Global urbanisation is on the rise. By 2030, the Asia Pacific region is expected to be home to an unprecedented total of 22 megacities. Asian Buses had the opportunity to talk to three of the speakers of the upcoming SITCE Congress ahead of the event to gain some insights into how we will cope with the increase in demand for public transport.

Radial Design, Reduced Stress
Andy Boulton, Customer Development and Technical Director Asia Pacific, Alexander Dennis Limited, has some additional comments on the revolutionary three door design used in one of their buses, as requested by Singapore’s Land Transport Agency.

“We responded to the LTA’s tender to develop a 3 door 2 staircase concept vehicle for them to use for passenger engagement activity at three “Bus Carnival” events.” He says. These carnivals were held in various locations in Singapore during March and April 2016. The LTA conducted surveys to gain passenger feedback during these events. Apparently, the bus also solves the issue of people crowding near the doors. “People tend to be afraid that they may not be able to leave the vehicle at their stop, they want to be close to the door to quickly step off the bus. Now that there are more exits, people don’t display such behaviour, knowing that they have plenty of ways to step out,” are insights that he shared.

As the largest double deck manufacturer in the world, Alexander Dennis has extensive design, development and engineering experience in producing class-leading double deck vehicles which transport the maximum number of passengers seated in comfort whilst occupying a compact footprint on congested city streets. The ultimate aim of this 3 door 2 staircase concept vehicle is to expedite boarding and disembarking while improving the onboard passenger flow and experience.

Better Design, Buses Included
“To answer the question why there needs to be a re-design of MRT stations, we can answer as follows: the purpose of the MRT redesign is to create a better ride experience for our commuters and does not affect bus planning or operations. We are striving to make public transport the people’s choice by enhancing their travel experience,” says Joni Ker Shing Ong, Land Transport Authority, Singapore.

Small Place, Good Connectivity
Also an island, Macau has unique challenges. Soi Hoi LAM, Transportation Infrastructure Office, Macao, shares some interesting pointers on how the small island manages the transportation of tourists and locals alike. “Macao is a small but compact city. Most places are within walking distances from the view points of a large metropolitan area, though the notion of "short distances" means differently in local terms. Walking has been an important mode and a number of facilities to encourage walking and to make it easier, e.g. overcoming the differences in elevation, and more comfortable is being built,” is her short but concise summary. To cater for mid- to long distance travel, a light rapid transit system is being built, in stages, with the first stage, "Taipa Line", targeted to open in 2019. The Taipa Line will connect major activity centres and residential areas in the Taipa/Cotai areas, as well as connecting the Taipa ferry terminal, airport, Lotus check point, and a bridge linking Macao peninsula.