Policy integration and intermodalit: the keystone for achieving results and success

摘要

Since 30 years, the Montpellier agglomeration is characterized by an increasing urbanization supported by a solid urban project focused on tram line development plans. All important facilities, the new universities and densely populated quarters are placed next to existing or future tram lines. Urban development moves from the "urban archipelago" of housing development on the city outskirts to the "third millennium residences", denser and better defined. The mobility policy acts globally integrating the transformation of the whole historical city centre into a pedestrian reserved area, a large belt of payable parking spaces around the central district without free parking, a bus network built around the three tram lines and a strategy strongly promoting the use of bicycles. Intermodality is worked out even in the construction details of the exchange points which systematically gather together urban and suburban buses, car-parks, bicycle parks, self-service cycle hire and car-sharing around tram stations. The coherency of this policy assumed by the operator TaM has led to an impressive commercial success at a decent cost. Within ten years, the number of customers has doubled and the "income of patronage" have tripled.