Developing public transport

The Finnish Capital Region has an efficient transport system. Traffic flows well, thanks in part to effective public transport. The City of Helsinki plays a key role in developing public transport and Helsinki City Transport aims to offer all citizens equal possibilities to travel, creating a base for a sustainable city.

A private car offers good service but only if there is enough capacity on the traffic network. But traffic keeps growing. An old truth all traffic engineers recognise well is that an empty space tends to be filled. This means that more capacity only creates more traffic. It is important to realise that the problem of growing car traffic can not be solved by increasing street capacity, the only sustainable solution is to make public transport more competitive in relation to the private car.

The Planning unit of Helsinki City Transport is constantly working on many projects of various sizes. Many of these projects currently involve using information technology to improve the quality and punctuality of public transport services. These projects are all part of measures being taken to make public transport more competitive in relation to the private car.

Real time passenger information and traffic signal priorities

One of the longest running projects is the traffic signal priority and passenger information system (HELMI). The current system was implemented in 1999 on one bus and one tram line. Since then the system has grown to include all 10 tram lines and 12 central bus routes. These consist of 120 trams, 135 buses and 200 intersections fitted with necessary equipment as well as displays on 35 central stops. The system is based on combined GPS and odometer positioning and wireless communication between vehicles, traffic signal controllers and a central computer. The operational cost savings afforded by signal priorities give the system an extremely high costbenefit ratio even in pure monetary terms. HELMI will be extended to three new bus lines during 2007 with more to follow.

A mobile broadband Internet connection for buses and trams is currently in test phase. The connection is based on Flash-OFDM technology, which utilises the radio spectrum previously used by analogue MNT 450 mobile phones. This provides a data transfer speed of 1–1.5 Mbit/s and is compatible with moving vehicles. In the current pilot project this connection is used to transmit GPS based vehicle location information and provide a WLAN Internet connection for passengers. The vehicle location information is made available via a standard interface and further applications can then provide services such as traffic signal priorities and map visualisations. Possible future applications for the connection include VoIP telephony between drivers and traffic controllers, on-line video surveillance and possibly also a communications base for the next generation travel card system.

Easy journey planning

‘My Departures’ is an Internet based virtual monitor application, which provides information about public transport departures. The user can select a combination of lines and stops and a list of the next departures is then displayed based on these selections. Real time information from the HELMI system is used when available while other times are estimated from timetables. Information about possible disturbances in public transport is also displayed on the screen.

My Departures can be accessed with any web browser. A full screen mode is provided and can be used to create inexpensive information monitors for use in public places or inside shops or other places of business. The same information is also available via mobile phone and digital television.

The online ‘Journey Planner’ is a highly popular Internet service with over 70,000 users per day. The service is provided by Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV). Currently timetable based routing is offered for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, the surrounding municipalities of Kerava and Kirkkonummi and certain nearby commuter train stations. Routes can be viewed on a map and in addition to the basic options users can alter search parameters such as walking speed and minimum transfer time. Also the mobile version of the Journey Planner has worked very well. A version of the Journey Planner for cyclists and walkers will be launched during 2007.

‘KAMO – A Mobile Guide for City Residents’ is based upon new Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The service aims at simplifying travelling in city traffic. A passenger can, for example, view a stop’ s next departures on his or her mobile phone screen by touching a tag at the stop with their mobile phone.

The service also provides the option of buying a mobile ticket, tracking a chosen route in real time and choosing a route. Route guidance is available from door to door. In the future, KAMO can also be enhanced with additional services, such as news of interest to passengers – whether forecasts, information on events and public or commercial notices.

Tags read by mobile phone cameras instead of NFC are used in the ‘Upcode’ pilot project. These tags are placed at some public transport stops and provide instant access to the timetables for the stop via the My Departures service.

The fare and ticketing system in change

Mobile tickets based on text messages have been offered in Helsinki since August 2001 and are now considered a basic service. The tickets are currently valid on all rail-based modes of public transport within the Helsinki city limits, the ferry to Suomenlinna, and selected bus routes. Approximately 20% of all single tickets and over a third of single tickets on trams are sold via text messages. Benefits include increased ticket sales due to ease of use when compared to cash, as well as time savings due to less tickets being sold by drivers. The goal is to further expand the system in the near future.

The current first generation contactless smart card ticketing system has been in use in the Helsinki metropolitan area since 2001. The next generation of ticketing will begin with the introduction of new standards based cards from 2009 onwards. The process will then proceed with the aim of replacing the whole system by 2014. New features will include compatibility with integrated tickets for mobile phones and Internet based ticket sales. The tariff system of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will also be reviewed as part of the next generation travel card project. The planning unit is working on this in cooperation with the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV).

Art and cleaner environment

The ‘artistic tram’ is a project for the benefit of the urban environment. A limited amount of trams will be fully covered by individual works of art. The tram interiors will also receive artistic decorations. These trams will run on varying routes and can be tracked with an Internet map application. Sponsorships will be accepted, but no logo advertisements will be allowed in order to maintain the integrity of the artwork. The project has not started yet.

A pilot application of the second generation biofuel NExBTL (Next Genaration Biomass to Liquid) is planned for buses and refuses collection vehicles in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Up to 700 buses could use the new fuel by 2010 if the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Trade and Industry provide the necessary support. The theoretical value of the environmental benefits of this project has been estimated at €5.5 million per year.

Automation of the metro in Helsinki

After years of preparation, finally in the spring of 2006, the City Council of Helsinki decided that the Helsinki metro will be automated and driverless.

The automated driverless metro makes it technically and economically possible to shorten the current intervals, which in turn reduces the total travel time. The automated metro makes it possible to adjust traffic capacity more flexibly, because the amount of metro cars can immediately be increased or decreased according to the amount of passengers. Thus trains get less crowded and the extra costs from running empty trains can be avoided. The increasing amount of automation increases safety by diminishing the possibility of human errors. Shorter trains make it possible to build shorter stations in the future. The goal of the project is both better service for passengers and cost reduction.

The traffic control system of the current metro in Helsinki will be renewed so that it enables driverless traffic. The current Electric Multiple Unit’s (EMUs) will continue in traffic, but they will be changed to suit driverless traffic. Special attention will be paid to passenger safety: platform safety will be secured by a guide way intrusion detection system (GIDS) or possibly by platform screen doors. The interiors of the automated metro cars will be monitored by a recording camera system. The pictures of the surveillance cameras can be observed in real time in the metro control centre. Also, fire safety will be improved by installing fire alarms in the metro trains. The data communications between the metro train and the central system, required by the automated metro, will be carried out over the radio.

The introduction of the automated metro makes it possible for the metro drivers to take on more varied tasks with more direct customer service. The renewing of the traffic control system also facilitates the extending of the metro line to Espoo. The current traffic control system is nearing the end of its life span. Its maintenance is becoming increasingly difficult and the alteration work needed is difficult and expensive.

Now, in spring of 2007, the invitation to tender for the project will be released. The goal is to get the purchase contract signed by the end of 2007, so that the project can begin early in 2008. The main challenge of the project is to build and commission the new system without interrupting or disturbing the metro traffic on the existing line. The duration of the project will be approximately five years.

Conclusion

As mentioned, these projects are only some of the measures the Helsinki Region is employing to make public transport more competitive. Public transport has to be developed, however, with a wide range of measures. Investing in metro and tram infrastructure, giving more priorities for buses and trams and increasing the share of alternative fuels are some of other measures to provide better public transport and better traffic system for the citizens.