Bus remains the favourite mode of transport in
dense urban areas, according to EMTA Barometer [[EMTA Barometer is a benchmark of transport networks
performances across EMTA members for more
www.emta.com section Publication]].
These past ten years however, have seen tramways
back into cities. They gained increasing popularity
thanks to their elegant design, silent power energy
and smooth sliding into the densest areas of our
busiest cities at times on a green grass carpet.
Tramways though need important and costly
infrastructure work, they disrupt the local traffic
for months if not years during construction, and call for a significant number of passengers which can be met only on specific
routes and not everywhere even in a dense urban area.
The innovative concept-bus T ZEN project in Ile de France, under the initiative of
STIF, challenges the Tramway services and yet adapts itself to smaller conurbations
and lower patronage.
T ZEN falls under the High Quality Bus Service, it retains the efficiency of space
allocation resource, and aims to particularly serve average dense areas-where urban
planning is developing-and places to and from which mobility flows are important.
T ZEN is a system-service. It operates exclusively on dedicated lanes and serves
stations that respond to a highly effective and modern design, clearly recognisable
by the travellers. The economic efficiency of T ZEN is supported by the optimization
of quality criteria related to punctuality, high frequency and reliability, travel information display and user friendly design.
T ZEN key features
- dedicated bus lanes, possibly transformed later on into tram tracks if capacity
requires, - stations designed alike tramway stations and in average 500m apart,
- advanced ITS for right of way at intersection and real time information on board
and at stations, - design-for-all features ensure level access to stations,
- higher Euro V environment standards compatible,
- high quality of service criteria,
- 10 pilot lines will be deployed in a first phase,
- construction of a first lane starts in 2009, service to be opened in Spring 2011.
More than a bus, the innovative T ZEN-concept mode will provide reliable mobility
speed and enjoyable travel experience. It will bring an economic-efficient response
to the peripheral and/or new urban schemes, reinforcing the structure and
optimizing the connections of the existing bus network while offering all the
adaptability of bus services.