BUDAPEST METRO LINE 4 FEASIBILITY STUDY

Oktober 1996

PLANNING ASSESSMENT

Master Planning

The Master Plan - System and Current Position

As noted in the Study Terms of Reference, planning process in the City has for many years involved two complementary documents: a Master Plan for the City and a Transport Development Plan. The last review cycle was carried out in the mid 1980's, and a new cycle is in the process of implementation, the status of which is as follows:

1. A Report "the Programme for the Master Plan" has been approved. This sets strategy in terms of the location and nature of economic and other activity, the more detailed Master Plan land use and zoning plans now being under preparation.
2. The Transport Development Plan has been confirmed as official policy of the Transport Department within the Municipality. Although it is not based on a full land use/transport study, the essential components are identified and the current stage in the plan process is definition and agreement of the main priorities.

The emerging Budapest Master Plan describes Government's policy for the "future Budapest" with significant change envisaged, albeit within an overall stable population total. Transport is considered central to Government's plans and as defined in the Transport Development Plan for the City, key policy includes public transport improvements, parking controls to restrain/manage private cars and selected new highways to remove through traffic and eliminate bottlenecks.

The City Government or Municipality and the 23 Districts were created in 1990. The Districts have the authority to prepare District-wide plans, in general accordance with the Master Plan, and although the `Correction of the Law on Municipalities' 1995 defined the powers and the responsibilities between the Municipality and the Districts, precise working arrangements have yet to be resolved.

Urban transport is under the jurisdiction of the Municipality, in consultation with the Districts (as owners of land etc). Powers of compulsory purchase for the acquisition of land in private ownership for projects in the public interest are available and operate effectively.

With regard to present progress on the Master Plan, during January and February 1996, partial results relating to land use and infrastructure had been obtained from the on-going more detailed preparation work. There was still, however, a significant degree of uncertainty over land use which was again being reviewed. Whilst some 70% of the land use pattern was fixed, 30% remained subject to further deliberation. There is considerable demand for development within the areas concerned, which involve both 'greenfield' and redevelopment sites. The Master Plan can be seen as a physical land use plan rather than a full development plan with enforceable policies. The latest (March 1996) Master Plan land use dispositions are shown on Figure 4.1.

Work on the Master Plan is at present being undertaken on two levels:

1. the emerging Master Plan dealing with physical land use; and
2. prioritising key development proposals, (identification of which is primarily driven by the Districts), and assessing the impacts these might have upon the Master Plan.

One of the key aims of the Master Plan is the regeneration and redevelopment of the transition zone, in conjunction with the easing of pressure on the inner city zones, particularly the historic core and the CBD. When completed, the land use plan will form the basis for initial consultation with the Districts. A zoning plan will follow for further consultation before submission of the completed Master Plan to the Assembly.

The Transition Zone is proving to be less homogenous than was thought earlier and this could influence overall aims and objectives. The NE/SW axis across the city is important (along the Metro 4 alignment), but so too is the need to emphasise the SE Transition Zone.

There is a requirement to determine how much development should go towards the edge of the city and how it should be controlled. At the same time, the likely real extent of demand for change in the transition zone and how it should be stimulated/supported (tax incentives, loan support) needs to be more precisely identified. Strategically, there could be a conflict of interest between the NE/SW axis approach and giving priority to the SE Transition Zone.

At present, the Metro line 4 route as previously approved is shown in the Programme and will be reflected in the Master Plan. The ongoing debate is primarily concerned with whether Metro 4 should serve demand from existing areas or whether the scheme should target other new priorities for action (as was the case with Metro lines 2 and 3).

Because the Master Plan is essentially a land use plan and not a development plan, key development discussions /technical decisions occur elsewhere, providing feedback to the Master Plan which are then incorporated. The current study into Metro Line 4 is therefore expected to reach decisions on the Metro which would provide inputs into the Master Plan process.

The major variable in Master Plan finalisation is the extent of new 'greenfield' development versus the scale of redevelopment and regeneration in the transition zone. A key issue in this respect will be that of how much inward investment can be attracted to the City. A very optimistic future development scenario would have more growth in the City rather than the agglomerations.

A further focal point of the whole Master Plan strategy is the need for Land Use/Transport integration, one of the principal objectives being to reduce congestion within the historic centre and the CBD.

At key stations on any new metro, District or suburban centres could develop, providing a focus for institutional and commercial activity, park-and-ride and interchange between transport modes, thereby reducing pressure on the City Centre.

Redevelopment, regeneration and environmental improvements within the transition zone could be supported by such an integrated transport system, and by the corridors of activity along the main radial routes, including those from the principal Eastern and Western gateways e.g. M1/M7.

Key Issues within the Master plan Context

The key planning issues, many of which are directly relevant to consideration of either Metro Line 4 or other alternative public transport options in relation to development within the SW Quadrant, include:

1. the likely impact of global trends in the approach to urban planning and the environment;
2. the desire to achieve or move towards more 'sustainable' development and attain a significant improvement in environmental quality throughout the City;
3. the probable consequences of the political, social and economic processes for change prevailing in Europe expressed in terms of the future role of Budapest as a major capital City in Central Europe and desirably within the European Union (also as the capital of Hungary and the leading regional centre within the country - the "Locomotive" or catalyst for development);
4. the changing physical and functional structure of Budapest and the surrounding 'agglomerations';
5. the emergence of newly defined legal and administrative roles for and relationships between the Municipality and the Districts and the resultant implications for strategic and local planning direction and control of development;
6. related to (iv) above, the need to find the appropriate balance between potentially conflicting strategic elements of the Master Plan, such as maintaining the role of the inner City whilst relieving environmental and development pressures upon it, moving towards a more diverse multi-centred and interactive "agora" City structure better related to human scale and activity than the more traditional mono-centric European urban structure and the question of 'greenfield/edge City' development (Budaörs, Törökbálint etc) versus urban regeneration (the Transition Zone), otherwise expressed as the choice between 'extensive' or 'intensive' development;
7. from (iv) above, the consequences of economic restructuring in terms of the search for more sustainable and environmentally friendly industrial users, the impact of tourism, IT/communications, research and development functions, financial and distribution systems and requirements and Institutional/Educational needs;
8. also from (iv) above, the potential effects of urban restructuring in relation to housing mix, distribution and the pattern of socio/economic groupings;
9. the likely effects of an ageing population, changes in population within the Municipality and the possible consequences of and influences upon current and future trends in outward and/or inward migration; and
10. the need for a completely integrated land use/transportation strategy for Budapest and the agglomerations.

In overall terms, the Master Plan and the Municipality (together with the Districts) are seeking a more humane, liveable City. The essential qualities for this would be expected to include:

1. Optimal choice
2. Social interaction
3. Equity
4. Efficiency
5. Sustainability
6. Adaptability
7. Identity
8. Environmental quality

Metro line 4 could prove to be the key to effective transportation and communication within the South West Corridor, but the essential question is whether or not its provision is going to be consistent with overall priorities for the City.

Review of Master Plan goals and objectives

The basic principles of the Master Plan Programme confirm the re-establishment of Budapest as the leading regional centre within Hungary and make reference to the further opportunity for the City to regain its full role in Europe, taking advantage both of the considerable historical tradition which Budapest enjoys and the realities of its geographical and economic position within Central Europe.

Goals and objectives were reviewed in detail in Stage 1 report.

Budapest Transport Development Plan

Also relevant to any consideration of goals and objectives for the evaluation of Metro Line 4 or other public transport options is the Transport Development Plan for the City. Confirmed as the official policy of the Transport Department, it is not based on a comprehensive land use/transportation study but nevertheless provides a clearly agreed policy statement on transport within a coherent proposed transportation framework.

The essence of this policy statement is that positive transportation actions can achieve significant benefits in terms of promoting and supporting environmental, development, social and economic improvements. As with the Master Plan Programme, two key areas are recognised with respect to the benefits of the application of appropriate transport policy:

1. the historic City centre where the improvement of environmental conditions is paramount,
2. the transition zone where the rehabilitation of older industrial areas is of particular significance and the opportunity exists for the creation of transport interchange and park and ride facilities.

The core of transportation strategy for Budapest is based upon the following main goals:

1. to secure improvements to public transport for radial travel and give priority to public transport within the inner zones,
2. to support environmental conservation and improvements in environmental conditions within the central area by means of traffic restraint, environmental traffic management, public transport priorities and the provision of park and ride facilities outside the inner zone,
3. to facilitate new road construction for orbital and outer City routes in order to remove through and/or transit traffic from the central area and other residential areas and eliminate congestion on the primary network.

It is intended to give effect to this strategy through the implementation of a series of key transportation planning actions. The principal objectives of the Transport Development Plan are therefore:

1. to further develop the public transport system including the extension/enhancement of fixed track/express services, operational improvements, environmental upgrading and improved management systems;
2. to implement a comprehensive parking policy within the City, including park and ride at "town gates" and restrictions in the central area;
3. to develop and implement an overall traffic regulation/control system for the City;
4. to provide improved conditions and facilities for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the City, but particularly within the central area;
5. to introduce within the central area and other City Districts, comprehensive environmental and traffic management schemes, including pedestrianisation, restraints on through traffic and improvements to the local environment and traffic safety; and
6. to further develop the highway network where appropriate to provide a coherent overall road hierarchy, focusing on new roads in the outer City Districts, new Danube bridges and outer ring routes for 'through' traffic.

The goals and objectives of the Budapest Transport Development Plan recognise the differing characteristics of the various areas within the City, taking into account the relevant planning, environmental and overall development factors.

The broad policy framework for transportation which is thus established is already reflected in the Master Plan Programme, and in giving greater definition to the specific measures to be taken and prioritising the actions proposed, there will be a need for close integration between the Master Plan land use provisions and the Transport Development Plan initiatives. This serves to underline the relevance of the latter in the evaluation of the Metro Line 4 and other public transport options.

Refined goals and objectives for option evaluation

For option evaluation refined goals and objectives have been determined as well as vision statement refined goals and refined objectives comprising five main topic areas as follows:

• International/National Context
• Environment/Quality of Life
• Development and Urban Form
• Employment and the Economy
• Transportation

Although the refined objectives as set out above have been selected bearing in mind their particular relevance to the South West Corridor and the likely implications of the introduction of a high-quality public transport system within that corridor, neither Metro Line 4 nor any of the other public transport options could by themselves satisfy the aspirations prescribed by the objectives and the four main goals.

They would, however, be expected to contribute significantly towards their achievement in order to be effective in terms of planning, environmental improvement and the implementation of integrated land use/transportation strategies for both the City as a whole and the South West Corridor in particular.

In terms of the further definition of Master Plan proposals and the proposed prioritising of the principal development proposals, it is likely that more detailed questions and some potential conflicts may be expected to arise, even during Stage 2 of the study.

The key message which seems to emerge from these questions and is relevant to both study stages is that whatever public transport improvement proposals are taken forward in the South West Corridor, they must form an integral element of an overall land use/transportation strategy.

Initial Qualitative Assessment of Planning Scenarios relative to Public Transport alternatives

The initial assessment of planning scenarios is primarily concerned with defining the possible range of development growth related to an improved public transport system. Judgements made are subjective and qualitative rather than quantitative.

The context for this preliminary consideration of possible impacts on the planning scenarios was limited to:

1. key planning issues;
2. effects of rapid transit on urban development;
3. key aspects set out in the Technical Proposal.

With respect to likely effects of an improved transport system our conclusions from the assessment are that:

1. The adoption of a Metro option, or options with total segregation such as with LRT, for the South West Corridor set within the overall context of an integrated land use/transportation strategy is likely to be more supportive of the refined goals and objectives for the City and the forecast pattern of population and employment growth than would either a surface mode or an at-grade, partially or non-segregated LRT option.
2. Given support for an integrated land use/transportation strategy incorporating a priority for development on the South West-North East City axis, inclusion of a high standard option is likely to enhance and accentuate the emerging pattern of trend growth.
3. If, however, Masterplan strategy required priority to be given to the SE Transition Zone in terms of investment and economic growth the adoption of a relatively low profile surface mode option within the South West Corridor would be less likely to result in a conflict of interest and incompatible policy directions.

This serves to reinforce the major message from our planning assessment work that whatever public transport improvement proposals are taken forward in the South West Corridor, they must form an integral element of an overall land use/transportation strategy. It also illustrates the key inter-relationship between decisions on the public transport options for the South West Corridor and the direction of strategic growth to be given priority in the finalised Master Plan.

Clearly, in order to maximise overall benefits from any decision to invest in either a Metro or LRT high quality public transport option in the South West corridor, such a choice should be strongly supported by parallel decisions to strengthen and enhance trend growth within the corridor by means of an integrated package of policies and proposals.