Guidance for the planning / design of layout, accessibility, facilities and built form

This tool provides promoters and design teams with multiple references to guidance, software and good practice to assist in the design of successful interchanges and in particular the key areas of planning / design of layout, accessibility and built form. The areas covered are broad and range from software providing analysis of vehicle movement to guides that illustrate good practice methods and techniques across all design stages to develop solutions for world class interchanges.
The following references provide access to guidelines and software that will provide assistance to the design team in a number of key areas relative to the  design of interchanges:
  1. Swept Path Analysis  General software tools to assist with the analysis of various vehicle types swept path
  2. Bus Stop Planning and Layouts   Design standards document
  3. Interchange Design and Evaluation Framework Helps promoters and design teams to optimise interchange facility design and operation and measure performance of existing or proposed interchange zones. The framework adopts a question-based approach to achieving best practice and is set out as four themes (efficiency, usability, understanding, quality), each with four principles. Each principle includes one or more questions (criteria) that must be considered and addressed during the planning or design stage of an interchange facility or zone.
  4. Station Capacity and Assessment Guidance Practical guidance to Network Rail’s (UK) station capacity assessment requirements relating to the planning and design of the public areas of its station premises
  5. Guide to Station Planning and Design  A guide incorporating an evaluation framework, to assist design teams to see whether their plans will deliver better stations through making them accessible and easy to use, integrate well with their communities and make a positive economic, social and environmental impact.This Guide will be relevant to new or enhancement projects as well as to major renewals or maintenance projects and will help to meet the needs of all stakeholders. It can be used on all design stages of a project, from developing the design brief to evaluating an existing station or assessing proposed design solutions. 
  6. YDF Toolbox for the design and / or renovation of major interchanges (YDF Toolbox). Provides information and support on the following; Iconic image of the interchange; Optimisation of the infrastructure; Good functional relations with the city; Intermodality; Level / platform organisation of the interchange; Convex design of welcome space of the interchange; Arrival and departure flows organisation; Equipment and human interaction; Human engineering of the space
  7. Public Transport Interchange Design Guidelines, Auckland Transport Design guidelines for transport interchanges, also considers wider interchange context and bus based interchange solutions.
  8. Guidelines for the Development of Public Transport Interchange Facilities, New South Wales Ministry of Transport; Guidelines for planning, design and maintenance of transport interchanges
NODES strategic objectiveContribution
Enhance accessibility and integration ++
Enhance intermodality ++
Enhance liveability ++
Increase safety and security conditions ++
Increase economic viability and costs efficiency +
Stimulate local economy +
Increase environmental efficiency 0
Increase energy efficiency 0

Good practice

The Station capacity assessment guidance was used as part of the review of the Reading Station (NODES demonstration site) design and in particular the new 30-metre-wide bridge deck across the station platforms. Using this tool enabled the design team to ensure the design of Reading Station was fit for purpose in terms of current and future predicted growth of users. If this had not been considered fully then it could have resulted in the station potentially not functioning properly.

Madrid Transport Interchange Plan (Madrid TIP) summarises the whole experience that Madrid Transport Consortium has in relation to transport interchanges. Provides information and support on the following; fire protection; furniture; accessibility; bus bays; mobility simulators; central control area; traffic control; customer service; safety plan.

Potential interchange performance improvement

The documents referenced will assist the relevant experts / professionals that form part of the design team with guidance to help influence various aspects of interchange design.

Resources

The swept path analysis software will require a small investment and training for the right professionals.  Other references provide links to guidance that can be reviewed by the appropriate experts / professionals to help influence their decisions during the design process.

References

  • Swept Path Analysis (Link to Autodesk – free trial available / many other software providers are available)
  • Bus stop planning and layouts Link
  • Station Capacity and Assessment Guidance Link
  • Interchange Design and Evaluation Framework  Link
  • Guide to Station Planning and Design  Link
  • YDF Toolbox  Link
  • Public Transport Interchange Design Guidelines Link
  • Guidelines for the Development of Public Transport Interchange Facilities Link

 

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