Trams are currently being planned in Tampere and Turku. The planning has been going on for a long time and from time to time doubts also arise about the reasonableness of the projects. Are the benefits compared to bus traffic sufficient to justify the large investments?
In a growing city, tramway investment has so many benefits that it is not only profitable, but downright necessary.
The first clear benefit is related to street and urban space and its efficient use. Around 190 bus departures per hour depart from Turku's Kauppatori during rush hour. On Hämeenkatu in Tampere, between Keskustori and Koskipuisto, the corresponding number is about 115 trips per hour.
Tampere's population is predicted to grow to 2040 by 280, and the entire city region to 000. In Turku, the population is expected to exceed the 460 mark this year. The increase in the number of inhabitants also means a huge increase in the amount of traffic both in downtown areas and elsewhere. The capacity of buses in the urban area is then a big question mark. Even if the buses could be accommodated, their large number increases the noise level and congestion.
This significantly reduces the comfortability of the city center, which is being tried to increase elsewhere with various downtown development programs.
In addition to the street space, the construction of lots and residential buildings near the tram line would enable the city to be compact and complement the urban structure. There would be 108 inhabitants and more than 700 jobs in the area of influence of the tram planned for Tampere. More apartments can be built along the line; zoning is planned for 65 – 000 inhabitants. Without a tramway, such centralization is less efficient and less attractive. There is also a risk of the settlement spreading to the outskirts of the city, which has been tried to be avoided.
The tramway project in both Tampere and Turku is also financially profitable. Public transport operating costs are lower with trams than with buses, and higher passenger numbers bring more ticket revenue. Added to this is the savings brought by the denser urban structure in the organization of services, infrastructure and other tasks of the city.
According to PTT's research, every million invested in the railway causes the construction of around 34 apartments. It means a 260 billion euro housing construction project in Tampere's Ratika, which is worth around 1,8 million euros. Since about 45 percent of the value of housing construction is taxes, society gets its money back about three times. In Tampere, this means approximately EUR 0,81 billion in tax revenue during construction alone. In addition to this, it is good to add the benefits from job creation into the equation.
In terms of the attractiveness of the city, it is important to keep public transport as an attractive option. With the aforementioned population growth figures, the number of buses will have to be increased and traffic jams will increase.
The biggest congestor in the growing city is private cars. This link shows the current situation in Turku. As the city grows with the current means of transport, the situation will only get worse. Having your own car becomes a very attractive option if public transport is stuck - whether the cause of the poor flow is private driving or public transport itself. Trams are a better option than buses in terms of traffic flow.
A car is often chosen for its speed and flexibility. Images of bus traffic lead to waiting at the bus stop, stiffness and slowness. Tram transport, on the other hand, brings to mind a hassle-free and fast expressway, which you don't have to worry about schedules when using. The attractiveness of public transport increases considerably when the average shift interval is only about seven minutes.
Trams also shape the image of the entire city and urban area. The existence of Ratika gives the impression of a growing, modern and vibrant city that attracts both businesses and residents. I'm not saying that all mental images are based entirely on the truth, but they probably guide people's behavior much more than pure facts.
Juha Metsälä
Group CEO
Pohjola Rakennus Oy
The blog text was originally published Rakennuslehten On the Viewpoint section.
In PTT's study, it was estimated that 34 apartments per XNUMX million railways were placed. These were heavy rail projects. When you come inside urban areas and with rail projects, the ratio improves even more, i.e. even more apartments are created per one million rail lines.