BusConnects - Cork Bus Network

Appetite for change
How much change is desirable and tolerable, given changes benefitting the larger population will be disruptive to some people? We can make most peoples’ journeys faster and better by changing the network, but it is not possible to make it better for every person nor for every current user.

People have built habits around the existing bus network. Any changes, no matter how beneficial, will be inconvenient for some people. Possible inconveniences include having to walk a little further, or having to change buses for trip on which it's not required now. Should network changes that improve service for most people be considered, despite inconvenience to some people?
Give your opinion on a scale from 1 (no existing bus users should be inconvenienced in any way) to 5 (we should design a network that provides maximum benefits to large numbers of people, regardless of the inconvenience to some existing users).

1 (Minimise inconvenience)2345 (Maximise benefit)Not sure
Defining “success” for the Cork bus network
What would it mean for a new Cork bus network to be “successful” in your opinion? Some public transport goals are in tension with one another, and within a limited budget we cannot maximise the pursuit of every goal at once. Your input on some of the goals that trade-off against one another can help us prioritise.
Which of these goals are most important in the design of the Cork Metropolitan Area bus network? (Select two.)

High patronage - Large numbers of people using transport.Reducing vehicle travel and carbon emissions - Fewer people traveling fewer kilometers by car, with the resulting reduction in harmful emissions.Limiting congestion - Continued growth of Cork’s population and economy without more growth in congestion.Inclusion of people with severe needs or disadvantages - Provision of bus routes that help people in situations of disadvantage be independent and participate in society.Inclusion of all developed areas - Provision of transport in all developed parts of the Cork Metropolitan Area, regardless of the needs of people in each area and regardless of patronage.
Designing for short walks or short waits
Focusing service on key corridors to make some routes more frequent can actually make people’s trips faster, despite requiring longer walks. This increases access to opportunity within a reasonable travel time, gets people where they are going sooner, and typically leads to higher patronage.
Which is more important to you? Short walks to bus stops, or short waits to use the bus? (Choose one.)

Short walks are more important.No preference.Short waits are more important.I‘ll do whatever gets me to my destination soonest.Not sure.
If you selected “short walks”, what influenced this choice? (Check all that apply.)

Not enough useful footpaths or crossings.Bad weather.Hills.I’m concerned for my safety while walking.I have physical difficulty walking.I transport children or others who need my care.I have a lot to carry.Other
If you selected “short waits” or “whatever gets me to my destination soonest”, what influenced this choice? (Check all that apply.)

I need to get where I’m going quickly.I don’t like waiting.Bad weather.I’m concerned for my safety while waiting.Other
Interchange vs complexity
There is a trade-off between interchange and complexity that arises in many transport networks. The more a transport network is designed to avoid interchange, the more complex it will be, and the poorer the frequency of many routes.

While we would all prefer a one-seat ride instead of waiting for a second bus, such a system would spread service thin, make routes less frequent and thereby make the entire network less useful. Even with increased service, there is a limit to how many routes can run at high frequency if avoiding interchange remains important.

Free interchange

Note that as part of the BusConnects improvements to transport fares, the additional charge to interchange will be eliminated in Cork. Other improvements will also be made that make interchange less unpleasant, such as better bus stops and shelters and better bus reliability. Once interchange is free, should the network still be designed to help people avoid it?
If some additional interchange would result in greater access and faster journeys for most people, would that be worthwhile?

Less interchange is so important to me that I am willing to accept poorer frequencies, long journey times and a more complex network.No preference.Higher frequencies, faster journeys or a simpler network are so important to me that I am willing to accept more interchange.I’m not sure.
If you selected “less interchange”, what influenced this choice? (Check all that apply.) (These are phrased in reference to yourself but you are also welcome to answer out of concern for other people in these situations.)

I don’t want to pay a second fare. (Note that the second fare will be eliminated as part of BusConnects.)I am concerned about missing the second bus if I make a trip that includes interchange.I have physical difficulty getting on and off of buses, or walking.I transport children or others who need my care, and changing buses is difficult with them.I want to stay out of bad weather as much as possible.I have a lot to carry.Other
If you selected “more interchange”, what influenced this choice? (Check all that apply.) (These are phrased in reference to yourself but you are also welcome to answer out of concern for other people in these situations.)

I need to get where I’m going quickly.I don’t like waiting.I want a simpler network.I want the network to have higher patronage because it serves goals I care about.Other
Tell us about you

Please take a moment to answer the following questions to help us understand if we are reaching a representative cross section of the public.
How often did you use public transport before the COVID pandemic began? (Choose one.)

All the timeMost of the timeSometimesRarelyNever
How often do you use public transport today, in July 2021? (Choose one.)

All the timeMost of the timeSometimesRarelyNever
Where do you live? (Choose one.)
How old are you? (Check one.)

17 or under18-2425-4445-6465-7475 or over
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