but mostly empty buses at crossings clog EDSA.
Such is the case for most of Metro Manila's roads where they seem to be planned for
private cars and not public transportation.

III. Notable public transport priority measures and studies implemented in other
Countries

A. Implementing Public Transport Priority Strategy Dominated by Urban Rail Transit

in Tokyo, Japan

Dominated by urban rail transit, Japanese cities implement the policy of public
transport priority. A typical representative of this is the city of Tokyo. As of 2014, 158
lines, 48 operators, 4,714.5 km of operational track and 2,210 stations make up the
extensive urban rail network. Tokyo has the most extensive urban railway network and
the most used in the world with 40 million passengers in the metro area daily. There are
882 interconnected rail statins in the Tokyo metropolis with several hundred more in
each of the surrounding densely populated suburban prefectures. It is estimated some
20 million use rail as their primary means of transport in the metropolitan area daily.
The construction of urban transit rail infrastructures helped reach the goal of saving
land resources, smoothing road traffic, saving energy and protecting the environment.
This encouraged people to use public transport instead of travelling by private car.

Source: http://www.mappery.com/maps/Tokyo-Subway-Route-Map.jpg
Fig. 5. Tokyo Subway Route Map
Worthy points in Tokyo public transport priority strategy

Public transport integration

Bus and rail integrated network proves very convenient for people to change
modes. People can travel to any part of Tokyo without getting out of stations through
transfer to different lines. Some lines are set in large buildings that link to other tram
lines making the transfer to another mode easy. This increases the attractiveness of rail
transit and even making private cars a burden.

The construction of transport hub buildings was a solution to the traffic transfer
problem. More than that, it also formed unique Tokyo urban hub public buildings
serving as the center the city's main public activities and perform comprehensive
functions in city life. For years Tokyo has constructed a variety of distinctive public
centers as integrated transport hubs.

Limiting private cars

Tokyo government stipulates that private car traffic volume should be controlled
within 25% of total traffic volume to address the problem of the fast growing of private
cars. To ensure this policy, two measures have been implemented. One approach is
through the increase of taxes on car licenses, fuel etc. The other is the increase of fees
in relation to cars such as vehicle performance fees, insurance premiums, fuel prices,
parking fees, tolls etc. Eventually discouraging the use of private cars.

Scientific Management

Refers to coordination of all policy operations to guarantee the smooth

implementation of public transport priority. Traffic management departments should be
integrated to avoid fragmented situation. Having coordination mechanisms that are
efficient and reliable can be realized by centralized operations. This can produce rapid
response of road transport network and rail transit network.

B. Congestion charging scheme in Stockholm, Sweden

In response to the severe congestion on the main access roads during peak
hours, a congestion pricing system was implemented as a tax levied on most private
vehicles entering and exiting central Stockholm, Sweden. In 2006 a trial demonstrating
congestion charging was carried out to see how it might: reduce the amount of traffic
on main roads during peak house, address congestion problems, augment accessibility,
promote the use of public transport, and improve the environment. The trial yielded
positive results. Trial results showed decrease in vehicle traffic as driving is made more
expensive and reductions of traffic congestion and travel times.
 Source: Holger.Ellgaard - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8867126
Fig. 6. Traffic sign showing the official swedish "Road Toll" sign and the tax matrix

In 2007 the congestion tax scheme came into effect. The measure was
implemented not only to address accessibility and environment issues, but also to help
develop infrastructure. Five years after introduction the Centre for Transport Studies
conducted a study on the effects of the measure and it showed that the congestion
charges eventually lead to a decrease in congestion, motorists turning to public
transport, and a change in attitude by the public from opposition to in favor.

C. Improving Walkability to Increase Public Transport Ridership

In its most basic sense, walkability is defined as the safety, security, economy,
and convenience of travelling by foot. A walking trip is where every trip begins and ends.
To some degree, nearly all trips will require walking whether it be directly to a
destination or to another mode of transport. The overall efficiency and quality of the
urban transport network can be affected by how well the pedestrian environment can
service these trips. It can also affect the overall mobility and accessibility of residents
and visitors. Increase physical mobility can also affect economic and social mobility.
Travelling long distances on foot along pedestrian oriented corridors increases the time
and energy residents can spend on jobs, families, studies, and other productive
activities. It can also affect tourism, pedestrian facilities play a significant role in the way
outsiders perceive a city's image. This presents walkability as a significant aspect in
urban design, however, pedestrian infrastructure, amenities and services are often
neglected in municipal planning and budgets.

In Hong-Kong, a comparative study of transit-oriented developments' walkable

areas found that improving walkability in the areas surrounding the (train) station may
dissipate congestion and better connect the area at large. The sustainability of the TOD
 may also be improved if the areas surrounding the station are aesthetically pleasing to
visitors making it a centralized area that residents can be proud of.

In Mountain View, California, a study on the effects of street-level urban design

attributes on travel behavior was conducted in the station area. One of its objectives is
to test the effect of path walkability on transit users' access mode choice and walking
distance to the station. The research found that in a statistically significant way, transit
users' access mode choice decisions and their walking distances to the stations are
influenced by path walkbility. This purports the possibility of encouraging commuters to
choose walking over driving and also encouraging them to walk further. The research
also found that the influence of path walkability increases as the walking distance
decreases from the station. Improving path walkability then, could increase walking
trips' frequency and length. According to the author, increased walking trips to the
stations can stimulate a more dispersed synergy in which more people walking to the
station may boost local business, thriving restaurants and stores attract more people to
the area, and more customers encourage public investment to improve walkability. This
benevolent circle eventually helps create the vibrant transit villages and increases
transit ridership.

A case study of Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand measuring pedestrians'

satisfaction of urban environment found that the availability of destinations together
with an interconnected street network makes walking a more competitive and attractive
mode of travel to other options. The direct travel should be facilitated with lack of
obstructions. The results established diverse dimension of built environment aspects
influence on different level of pedestrians' satisfaction. According to the author,
transportation planners should consider different context of urban area as a key
parameter to provide future metropolitan transportation while allocate appropriate
strategy and management policy to create walkable urban place to shift in travel mode
from vehicles to transit or active transportation.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

The measures and studies mentioned in this report have been particularly
selected because they can be reliably used as reference in implementing public
transport priority measures in Metro Manila.

The proposed BRT for Metro Manila definitely serves as a good start in
addressing the metro's congestion problem but it only presents moving people and not
cars. Other issues still need to be addressed and the measures and ideas presented in
this report can be used for this objective.

A. Public Transport Integration

Tokyo's approach in public transport integration can be applied to supplement

the EDSA BRT. Some stations along EDSA link to commercial establishments and
terminals but some still present difficulty in the transfer of modes. As for buses, proper
bus stops should be reasonably located easily reached from MRT stations, Jeepney
terminals and the like. More pedestrian can be attracted to public transport by
improving the transfer conditions, which can improve the comfort of the public traffic.
Large public life centers can be built in traffic hubs, this can enhance the hubs level of
service.

B. Reducing volume of private cars

Two approaches have been presented in this report with regards to lowering
volume of private cars. One is imposing taxes and charging schemes on different aspects
relating to the use of private vehicles such as car licenses, fuel, vehicular performance,
toll, parking fees etc. The other is increasing reliability of public transport by integration
and improving level of service. Not only can reducing the volume of private cars
decrease congestion but it can also improve the environment.

C. Improving walkbility in the areas surrounding transport hubs

The studies presented in this report clearly show the apparent correlation of the
path walkability and pedestrians willingness to walk. Making an effort to increase
walkability around transport hubs may also increase public transport ridership. On top
of this it may also help boost social and economic mobility.

Summary of Conclusions

With the goal of achieving an effective transport network for Metro Manila, the
items presented in this report not only work by themselves but rather in a collective
manner. Along with the proposed BRT which should have a high reliability, integrating
public transport provides accessibility. Simultaneous to this, the use of private cars
should be made expensive through taxes and charging thus lowering volume of private
cars improving level of service of major roads and improving the environment. A better
environment can supplement the walkability of thus encouraging more people to walk
towards their preferred mode if public transport. This will eventually lead to a better
flowing transport network, a better more attractive environment and a significant
increase in the infrastructure's level of service within the metro.
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