Quantifying the Effects of Activity Concentration at Airports on Public Transport Using an Iterative Reduction Procedure

Abstract

Airport locations are increasingly the place of non-aeronautical activities. This is driven by airport operators seeking non-aeronautical revenues and real estate investors attempting to profit from major airports as high value locations. The resulting higher densities lead to more travel to and from the location. Travellers induced by non-aeronautical activity are likely to behave different than those induced by aeronautical activity. Consequently, there are potentially not only more, but also more public transport prone travellers. This can improve the viability of operating high quality public transport services. However, as demand of the different traveller groups is likely distributed differently, it also needs to be studied whether the superimposed demand affects the peaking behaviour of travel demand in a beneficial, balancing, or negative, exacerbating, way.For the analysis, an iterative reduction procedure is proposed that begins with a network of highest quality services. Considering demand elasticity and minimum loads to viably operate a service, network elements are degraded and demand is recalculated iteratively until only viable services remain. This procedure is applied to a case study of Zurich, where large scale commercial activities and a public transport hub are located at the airport. It was found that the non-aeronautical development already contributes decisively to public transport use and without it, severe service reductions might be necessary. Furthermore, the compound demand distribution is more even than that of the individual traveller groups, resulting in a landside transport hub that can be operated more efficiently than facilities in conventional locations. Future growth of the airport location will increase this effect and further service expansions may become an attractive option.It is concluded that the high connectivity of airport locations is an opportunity to drive development patterns conducive to public transport use. In addition, airports can be efficient locations for transfer centres as there, if their locations are suitable, sustained high demand with less variation throughout a day allows for a better utilisation of services and facilities.