Abstract
Development of railway transport systems is perceived as one of the most effective ways of shaping sustainable urban transportation. However, railway transportation systems can only compete with individual means of transportation when having properly developed infrastructure, especially in terms of the train stops accessibility. The main objective of this article is to discuss mutual relations between operation of a newly built railway line and spatial changes taking place in its closest vicinity which determine the accessibility to it. The research methods included the GIS tools, direct measurements of passenger exchange, and public opinion poll among the passengers taking the new line. The research area was the city of Gdańsk, one of the largest cities in Poland, where transportation problems are cumulating as a result of the urban sprawl. The new railway was opened in order to mitigate these problems. The research results have proved this strategy was only partially successful as the course of the line and location of the stops do not provide a large number of potential passengers. That is why it was necessary to connect the line to the already existing urban transportation system, yet this solution has not resolved the problem completely. However, the urban development plan assumes introduction of large housing projects in the areas surrounding the existing train stops what will allow using the new line more efficiently in the future.
Highlights
Transport is regarded as a basic factor fostering development of urban regions [1,2,3]
The external costs of such a model [5] have forced search and implementation of solutions aimed at supporting pedestrian traffic, improving public transportation systems and promoting alternative ways of individual transport
In order to introduce the idea of sustainable mobility, actions in four basic dimensions have to be taken: implementing the latest technology to increase the efficiency, developing a pricing policy which internalises the external costs generated by each and every mode of transport, introducing spatial management tools aimed at decreasing in demand for transport and bringing about a change in the modal split, and providing a precisely addressed information system for citizens [8]
Summary
Transport is regarded as a basic factor fostering development of urban regions [1,2,3]. Technological progress was the main force driving the abovementioned changes [6], yet some social phenomena were fostering them, such as emergence of the automobility culture [7] and the concept of sustainable mobility, aimed at overthrowing the car culture. In order to introduce the idea of sustainable mobility, actions in four basic dimensions have to be taken: implementing the latest technology to increase the efficiency, developing a pricing policy which internalises the external costs generated by each and every mode of transport, introducing spatial management tools aimed at decreasing in demand for transport and bringing about a change in the modal split, and providing a precisely addressed information system for citizens [8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
