CHOICE OF AN OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF TRANSPORT DEMAND USING MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS: CITY OF ZAGREB CASE STUDY

Abstract

After initial enthusiasm by motor vehicles, society is lately increasingly noticing their shortcomings. Traffic problems caused by excessive use of cars, still represent a very serious and widespread problem, particularly in cities. Public opinion expresses dissatisfaction with the quality of the environment and traffic conditions. As the most important demand, the demand for human health stands out in the first place, and, consequently, the demand for sustainable transport development. The fact that the EU is involved in solving traffic problems my means of various directives and scientific research projects, points out the seriousness of the problem. Two solutions which are mainly used for solving traffic problems in cities are the construction or extension of existing transport infrastructure and traffic demand management (TDM). Traffic demand management is a new paradigm, which aims at reducing or transforming of traffic demand through reduction of unnecessary drives by cars and improvement of more efficient, healthier and, above all, cleaner forms of public and non-motorized transport. There is a whole range of methods for traffic demand management, such as Park & Ride system, carpooling, carsharing, priority for the vehicles with specified number of passenger – HOV, teleworking, congestion charging, charging for use of road infrastructure, bicycling infrastructure improvement... The topic of the work focuses on the choice of optimal traffic demand management strategies in the City of Zagreb using multi-criteria analysis.