Sustainable public transport: A Central European Study

Abstract

The paper studies the sustainable development opportunities of the public passenger transport market. The main aim of the research is to improve the competitiveness of sustainable public transport. The study focuses on the main problems of the indust­ry and on the exploration of solutions to these problems; therefore grounded theory is applied based on qualitative in-depth interviews of experts in Hungary. The research aims to explore transport policy and analyse marketing tools for encouraging public transport demand, while generating debates on intervention issues, in order to either confirm or impugn the present situation. The resulted grounded theory has brought attention to the necessary reform of transport institutions; to transport policy integrated settlement development; to public transport development proceeding from supply improvement; and finally, the need of improving awareness via education. The conclusion of the research is also that external fund allocation is necessary, via such means as emerging libe­ralization and public-private partnership, and that more demand responsive transport should be introduced, while taking into account sustainable consumption.