Public transport priority in 2020: Lessons from Zurich

Abstract

Public transport priority is a well-known strategy for improving the attractiveness and efficiency of public transport, but does it still make sense in an era of micro mobility, MAAS, shared mobility and smart cities? Starting in the 1970s Zurich systematically implemented a comprehensive public transport priority program creating one of the world’s best public transport systems. While public transport priority is still quite effective, Zurich and other growing cities face fresh challenges: increasing transport demand, calls for more active transport, a need for improved public spaces, and new players, technologies and business models disrupting the urban transport market. This paper investigates Zurich’s public transport priority program in light of these challenges and recommends that cities create and implement fully integrated sustainable transport priority programs. These programs would be developed using lessons from Zurich’s public transport priority program (taking a fully integrated approach, supporting experimentation and innovation, and building political support for implementation). The programs would strongly prioritise public transport and other sustainable transport modes (e.g., walking, cycling), as well as complimentary urban liveability improvements. In short, cities should follow the approach Zurich took in the 1980s for public transport – but broaden the focus to include all forms of sustainable transport.