Atkins' technical director Jason Hutchings explores the ways in which cities across the world can gain maximum benefit from their investment in transport, commercial and civic projects through transit oriented development (TOD). TOD facilitates and encourages the use of public transport and provides alternative revenue streams for transport providers and operators, reducing their reliance on state funding for capital investment and operation/maintenance costs. It means transit systems are more popular, accessible and better connected for the commuting population, and commercial property development can be integrated and benefit from such a holistic approach to critical city centre locations. But TOD is not without its challenges. Atkins illustrates the issues and solutions across a range of international projects. This presentation was first delivered in May 2013 at the 3rd Annual Modern Railways Conference, Singapore.

1. Transit-oriented development (TOD) – integrating
rail and commercial development schemes
3rd Annual Modern Railways Conference,
Singapore
Atkins Lectures

2. Jason Hutchings, technical
director, Architecture
29-31 May 2013

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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
TODStation property
opportunities
Case for Investment Outline business case Full business case
Land-use
optimisation
Main
Some
Little
Three-stage strategy

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

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

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design, engineering and
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excellence.
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