Abstract 1/2015

Table of content

Urszula Duda – Overview of kiss and ride zones signs  in selected countries

Irena Fryc, Adam Więcko – The impact of bicycle lighting on road safety

Artur Budzowski – Problem of Cracow’s International Railway Connections  in the Context of the Plan of Sustainable Development of the Public Transport

Aleksandra Ciastoń-Ciulkin – Quality of transport services and its components – theoretical academic approach

 

Abstracts

Urszula Duda

Overview of kiss and ride zones signs  in selected countries

Abstract:  Kiss and ride zone signs have been determined in  legal regulations only in few cases (by indication a sign pattern that should be applied in the national system of road signs). Most countries mark kiss and ride  zones by using especially designed pictograms. However they cannot be used as a measure to punish against the law behavior of drivers. To make drivers use kiss and ride zones properly, together with K+R pictograms, also no parking road signs are applied. Thus there is also indication of legal regulation concerning parking in these special zones. In this article author shows possibilities of kiss and ride zones marking in selected countries. There are included examples of measures from several countries. This article  is complemented with the list of pictograms that are used to mark kiss and ride zones in different countries . In the article Polish kiss and ride zones signs  have been considered in reference to formal issues. Several examples of kiss and ride signs in our country have been presented. It is also emphasized  that areas of the kiss and ride zone are provided as well with the Polish  road sign, B-35. The article describes several examples of these zones in  different  Polish cities.

Keywords: kiss and ride, K+R, travel behaviors, interchanges

 

Irena Fryc, Adam Więcko

The impact of bicycle lighting on road safety

Abstract: The popularity of the bicycle use in transportation during daily trips such as commuting to work, school, shopping or during tourist trips to the areas outside cities is increasing. The use of the bicycle is also inscribed into prevailing fashion for eco-friendly lifestyle and it has been recognized as an excellent way of recreation. Unfortunately, with the increasing popularity of bicycles, the number of road accidents involving them is also growing. These accidents are caused by failure to follow the traffic rules and regulations, lack of proper lighting of roads and roadsides and poor visibility of road cyclists. In order to increase the traffic safety, each particular country in the EU is having rules for use of bicycles and mandatory requirements for bicycle lighting equipment. Therefore, while planning to bike in another country bicycle’s users should have proper bicycle lighting equipment. The article contains an analysis of the requirements of the mandatory lighting bicycle equipment in different EU countries. The article also revealed the existence of the impact of bicycle lighting rules on the number of road bicycle accidents, in particular country.

Keywords: bicycle,  bicycle lamps, headlamps, reflective elements, traffic safety

 

Artur Budzowski

Problem of Cracow’s International Railway Connections  in the Context of the Plan of Sustainable Development of the Public Transport

Abstract: The problem of international connections between Małopolska and neighbouring regions has been brought up due to the unfavourable changes of the offer, resulting with resignation of passengers from the railway transport. In order to illustrate the changes in the offer of long-distance and local passenger trains crossing the south border of Poland, the timetables of  the last 20 years have been analyzed. It has been noted  that during last few years the number of connections between Southern Poland and neighbouring countries, especially Slovakia, has been dramatically decreased. Review on law acts and government documents determining  frames  organisation of international railway transport services in Poland has been carried out. In particular, the consequences of the Plan of sustainable development of the public transport in the range of communication network in interregional and international passenger railway transport have been outlined. It has been proven, that one of the reasons of the decrease of the offer quality is deteriorating condition of the Polish railway infrastructure. Basing on results of inspection of current modernisation and revitalisation processes conducted on selected railway lines, some opportunities of the international connections development between Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as Slovakia have been proposed. The improvement of the current situation needs comprehensive solutions, e.g. wide subsidizing of domestic and trans border interregional express connections have been indicated.

Keywords: rail transport, international transport, interregional connections, Central Europe

 

Aleksandra Ciastoń-Ciulkin

Quality of transport services and its components – theoretical academic approach

Abstract: Thearticle presents considerations concerning quality of transport services. Definition of the quality – which meaning in the context of economical development is enhanced and evolved – is a starting point for the consideration. A quality, including quality of transport services, nowadays is becoming something more than only level of meeting customer’s requirements.  This approach – presenting quality in reference to the economy – is insufficient in the times of sustainable development. This is why, while defining quality of transport services, not only economical but also ecological and social aspects are taken under consideration.  This change of approach to the transport quality is presented in the article. Besides, analysis of quality feature’s, determined in the literature on the subject – significant from the quality of transport services point of view – has been presented. There are different proposed sets of features describing quality of public transport services. Their analysis contributes with the consideration that many a time proposed specifications have many elements in common and differences are related most of all with the way of  combination some features in one – synthetic feature, and also with  excluding some features considered as less significant or including rarely applied or specific features. Usually, presented sets of features of public transport services are coincident with the economical approach and take under considerations features important from the passengers’ point of view.

Keywords: public transport,quality, transport quality, quality attributes