Five ways to make drivers to get on a bus

Traffic jams is headache for every city. As for Moscow, it is the most important question to decide. Traffic lanes for public conveyance appear, the subway lines lengthen and fines for illegal parking are growing. Let’s look into non-trivial experience of five cities all over the world where city powers try to make drivers to get on the public conveyances. 

Zurich: to make drivers’ life very difficult 

Zurich city powers decided to go to direct conflict with drivers. Their initiatives intend to do the driving in the city centre unpleasant as much as possible: local drivers always undergo psychological attacks. 

So, it is forbidden to drive in many blocks around the Lovenplatz, one of the most crowded squares of Zurich. On the streets where it’s allowed to go by car there are serious speed limits: people can cross the road in any place the want and at any time. Moreover a lot of underground passages are closed down and drivers now are forces to come to a halt more frequently. . Andy Fellman, the manager of the public conveyances department of Zurich says: “Car traffic now is very difficult, drivers make a lot of stopping, and it’s our aim. We intend to give public space to pedestrians and not to simplify the drivers’ life”.

This tough policy became very efficient and provoked tides of discontent. During last five years the number of public conveyances passengers increased in 22%. There are special traffic lanes for buses to avoid traffic jams. Besides that the idea of bicycles is propagandized actively: there are a lot of bicycle paths and free cycle parkings in Zurich.

Not long ago in Zurich the Sihlcity Mall was opened, it is bigger than the New-York Atlantic Mall in three times but has parking places less. Therefore 70% customers go here by bus.

Leipzig: free tickets’ trial version

In East German Leipzig the city powers approach the question from psychological viewpoint. They started the project “Driving licence is your bus ticket”. The aim is to show the public conveyances advantages to the drivers. In April the driving licence conferred a right on free pass by buses, tramways and suburban trains. In addition not only the car owner but the whole his family could use this right. Monthly ticket in Leipzig costs 46.92 euros.

This method is like trial version of some computer program. You get accustomed it and already buy the overall cost. Interest is true: practical Germans very like the idea of familiarization free pass. Besides Leipzig is small town and a lot of citizens went for a work through some blocks without think about public conveyance using. The community appreciated at its true value. Ulf Middelberg, the manager of the public conveyance department of Leipzig says: “Thanks to this action we want to break habits. It is a small step towards to weekly, monthly or yearly ticket. It is the best possibility to economize money”. But probably such system isn’t acceptable with big cities where distances are too big.

Tokyo: technological decisions

In the Japanese capital getting to public conveyances is a job of various institutions. The displays with public conveyances popularization are installed all over the city. Policemen and private companies (since the 90s) can fine for the illegal parking right on the spot. The result showed shortly: 80% illegally parked cars disappeared from the main streets and the traffic jams shortened in 40%.

The public conveyances became very comfortable: for example, traffic lights are always green for buses. All buses have GPRS and traffic controllers can check their movements according to timetable. Although the Tokyo metro is the most intricate system in the world it is like clock-work. Waiting time is about two minutes. To increase capaciousness there are two-storeyed trains.

And even people prefer the cars to the buses their movement is organized very technologically. VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) is installed in all standard equipment cars and gives drivers information about traffic jams, time of movement, parking places and roads repairs.

Belfast: without car from little up

Now Belfast is in the top-10 of the most transport filled European cities. The dense traffic in Northern Ireland is a critical problem and so it the special program “TravelWise Northern Ireland” was created. Its main idea is instill drivers and all region inhabitants.

The government cooperates with companies in trainings conducting to make employees to bring each other to a work, or to go by bicycle and public conveyances. For these aims the web-site Nidirect.gov.uk started. Moreover this site has big sections about public conveyances advantages, about fine bicycle routs, about carsharing benefits. Also there are detailed timetables of trains and buses, the schemes of their moving and the cycle routs map. The special section for children tells them why it is good to go on foot, why to use a helmet when you’re on the bicycle or how it’s right to cross the road.

Walkit.com helps people to calculate a pedestrian rout in every big Irish city and in contrast to Google it gives you the shortest and picturesque rout.

It all together helps people give up their cars and cultivate right habits to the young generation.

Tallinn: to make the public conveyances free

In spite of wasted in traffic jams time and expensive petrol the car is comfortable and takes your personal space. And all these advantages could be prevailed only by too weighty argument. So Tallinn’s administration decided this problem by very drastic remedy: all the public conveyances will become free starting from 2013. This idea was seconded by more than 75% of the citizens. 100 thousand people use public conveyance in Tallinn every day and the EU subsidies will indemnify for shortage.

According to statistics bus tickets abolition makes it possible to economize every month more than 600 euro for one average family consisting of 3 members.

At the same time the city intends to merger two establishments: bus and tram organizations. It’ll make the transport management more efficient and less money-losing.

Also the traffic lights system will upgrade to give buses and trams the priority rights on the streets. Even the traffic jam’s problem won’t be decided these generous decisions will show an excellent social effect. Travels without fare will be most welcome for low-incomes groups, students, pensioners and, certainly, for tourists.

 

by Valentin Ivanov

For more information please visit ID-reel.com
Or join us on Facebook and LinkedIn

Territorial logos: good, better, the best!

Last time we started to view various territorial brandings, successful as a rule. At that time it was logos of Las Vegas and Melbourne cities. Today I’m going to tell you about logos of the New-York, Perm, Kazan cities and some countries such as Croatia, Estonia, France, Italy and Slovenia. Some of brands became better, some not so. 

New-York

The process of the New-York branding started in 80s and today we can say that its territorial branding is one of the most serious in XX century. City branding became an important strategy which has already proved its efficiency. In 1977 the New-York Commerce Department gave an order to Wells Rich Green agency to do an advertising campaign. Nobody knew that campaign will take longer than it was planned. Designer Milton Gleizer made a city logotype absolutely gratis. Suddenly it became the New York symbol. Logo is too simple and too successful that all New-Yorkers loved it and today a lot of territories try to copy this idea. But their attempts are unsuccessful: if people see “I love so-and-so” they remember about the New-York city immediately.

Kazan

This city is an example of how large-scale cultural and sport events can promote the branding starting. In fact this method proves its value: the city is in the centre of the events, all media watch it intently and all advantages and disadvantages are conspicuous. New Kazan logotype creation is connected with forthcoming World Students Games. New brand was placed even at the houses’ numbers. New motto “Thousands worlds of the New” is a symbol of interconnection of different cultures and religion living here together since the beginning of the time.

Perm

 

Well-known and one of the most expensive Russian designers offered a quite simple logotype for Perm (Пермь). By his opinion logo should be only the first letter of the city name – П. No decorations and ornaments. He offered to use this understandable and easy-to-read letter everywhere: from houses’ numbers to walls and benches. People were too amazed by Perm logo simplicity and clarity.

Estonia

 

Desire to become the European Union member made Estonia to brand actively. It was very necessary to create a proper image of this small Baltic country for Europeans, the EU members. Branding started in 2002, the project cost was about $1,000,000. The result is the logo and the motto “Welcome to ESTonia” or “Go to EST!”.

France

France is one of the most outstanding modern territorial brandings. This country endowed new logo with new images, filled it with a great number of means, and escaped of usual using of the state symbols. It is unique case in the territorial identification. New French logotype is airy, light, expressive and quite emotional. It correlates well with the idea of all country branding. That rebranding is very successful. It seems that the logo is drew by the hand, strive upwards and transforms into personal signature of France.

Croatia

 

Rebranding here was in 2006. I can’t say that restyling changed the composition a lot, rather the presentation style was transformed. New logo has more bright colours and sun cheer mood. The symbol became more attractive and pleasant visually, and doesn’t resemble those corporative red-blue colours more.

Slovenia

In contrast to the Croatian logo the Slovenian one underwent important changes. Besides the new type appeared it was worked out new image including three symbols: a lime leaf, a heart and the Slovenian mountain Triglav. But it was quite difficult for amateurs to identify all these symbols. Rather they make the logo like flame that correlates with the country branding in a strange way. And used colour decisions make it too dark and not such cheerful.

Italy

 

Italian logo had considerable changes. Old sign was rather dynamic in its composition and had a riot of colour. Traditional Italian flag colours are used in new logotype; it became more accurate and even ascetic but rich in meaning at the same time. Symbol supports the country motto “Italia leaves trace”

by Valentin Ivanov

 

For more information please visit ID-reel.com
Or join us on Facebook and Linkedin