Transit-oriented development (TOD) – integrating

rail and commercial development schemes

3rd Annual Modern Railways Conference,

Singapore

Atkins Lectures

Jason Hutchings, technical

director, Architecture 29-31 May 2013

Developing an integrated solution

from the start

In any process, the ability to affect

change is greatest at the

beginning, and the cost of change

is greatest at the end.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) projects

are complex and take a long time to deliver but

must include the requirements of other sectors

as early as possible.

What is transit-oriented

development (TOD)?

TOD allows the transport operator to benefit

from alternative revenue, and increased

ridership. In turn, this provides opportunity for

better services to be offered to the public.

One third of Hong Kong’s Mass

Transit Railway Corporation

revenue comes from non-fare

box receipts.

Profit Diversity – Mass Transit

Railway Corporation (Hong Kong)

In Hong Kong, operating profit from the transport services (blue) is less than profit

from other businesses. This profit allows re-investment in the transport system and

means the operator can always provide a world-class service.

Profit from retail and

property

management

Transport /

land use

Planning

Stage one - Strategy Planning Stage two - Station Planning Stage three - Scheme Development

Transport corridor

plan

Preliminary Route

Investigation

Engineering

Property

Retail

Advertising

Fare box

Constr. cost

Positive Impact

on Profit

Property

Railway /

Station

Design

Financing

Strategy

Property master plan

Station planning

Alignment engineering

Railway operations

Transport

network plan

Station design layout

Engineering design

Commercial / retail plan

Property design

TOD/ Urban Design

TOD Station property

opportunities

Case for Investment Outline business case Full business case

Land-use

optimisation

Main

Some

Little

Three-stage strategy

Civil benefits of TOD –

Birmingham New Street Station (UK)

In Birmingham (UK), Atkins’ re-development of New Street station as a TOD is

promoting movement of pedestrians through the centre of the city and acting as a

catalyst for urban regeneration to the South.

Old New

Civic benefits of TOD –

Birmingham New Street Station (UK)

This refurbishment project (the largest in Europe) creates an innovative transport

interchange, a place to meet and a destination at the heart of the city.

Social benefits of TOD –

Pingouyuan, Beijing (China)

In providing good, safe connections to adjacent plots, this TOD is supported by the

government as it increases the value of land and acts a catalyst for urban regeneration

in this previously industrial area.

Understanding passenger

movement is a key part of the

success of TOD retail and

commercial planning.

TOD resolves and improves

transport services

The reprovision of a large bus station in the

basement of this TOD project in Chongqing

(China) improved transport services,

reduced congestion, and provided a flow of

people through the retail areas.

TOD resolves and improves

transport services

By designing a waiting ‘lounge’ above the bus station

(similar to Birmingham New Street), passengers are

provided with improved conditions, amenity and direct

access to/through the retail mall.

TOD connects sites and

increases safety for pedestrians

For Atkins’ TOD design in Guizhou (China), all four parts

of the project are connected by a retail ‘ring’, which

provides safe and convenient pedestrian movement

to/from the station, and above the busy road intersection.

TOD connects sites and increases

safety for pedestrians

The ‘ring’ is a retail bridge, increasing the developer’s ability to generate revenue and

creating an exciting, vibrant and safe environment for the public and for residents of

the towers and adjacent developments.

Transport planning and passenger

movement analysis

Atkins use computer modeling to predict the movement of people through transport

projects, like this one in Norway, and identify possible congestion, overcrowding or

inefficient design.

Transport planning and passenger

movement analysis

Other programmes predict how people will move through cities and buildings based

on visibility. (That is, people are likely to move to where or what they can see.)

This is a heat map of Leeds (UK) showing highly visible areas in red.

High

Low

Visual

Connections

Transport planning and passenger

movement analysis

How far can a person see in the city, and if they move what can they see then?

This Atkins computer program determines the visual connectivity of a place.

1 2

3 4

Combining people movement

and value

By combining the analysis of people movement with land-use and value, Atkins is

helping London authorities plan successful and vibrant streets.

Combining people movement

and value

In Washington DC (USA), Atkins is identifying which shops people are more likely to

walk past. We are then able to improve circulation to create increased opportunities for

commercial success.

Summary

1. Consider TOD at the beginning of a project, to maximise sustainability

2. Recognise the value of public transport and integrate the network

3. Holistic masterplanning to maximise public transport use

4. Locate stations to serve existing communities and facilitate future growth (including urban regeneration)

5. Maximise connectivity and encourage and engage modal transfer

6. Think horizontally and vertically.

For more information contact: Jason Hutchings jason.hutchings@atkinsglobal.com

Celebrating 75 years of

design, engineering and

project management

excellence.

www.atkinsglobal.com