The geography of park and rides : analysing the commuter usage patterns of the three park and rides in Marsa, Floriana and Pembroke using a geographical framework

Abstract

The quality of transport service depends on the accessibility and efficiency of a transport network. The emphasis on urban cities has placed immense pressures on the infrastructural resource that the urban city can offer. This has led to major problems of traffic congestion, parking problems, degradation of the urban environment, pollution and other social and economic challenges. The provision of more car vehicles has led to an imbalance between the supply and the demand of such transportation services. Several strategies and policies have been developed and adopted over the years so that modal shift could be achieved and long term sustainable transport could be achieved. One of the measures introduced to curb traffic congestions and stimulate a modal shift towards a more sustainable means of transport was the Park and Ride. Such services were designed to provide users with an intermodal system whereby users could make use of a combination of different modes which sought to reduce the pressures on urban areas. The success of the Park and Ride in engaging new users rest upon the service quality which was generally satisfactory, however one particular Park and Ride still manages to attract car users to the sub urban fringe while also generating a modal shift from alternative means of transport towards car use. This research seeks to build upon previous research done on the Floriana Park and Ride. At the same time, it provides a basis for further studies to be conducted at the Marsa and Pembroke Park and Rides. The main objective of the research was to analyse the catchment areas of each site and determine whether there were any correlations in the commuter usage patterns.