Key Result Areas (KRAs) On Public Transport

Key Result Areas (KRAs) on public transport as announced by the Prime Minister of Malaysia: Source: The Star

The Kelana Jaya LRT line is to get 35 new four-car train sets by 2012 as part of the Government's efforts to increase public transport usage to 25% from the present 16%.

Minister in charged of meeting the targets: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for improving public transport in a moderate period of time.

For the upgrading of public transportation, Najib announced that the Kelana Jaya LRT line would get an additional 35 sets of “4-car” trains to boost the use of public transport among those residing in the Klang Valley.

He said that according to Transport Ministry’s statistics, only 16% of the people use public transport and the Government aims to increase this to 25% by the end of 2012.

“We realise that to achieve this target would require large, sustainable and long-term investment.

“As Malaysia moves forward to achieve a developed nation status, the Government intends to provide the rakyat (people) with a comprehensive public transport system. To achieve this, we need to embark on a serious and long-term effort,” he said.

In response to this KRA, below are the key performance indicators as suggested by The Association For The Improvement Of Mass Transit (TRANSIT).
Reproduced from TRANSIT.my

The announcement made by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for the Key Result area for public transport appears to focus on a single performance indicator, the implementation of 4-carriage LRT trains on the Kelana Jaya line by 2012.

TRANSIT sees this as unacceptable since it only looks at a fraction of the available and important and necessary changes that need to be done for public transport in this country.

By limiting public transport to one easily achievable performance indicator – the 4-carriage LRT trains – Najib has set the bar very, very low on improvements to public transport.

For the record, TRANSIT knows that as many as 5 of the 4-carriage trains have already been constructed and fitted out and at least 2 of these trains have undergone testing at the Lembah Subang depot.

How about implementing some real challenges for public transport?

TRANSIT would like to suggest a few other performance indicators that should be introduced along with the 4-carriage LRT trains, such as:

Governance (to complete before the end of 2010)

• Fully convert the CVLB into the National Public Land Transport Commission, with hiring of additional personell including enforcement officers by the end of 2010;
• Create a Local Transport Authority for the Klang Valley (KUTA) under the authority of the Federal Territories Ministry to handle the planning of public transport in the Klang Valley, by the end of 2010.
• Create Local Transport Authorities in the Kinta Valley, Northern Corridor Economic Region and Iskandar Development Regionlso by the end of 2010;
• Create Transport Councils (comprising the 4-stakeholder groups) in all areas identified above by the end of 2010;
• Call for the elimination of the plainly illegal ‘pajak’ system by the end of 2010.
  

Enforcement (to complete by the end of 2011)

• By the end of 2011, hire 400-500 enforcement officers for the National Public Transport Council, who will specifically concentrate on public transport issues;
• By the end of 2011, hire at least 200 enforcement officers for the Klang Valley Local Transport Authority and at least 100 enforcement officers for all of the other Local Transport Authorities named above;
• Authorize Public Transport Enforcement Officers and Local Council Enforcement officers to have overlapping enforcement authority to increase the number of active enforcement officers;
• By the end of 2011, eforce the legislation to eliminate use of the plainly illegal ‘pajak’ system to the level that pajak use is reduced by more than 75% in Peninsular Malaysia.
  

Infrastructure and Rolling Stock (by the end of 2012-2016)

Universal Design & Accessibility

• By the end of 2014, ensure that all stations on the KTM, LRT and monorail lines as well as all intercity bus hubs are accessible and refitted according to Universal Design Principles;
• By the end of 2015, ensure that 75% of the urban buses in Malaysia are accessible and that all urban bus routes have accessible buses included in the fleet;
• By the end of 2016, ensure that all pavements around LRT stations, intercity bus hubs (to a radius of1km) and bus stops (to a radius of 250m).
  

LRT/MRT Expansion

• By 2012, convert the Kelana Jaya line to 4-carriage operations during all operations hours;
• By 2013, construct and complete the extension of the Kelana Jaya line to Putra Heights;
• By 2013, construct and complete the extension of the Ampang LRT line from Sri Petaling to Jalan Puchong and Petaling Jaya south (KTM lines);
• By 2014, construct and complete a monorail line from Tun Sambanthan monorail station to MidValley and Bandar Sunway, following the Klang River, Old Klang Road, and Jalan Puchong;
• By 2014-2015, construct and complete the extension of the Kelana Jaya line from Kelana Jaya to Shah Alam Stadium;
• By 2014-2015, Construct and complete the extension of the Ampang LRT line from Sentul Timur to Jalan Kuching or Kepong Sentral;
• By 2016, complete the central portion of the Sg. Buloh-Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur-Cheras line from Pusat Bandar Damansara to Taman Connaught;
• By 2016, begin construction on the suburban portions of the Sg. Buloh-Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur-Cheras line from Sg. Buloh to Pusat Bandar Damansara and Taman Connaught to Plaza Phoenix;
• By 2016, begin construction on the Kelana Jaya line, to expand the central core stations (from Universiti to Wangsa Maju) to cater to 8-carriage trains;
• By 2016, begin construction on a line linking Kepong Sentral to Petaling Jaya south, through Taman Tun Dr. Ismail and Bandar Sri Damansara.
  

KTM Railway/Komuter Expansion

• By 2012-2013, operate a KL-Butterworth Fast Train service;
• By 2013, begin the construction of a KTM Komuter Utara service for the Northern Corridor Economic Region, from Taiping in Perak to Alor Setar & Sg. Petani in Kedah;
• By 2014, begin the construction of a KTM Komuter Selatan service for the Iskandar Development Region, from Muar to Johor Baru;
• By 2016, begin the construction of a KTM Komuter Timur service for the East Coast Economic Region, from Kuala Terrengangu to Kuantan;
• By 2016, extend the KTM Komuter service from Seremban to Senewang and Port Dickson in the south, and from Batu Caves to Selayang in the north.
  

Integrated Transport Terminals

• By 2015, construct fully-integrated multimodal public transport terminals at Sg. Buloh (serving the north), Gombak (serving the east), and Shah Alam stadium (serving the Klang Valley and Subang Airport);
• These Integrated Transport Terminals should integrate at least 3-4 modes of public transport including at least 2 rapid-transit services, (such as KTM+LRT+Intercity Bus+ Taxi or KTM+LRT+Bus+Taxi+Intercity Bus)
  

Rolling Stock

• By 2012, order 120 units of the 3-carriages Electric Multiple Unit trains (80 units of the 4-carriage Electric Multiple Unit trains) for use on the KTM Komuter service in the Klang Valley;
• By 2013, order 20 more units of the 6-carriage Electric Multiple Unit trains for use on the KL-Ipoh and KL-Butterworth Fast Train Service;
• By 2014, place an order for 20-30 additional 4-carriage trains for service expansion (to 8-carriage trains) on the Kelana Jaya line;
• By 2016, order new trains for the KTM Komuter services in the NCER, ECER and IDR to replace original stock trains;
  

The list of performance indicators for public transport that we have posted above is a basic list that focuses only on the extension and expansion of rapid transit services that exist today.

The list may seem overwhelming and impossible at first glance but the truth is that everything on the list is achievable in the timelines given – with a political and financial committment from all levels of government and all stakeholder groups.

We have not even considered new services such as bus rapid transit or monorail in other communities, nor have we included the lines proposed in the KL City 2020 Draft Local plan.

We have also not considered basic improvements to bus operations and customer service. These are our rights as customers and should go without saying.

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Public Transport and H1N1

In the era where infectious illnesses and diseases are widespread, public transportation systems need to provide a safe and healthy environment for both passengers and workers. Gershon and colleagues (2005) carried out a structured review of scientific and grey literatures on subway safety from either the mass transit or passenger perspective. These literatures were sought out from Medline, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, HealthStar, and CINAHL. They found that apart from general safety (e.g., injuries), violence, and noise (which are the major hazards potentially associated with subways), another major concern relates to the widespread of illnesses and diseases. Here is an excerpt of this article on this issue:

"Another potential health hazard related to subways is the transmission of infectious diseases communicable through close person-to-person spread, or indirectly, through contact with a contaminated fomite (inanimate object). Although it is not inconceivable that both respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens could be spread this way, this has not been documented. Similarly, transmission of various diseases of the skin and hair [e.g., tinea capitis, ringworm of the scalp, and head and body lice (Pediculus humanus)] may also occur, either through direct contact with infected persons, or indirectly through contact with contaminated objects (e.g., seat backs, clothing). Again, this has been not documented to occur. Because rats may be a problem in some subway systems, it is important to consider diseases that may be spread by these rodents. In particular, Streptobacillus moniformis (rat bite fever), although uncommon in North and South America and most European nations, is a concern because it can be readily spread from infected rats to human through rat bites, which have been anecdotally reported to occur on subways.

Prevention of disease transmission includes maintenance of ventilation systems to lessen the likelihood of respiratory transmission of diseases and adequate sanitation of the system, including periodic disinfection of subway surfaces for other types of pathogens.

At the individual level, hand hygiene is important, including hand washing after leaving the subway and being careful to keep hands away from eyes and mouth during the trip. Control of rats is essential.

Source:
R. R. M. Gershon, K. A. Qureshi, M. A. Barrera, M. J. Erwin, and F. Goldsmith (2005). Health and Safety Hazards Associated with Subways: A Review. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Vol. 82, No. 1: p.17.


Influenza A (H1N1): Guidelines for the public transport industry
Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia

A pandemic influenza a virus (H1N1) is a newly discovered strain of the influenza virus which has infected humans in many countries around the world. The virus is constantly spreading and it is imperative that measures are taken to control this spread among the people. The public transport industry deals with the movement of large numbers of people on a daily basis and measures have to be taken to ensure that the spread of the virus is kept in check.

On Board Measures

• Where possible announcement to be made on board (train and bus) for passengers with the symptoms of influenza A (H1N1) to identify themselves.
• Transport operators, conductors or drivers of public transport should be vigilant and take necessary precautionary measures if there are passengers displaying symptoms such as high fever, headache, coughing and difficulty in breathing.
• Passengers identified as suspects are to be given appropriate protective masks and they should be isolated at the rear section of the bus allowing two rows of seats vacant in front and at the back.
• Toilets should be cleaned regularly and adequate soap and tissues should be provided for the use of such passengers at all times.
• Suspects should be advised to seek medical treatment.
• Adequate signages should be present to inform passengers regarding precautionary measures.
  

Maintain good ventilation in vehicles

• Open the windows whenever possible to ensure good ventilation.
• For closed vehicle compartments, clean the air-conditioning system frequently to maintain a clean environment.

Keep Vehicle Compartments Clean

• Make waste bins available for passengers’ use.
• Wash/wipe vehicle compartments (surfaces, door handles, railings) with diluted sodium hypochlorite (mixing 1 part of sodium hypochlorite with 99 parts of water) regularly.
• Make tissue paper available for passengers’ use when necessary.
• Make vomit bags available for passengers' use.
• If vehicle compartments are contaminated with vomitus or other body fluids, wash or wipe with diluted sodium hypochlorite (mixing 1 part of sodium hypochlorite with 49 parts of water) immediately.
• Persons doing the disinfection of the vehicle should wear mask, disposable apron and glove.
• Hygienic practices like washing of hands with water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizes after removal of the gloves should be practiced.
• All protective equipment are to be disposed off with due care.
  

Advice to Passengers:

• Observe personal hygiene.
• Wash hands with soap and water
• Avoid touching eyes and nose
• Cover the nose and mouth with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing or coughing.
• Dispose of used tissue paper appropriately.
• Use a vomit bags to hold vomitus and dispose of it properly.
• Consult a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of respiratory tract infection.
• Passengers with respiratory symptoms are advised to wear masks to reduce the chance of spread of the infection.

Advise to Drivers and Conductors

• To observe personal hygiene.
• Wash hands before and after work
• Don’t rub eyes or nose
• Do self temperature monitoring before and after work shift.
• Inform management if he develops fever and other symptoms of Influnza A (H1N1)

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Commuting Really is Bad for Your Health

Source:

2004-11-01

UK Commuters Suffer from 'Commuter Amnesia' and Higher Stress Levels than Combat Pilots and Riot Police

LONDON, 30 November, 2004 ; New research* shows that even short journeys induce higher stress levels than those experienced by fighter pilots going into combat and police officers facing rioting mobs, confirming what millions of commuters already suspected; commuting really is bad for your health. The stress levels of volunteer commuters taking part in the study conducted on behalf of Hewlett Packard, rose drastically with their heart rate and blood pressure rising rapidly as they battled to and from work on packed trains and buses.

As part of the study, commission by HP to understand the extent to which commuting may prove harmful to your health, volunteer commuters were transformed into 'bionic' travellers. Electrodes attached to commuters scalps and chests revealed that the pressure and fatigue of even a short commute can result in the 'mind temporarily switching off'. This a phenomenon known as 'Commuter Amnesia' which is a psychological defence and in this case it was triggered against the discomfort and stress of their journeys.

''This is time lost out of their lives,'' explains psychologist Dr David Lewis who analysed the study's findings. ''Since many people spend at least a working day each week travelling to and from their jobs, it means over a working lifetime commuters could be obliterating some three years of their lives! People suffering from even small levels of stress and discomfort during their journey will experience Commuter Amnesia and unless something remarkable occurs they will remember absolutely nothing about their journey.''

Findings from a wider independent study of 800 UK commuters revealed that sixty per cent of commuters do not find commuting a relaxed, punctual or pleasant experience. Instead it is typically regarded as an 'ordeal' that varies from being sometimes stressful to an exhausting, highly stressful 'nightmare'. According to the research, the longer the journey the more stressful it tends to be, which is not good news for the majority of UK workers who travel for more than 45 minutes to and from work each day. The daily commute also has an effect on how we do our jobs with over two-third of commuters admitting that they couldn't do their jobs properly due to the effects of commuting - even when their journeys had been trouble free.

Graham Long, Small-Medium Business Director, HP UK & Ireland commented, ''These findings send out a very clear message; it is time for us all to reconsider the costs and benefits of the traditional 9 to 5 office-bound working day. We know that businesses who adopt smarter, more flexible working practices reap the benefits in terms of a more mobilised, productive and motivated workforce. The current mindset of employers has made a culture of 'presenteeism' prevalent in the UK. Bosses have to stop thinking that if someone is at their desk they are working and are skiving if they are working elsewhere. The tools, technology and support needed to make businesses and their employees more flexible exist; it will now take a leap of faith from employees who are willing and able to make it happen. This leap is something that HP, as one of the worlds leading innovator and developer of mobile technology, has already taken and benefited from in the UK.''

Digby Jones, Director General, CBI, commented, "This timely HP survey confirms the very real effects of poor transport infrastructure on peoples' everyday lives. Imagine the loss to the economy if two thirds of all commuters are unable to do their jobs properly because of the stresses and strains associated with simply getting to work.

Urgent delivery of an improved transport system must become a UK government priority. Employers also need to explore the many new and creative ways of helping their staff get the job done".

To speak to HP, Dr David Lewis or one of the Bionic Travellers who took part in the study, or to request photography please call Kerry Gaffney on 020 7853 2248 or Caroline Titmuss 020 7853 2278. Out of ours please contact Kerry on 07720 277169.


Bionic Travellers
Three measures of physical and mental changes during commuting were taken. Increases in blood pressure suggest rising levels of physical tension as does an increase in heart rate. The final measurements were taken of brain activity; high levels of Beta Waves coupled with a decline in Alpha Waves can indicate anxiety, apprehension and stress. Notes were also made of which side of the brain registered the most activity.


Paul, 30, Marketing
Paul's journey from his home in South London to his office near Paddington takes over an hour and involves a bus journey and three different, crowded tubes lines. Unable to sit for most of his journey, Paul spends most his time crushed together with other passengers. The tests found that his blood pressure rose significantly on both his journeys with his heart rate peaking at around 145 beats per minute. Paul said, 'I really do dislike commuting, I find it incredibly stressful and it makes me tense. Once I reach the office all I can think about it having a cup of coffee and trying to relax before starting my day properly'.

Anna, 31, Publishing
Anna undertakes a similar journey from South London to Leicester Square, her journey also takes an hour on a good day when there are no delays. Anna's blood pressure rose sharply on her daily journey and her brain wave pattern showed she almost totally switched off her decision making process whilst she travelled to work. Anna commented 'I never realised quite how much I go into a world of my own when travelling on the tube. That explains why I sometimes find it difficult to get going when I first get to the office, especially when it has been a difficult journey.


*Research was carried out for Hewlett Packard by Dr David Lewis Consultancy. The survey comprised 800 telephone interviews amongst UK Workers who travel to their place of work on a regular basis. The research was conducted during October 2004.

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The 2007/08 Rail Evidence and Research Strategy

Source:

The 2007/08 Rail Evidence and Research Strategy updates the strategy first published in August 2006. During the last year a Rail Technical Strategy has emerged through constructive dialogue between the rail industry and Government. This is helping to provide a vision for the railways in the UK over the next 30 years. The vision is for an affordable, safe and secure railway with enhanced environmental performance and increased capacity to respond to demand growth and customers’ needs. Research and evidence collection activities are starting to respond to these challenges:

On the environment, research projects are underway to develop on-train energy metering that will provide incentives to save energy and to investigate alternative fuels such as biodiesel. Regenerative breaking and hybrid trains also offer the potential to save energy. Collaborative research is underway to quantify the benefits of these approaches. The UK (through RSSB) has also led a bid for European funding on low impact trains which, if successful, will save energy and reduce wear and tear on the track. Research is also starting to quantify the impact of climate change on the railways.

On affordability, modelling work is helping to quantify the benefits of different investment options and is providing the evidence needed to inform the High Level Output Specification and long term policy. Research projects are looking at the value of environmental improvements (CO2, noise and particulates) and linking road and rail models.

On capacity, research is seeking to understand crowding better, to consider the health and safety aspects of overcrowding and to establish the limits of the current infrastructure. The value to the economy of being able to work on trains is also being evaluated.

On safety, a wide range of projects is underway including research to investigate how to improve the safety of level crossings and the development of practical tools for measuring and managing safety. On security, best practice on managing football fans is being studied.

On meeting customers' needs, evidence on customer satisfaction is gathered annually from passengers through the National Passenger Survey. Research is also investigating options for smart ticketing, learning from technology being developed in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

Emerging research needs include:

• Satellite positioning on trains
• Benchmarking (against other countries as well as other industries)
• Capacity limits
• The impact of climate change
• Lighter weight trains
• Noise & air quality
• The value of station improvements
• Passenger's willingness to pay for reductions in crowding & journey time
• Trains monitoring track routinely
• End to end journey management
• Improved accessibility
• Assessment of test facilities
• Novel energy (hydrogen, batteries)
• Advisory speed to reduce congestion and save energy
• Cost-effective anti-terrorism measures
• Strategic freight routes

PDFC research priorities for 2007/08 and beyond

• Capacity and Crowding

A complete overhaul of current crowding advice, reflecting design of rolling stock interiors, how crowding impacts on individual customer segments and their travel experience and ideal use of time. Reviewing the link between fare and crowding as a modelling approach and considering whether a simpler non-interactive approach can be used.

• Flexibility, Price & Crowding

To look at how customers value flexibility, price and avoidance of busy services when selecting restricted, non-restricted and advance purchase tickets, and how this would relate to yield management strategies.

• Evolution of Rail Demand Drivers

To look at how the relationship with external demand drivers is changing, including changing lifestyle and working practices, demographic factors and awareness of environmental issues, and how these changes will impact on future rail demand.

• Regional Studies of Elasticities and Relationships with Demand Drivers

To undertake a series of case studies in towns and cities around the country and develop an understanding of how factors driving demand differ geographically.

• New Services/Stations

To review advice on modelling potential demand for new stations and train services and services that have received major upgrades.

• Demand Profiles

Research current demand profiles and journey factors to provide alternatives to the outdated profiles used by ORCATS and for season ticket suspense.

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How United Kingdom tackles crowding issues

Eddington, R. (December 2008). The Eddington Transport Study

In November 2008, the Secretary of State for Transport issued a formal consultation paper entitled “Delivering a Sustainable Transport System6” (DaSTS). Here is an extract from the introduction by the Secretary of State for Transport:

"When TaSTS was published, economic prospects were good. Today, the global economy is in trouble. Governments, companies and households across the world have to think harder about their priorities. In the UK, we need to support people and businesses through the downturn, and help them emerge stronger on the other side. We have thought hard about transport's contribution to this. The Government remains committed to investment and to tackling the problems of congestion and crowding. The Eddington study warned that congested cities, crowded trains, delays at ports and queues at airports are not just a nuisance to individual travellers. They are also a tax on the productivity of our businesses and a deterrent to inward investment. If we don’t tackle them, they will become a brake on economic growth and on employment".

The rail congestion statistics presented above relate to trains on sections of track; these need to be supplemented by the extent of excess loading on trains (high load factors). Eddington provides forecasts of crowding on trains arriving London29. Forecasts for 2026 show significant overcrowding with 15% of long distance demand being suppressed in the peak in the reference case (suppression on LSE outer suburban services is 11% and on inner suburban services 7%). Only a modest amount of this suppression is likely to transfer to other periods of the day.

Rail has the capacity to transport more passengers than it does today, through the enhancement of signalling systems and increasing capacity or length of rolling-stock, but it is also the case that railways can operate more trains per hour if they run are at similar speeds, rather than differing speeds. Increased rail capacity can reduce crowding and have an economic value which needs to be taken into account in the appraisal of HSR (pg. 28).

Journey comfort also matters. Comfort allows business passengers to work whilst travelling and is reflected in business paying considerably higher prices for first class travel. Commuter and non-work/leisure travellers also value comfort, and quality enhancements can significantly improve the attractiveness of travel. Uncomfortable travel conditions manifest, for example, through severe overcrowding, may stop people from travelling or result in travel at different times or by different mode.9 For commuters, travelling under crowded conditions can ultimately impact on their productivity level at work (For an example of the effect quality can have on public transport, in this case buses, see: London bus services: A Review of demand and costs, TAS consultancy for DfT, June 2006.).

Crowding on trains

Passengers’ concerns about crowding are our most common complaint, particularly about commuter trains in London & the South East.

Crowding can be inconvenient, uncomfortable and lead to unpleasant travelling conditions, especially when passengers must stand very close together.

• Who has responsibility for levels of crowding?

The Department for Transport (DfT) monitors the levels of crowding. They encourage train operating companies to plan their timetables to accommodate the passengers expected throughout the morning and evening peak periods. Separate regimes penalize operators for late trains or for services that do not meet the agreed timetable.

• Do train operating companies have to do anything about crowding?

Commuter train operators are required to carry out passenger counts to demonstrate that adequate capacity is provided. This ensures that franchised operators properly address the issue of capacity requirements in peak periods.

Train operators must agree with DfT a timetable and train plan showing the proposed allocation of rolling stock to services as necessary, to comply with a contractual limit on overcrowding over the next year and subsequently throughout the franchise term.

Where an operator of a London commuter train service exceeds levels of train crowding specified in the franchise contract, DfT can require the operator to produce an action plan for providing more capacity and alleviating overcrowding.

• Are there any safety measures in place?

There is no legal limit on the number of passengers that can travel in any given train coach. In this, trains differ from other modes of transport – most notably buses and aeroplanes. The heavy engineering involved, means that trains are designed to operate effectively and safely even when they are fully loaded to maximum capacity.

The numbers of passengers on-board does not affect a train’s operating performance or its structural integrity. Other transport modes limit passenger numbers because of operational stability problems.

Although train incidents are relatively rare, it is true that the more heavily laden a train, the greater the number of passengers who are likely to be at risk in the event of an incident.

Research commissioned in 1999 confirmed that while overcrowding had led to increased numbers of injuries due to the increase in passengers, overcrowding itself did not contribute to the severity of the incident or injuries received.

The health and safety risks that arise to passengers because of crowding are normally very low. There are some areas where ORR has concerns and is involved. These include overcrowding:

* in emergency evacuation;
* on platforms and stations; and
* on underground routes in hot weather.

• Law and standards

Our overall approach to overcrowding is to ensure that those responsible manage risks to the health and safety of employees and non-employees (including passengers) ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’. This is a legal requirement of the the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 etc.

This requires employers to make a judgment that balances the scale and the severity of a risk against the cost of control (in terms of time, effort and money). If the costs are grossly disproportionate to the risks posed then the control measures is considered not to be reasonably practicable.

The other key piece of legislation is: Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006;

• Health and safety risks of crowding?

We believe that current health and safety framework is proportionate to the risk posed by overcrowding. We do not believe that there is sufficient evidence or grounds for introducing new legislation to control overcrowding because of health and safety risks.

The DfT through its contractual arrangements with train operating companies (on trains and stations) and infrastructure controllers (at key stations) are better placed to take measures to tackle the causes and consequences of overcrowding as they relate to passenger comfort and well-being.

However, we will continue to review the available evidence on links between overcrowded trains and ill health effects on passengers.

Additionally train operating companies (TOCs) and Network Rail have plans to manage risks associated with emergency evacuations, overcrowding on station platforms, underground routes in hot weather, the design of rolling stock, and the management of train and infrastructure failures.

• Types of crowding

Although we don’t have overall responsibility for crowding on trains, there are situations where we can enforce legislation.

1. During emergency evacuations
In most instances it is far safer for passengers to stay on board a train after an incident rather than get out. This is because of the presence of other trains and ‘live’ tracks.

2. On platforms and stations
Station operators safety include strategic and day-to-day management procedures for dealing with crowded platforms. These usually involve station managers taking specific action to control access to the platform when necessary to regulate overcrowding.

3. On underground routes in hot weather
Rolling stock and infrastructure failures in deep tunnels can cause more specific health concerns. This is due to the increased temperatures and reduced ventilation that may be encountered by passengers on delayed and overcrowded carriages, particularly during summer months.

In such cases health and safety law requires employers to put arrangements in place to reduce the risks.

N.B.: We aim to produce similar procedures and outcomes through our research, which in turn can contribute to theory, practice, policy or a combination of these.

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Are trains overcrowded?

Source

RAIL PASSENGER GROUPS reacted angrily after industry bosses investigating conditions on the nation's trains claimed there was no such thing as overcrowding.

The remark is set to anger millions of commuters who suffer the daily grind of squeezing on to a packed train.

And industry bosses said that high passenger numbers were a sign of success and while a journey in a confined, unventilated space may be uncomfortable, it is not dangerous.

The term overcrowding has simply been banned on the trains. Instead Rail Safety and Standards Board bosses want us to use the term 'crowding'.

Clive Williams, of the Rail Passengers Committee, said: 'Crowding is crowding. Rather than arguing over which term to use, the RSSB should be looking into additional carriage provision and how to improve the railways.'

Cathy Gilleece, RSSB spokeswoman, said: 'Our project is about crowding and that's what we're calling it.'

But Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said: 'They are playing with words. Passengers understand what overcrowding is.'

Source 2:

Rail passengers suffering 'daily trauma' on overcrowded trains

Overcrowding routinely experienced by commuters on Britain's trains is "positively frightening" and will get worse, MPs reported yesterday.

The Commons Transport Committee urged train companies to take immediate action to tackle the problem which amounted to a "daily trauma" for many passengers. The regime for monitoring overcrowding was "absurd", the MPs said, because it was calculated once a year throughout an operator's franchise area, rather than on specific routes in the rush hour. The system "significantly understated the true level of crowding", they added.

The committee's report, Overcrowding on Public Transport, said stricter performance criteria should be introduced to force operators to improve a "difficult, unpleasant and unacceptable" situation.

Gwyneth Dunwoody, the committee chairman, said train companies tolerated packed trains because it was profitable to do so. She said that overcrowding had a major impact on commuters' quality of life. "Overcrowding is not an act of God," she said. "It is something that can be dealt with and should be dealt with urgently."

The report found that some companies, such as Arriva, which runs trains in the north of England, were using the supposed requirements of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as an "excuse'' for failing to tackle the issue. Arriva told the committee that it could not run trains which were longer than platforms at particular stations, but the HSE told MPs that it was prepared to assess such applications on a case-by-case basis.

The inquiry found it was "commonplace'' for trains to be so full that passengers could not enter or leave them. The MPs said overcrowding was "bad, and is likely to get worse" and staff reported for work "tired, stressed and uncomfortable" after difficult journeys. It also found that the problem was not confined to the south-east of England but was experienced in northern England and Scotland among other areas.

While the present lack of capacity on the network pre-dated the Government's 10-year transport plan, ministers should not be complacent, the report said. Overcrowding was caused by a number of underlying problems, such as a lack of track and trains, a flawed franchise system, a sub-standard and unreliable network and trains that were often too short for particular services.

The report said: "Some crowding can be inevitable at peak times, but our inquiry has convinced us that the level of overcrowding is so great that many travellers face daily trauma on their journeys."

The MPs said that they were "astonished" that it had been left to the Rail Passengers Council to take the lead in research into the health effects of overcrowding. MPs called on the Strategic Rail Authority to ensure that train "sets'' were sufficiently flexible so that coaches could be added to them when necessary and that rolling stock could be used all over the network.

The Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, said the problem was being addressed by increasing capacity through new trains and more reliable services. But he warned: "There are no quick fixes."

N.B.: How about in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley? Tell us about your journey into work - is it overcrowded, late or stressful?

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Book Chapter Invitation

PROJECT 2 DETAILS:

• Title of book: Contemporary Issues in Malaysian Psychology, 2nd Edition
• Tentative chapter title: Cultural influences on the perceptions of and reactions to crowding
• Type of Publication: Edited Book
• Length of article: 15-20 pages (single space)
• Theme: Contemporary issues in Malaysia at present; major issues and challenges being addressed in your subfield in Malaysia; and how have research in cross-cultural and indigenization added to that knowledge-base.
• Publisher: Thomson
• Editor: Noraini M. Noor
• Target group of readers: University psychology instructors, students and others who may be interested to know more about contemporary issues in Malaysian psychology.

Important Dates:

Submission of abstract: September 15, 2009 (150-200 words)
Submission of draft: March 15, 2010

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