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BUDAPEST METRO LINE 4 FEASIBILITY STUDY

Oktober 1996

SECTION B - PLANNING ISSUES

Section B reports the planning main issues of the selected Tétényi alignment. First, it describes the general features of the Metro line 4 and proposes some alternatives of staging for the alignment. Afterwards, it summarises key planning issues and reports demand forecast results.

General features of the selected alignment

Tétényi alignment characteristics

The selected Tétényi metro main alignment links Kelenföld MÁV railway station on Buda side to Keleti railway station on Pest side. From Etele Square, the alignment follows Tétényi and Bartók Béla roads, crosses the Danube, then serves Kálvin Square to reach Rákóczi Square and ends at Baross Square (refer to Figure 1, Annex C). The 7.3 km alignment comprises 10 stations (including the terminals) and is planned to be fully underground.

A further 2.0 km length extension beyond Kelenföld is planned, on the west direction to Budaörs, partly elevated, partly underground.

Staging alternatives

Alternatives of alignment staging were contemplated in the course of Stage 2, as described in Table B-1:

Table B 1 - Alternatives of staging

Sections and Phasing
Length

(km) *
Number of stations **
Kelenföld - Keleti main alignment
Only one stage
7.34
10
Two stages :
Kelenföld -Kálvin
5.18
7
Kálvin-Keleti
2.16
3
Kelenföld -Kálvin section
Only one stage
5.18
7
Budaörs-Kelenföld extension
One further stage
1.92
2

* including the turnround tracks, around 0.6 km
** including terminals


The construction completion of Kelenföld-Keleti alignment was envisaged in one or two stages.

If contemplating two stages, a first significant section could be Kelenföld station-Kálvin Square. Indeed, Kálvin Square is a first major transfer station connecting with Metro line 3, it can be designed as a temporary terminal.

Budaörs-Kelenföld section is considered as a further extension. Those alternatives of staging were considered at the different steps of Second Stage, when forecasting the passenger demand, in the course of the engineering refinement analysis and for the economic and financing evaluation.

In addition, for the economic and financing appraisal, a limited (partial) section from Kelenföld and ending at Kálvin Square was also contemplated.

It is to be noted that the staging decision will further determine the construction methods. Indeed, the selection of deep tunnelling methods (one or two boring machines, only one or two tunnels,....), will depend on the length of the section to be built.

PLANNING Issues

Master Plan Progress

As at August 1996, following further extensive discussions, the General Assembly had passed a resolution reaffirming the commitment by the City and District Municipalities to the main principle embodied within the Draft Master Plan.

The latest general land use distribution proposed within the city was incorporated within revised Master Plan documents and these had been circulated to the District Municipalities for their initial views. The more detailed policies and proposals in the context of the zoning system (incorporating now city-wide regulations) would be circulated later and were expected to draw more extensive comments.

Updated Master Plan documentation dealing with key transport issues had been published in July 1996 and circulated informally for the present. This incorporates a Metro line 4 alignment from Keleti station to Kelenföld station via Kálvin Square, Móricz Zsigmond Circus and Tétényi road. This is seen as a key strategic element within the overall Master Plan land use/ transportation strategy.

Whilst the more precise details of any such alignment are not directly relevant in the context of the broad strategic Master Plan overview, Kelenföld is regarded as the principal interchange and P+ R location. The possible extension of Tram 1 route is also considered to be of significance, providing the potential for linkage and interchange between Kelenföld, Metro line 3 and Metro line 4 via Bartók Béla (South) and Lágymányos bridge.

In overall strategic terms, the intention is to attract development which might otherwise go to the agglomerations into the South East Transition Zone by a combination of improved public transport systems and enhanced road links into and through District X1 and then across the Danube to Districts IX and XXI. Improved public transport will also assist in providing better access to and relieving the pressure on the city centre, also fostering further appropriate development potential outside of the historic core within Districts VIII, IX and XI.

Local Plan Up-date

District VIII on the Pest side does not currently have an up to date local or grant plan. The area is covered by a number of more detailed plans, but these are now obsolete and a new District-wide local plan is to be prepared. Much the same circumstances prevail within District IX.

For District XI, a new comprehensive local plan is in the course of preparation. The first stage covers the programme, overall strategy and main principles for development. In addition to work on the local plan, there are sixty new larger scale plans for more specific proposals within the district, providing more detailed planning guidance and control.

Although it has not been appropriate to enter into discussions with the District Municipalities during the course of the study, information provided by the City Municipality suggests that in addition to the potential for development at Kelenföld, further growth could be fostered at the majority of other station locations between Kelenföld and Keleti.

Within District XI, improved public transport is seen as providing the catalyst for further trend growth and development within the South West Corridor, enhancing connections to the city centre and assisting in counterbalancing the increasing attractiveness to the private sector investor of out-of-city development around the motorway intersections west of Budaörs.

On the Pest side, provision of Metro line 4 would foster development, provide a firm basis for environmental improvements and be generally supportive of regeneration and enhancement of the existing urban fabric.

Planning implications are summarised within the Section D as part of other benefits.

 

Transport planning issues

This chapter reports on the passenger demand characteristics. It includes a description of the station functionality, a summary of the reorganisation of the surface modes and finally the passenger forecasts.

Functionality of the stations

This paragraph describes briefly the characteristics of the service the stations will supply : local service, feeder station, transfer station,.., for the main alignment Kelenföld station - Keleti station, and for the planned extension beyond Kelenföld.

Kelenföld station - Keleti station alignment

Three stations are particularly noticeable : the two terminals of Kelenföld and Keleti stations and Kálvin Square, representing major public transport interchanges. The two terminals, in addition to MÁV railway services, connect with urban and suburban feeders. Kálvin Square will be a major Metro line junction with the connection between line 3 & line 2. The functionality of each of the stations is detailed below, as follows:

  • Kelenföld station

Kelenföld station is a terminal planned to be a major intermodal station, connecting Metro line 4 with MÁV railway services, BKV urban bus and Volán suburban bus feeders from Southwest-Buda (Gazdagrét, Örmezõ, Sasad, Kamaraerdõ) and the close suburbs (Budaörs, Törökbálint, Érd, Diósd). In addition car parking would serve the station.

At present, six BKV bus lines (40, 41, 72, 87, 108, 141A) serve the area in addition to the Volán services. The planned transfer bus station should be located as close as possible to the metro terminal to minimise the transfer times. According to the high number of buses that should be accommodated, it could be envisaged to split it on both sides of the railway tracks.

  • Tétényi Road station

The Station of the Tétényi Road is planned to provide direct services for the housing estate of Kelenföld and to be connected with the feeding lines of the western area of Albertfalva (catchment area of Tétényi Road).

  • Kosztolányi Square station

The Station of Kosztolányi Square is planned to provide direct services for a relatively dense populated residential District, for the recreation and entertainment centre of the Feneketlen (Bottomless) Lake. It will provide a connection with the surface public lines of the Grand Boulevard-Buda Boulevard.

  • Móricz Zsigmond station

The Station of the Móricz Zsigmond Circus will remain a major traffic nodal point for Buda area. Besides serving a densely built up residential area, including several local urban services (schools, local medical centre for the area, etc.), it will serve South-Buda (Budafök, Albertfalva, the industrial zone along the Budafoki Road) as well as the Szent Gellért Hill and Szent Imre area (an area between the Villányi Road and the Bocskai Road) in connection with the feeding lines of the area (tram lines 18, 41, 61 & bus lines 3, 10, 27).

  • Szent Gellért station

The Station at the Szent Gellért Square will provide services mainly for local passengers (Residential area, Technical University, Szent Gellért Hill), in addition to some connections with Middle Buda and Lágymányos, expectedly in a minor extent.

  • Fõvám Square station

The Station of Fõvám Square, located at the CBD fringe, will serve the southern part of the downtown area, which is an important area for development targets. On the side of District IX, besides residential areas, important institutions (Market Hall, University of Economy) represent an attractive issue. It will be connected in particular with tram line 2 and trolleybus lines.

  • Kálvin Square station

The Station of Kálvin Square will be the largest traffic nodal point of the Pest side. The new Metro line 4 will connect with the busy Metro line 3. In addition, it will be in connection with some of the surface bus lines from Baross Street and Rádai. The station will provide a second connection toward the city centre over the Kecskeméti Street. Moreover, on the external part of the catchment area of the metro, some important public institutions are located among the residential areas (National Museum, ELTE University, libraries).

  • Rákóczi Square station

The Station of Rákóczi Square will improve the service of the area and serve the development of the densely populated and built up area. It will connect with the tram line of the Grand Boulevard.

  • Köztársaság Square station

Köztársaság Square station will provide new service to the residential area accommodating a very dense built-up area, including recreational and cultural functions (Theatre Erkel).

  • Keleti Station

The terminal of Keleti Railway Station will be a major public transport intermodal station. It will connect Metro line 4 with Metro line 2, with MÁV railway services and with the numerous surface modes serving the Baross Square, in particular those coming from the direction of the Thököly Road (bus lines 20 & 73, tram line 44), trolleybus lines (76, 78, 79) serving the District VII and tram line 24 serving the District VIII along the Fiumei Road. In addition the station will provide local service to some institutions of the vicinity (hospitals, cemetery).

Budaörs-Kelenföld extension
  • Budaörsi Road

The new terminal will serve the close suburbs of Buda (Budaörs, Törökbálint, Érd, Diósd) and partly take the function of Kelenföld station. It will accommodate a transfer bus station as well as a car park, relieving Kelenföld station.

  • Station of Gazdagrét

Gazdagrét station will locally serve the close area of Gazdagrét.

  • Station of Õrmezõ

This station is an optional station possibly allowing to relief Kelenföld station. It could be possibly envisaged as the terminal station, instead of Kelenföld terminal, to provide better service for the western areas. It could accommodate a part of the feeding bus station, planned to be installed at Kelenföld station, on the eastern side of the railways. Nevertheless, the capital cost estimation is carried out without this 'additional station'.

Reorganisation of the surface mode

For the purposes of patronage forecasts, the reorganisation of the surface mode input to the model was based on major changes which are expected to be implemented once the metro line becomes operational. Also, the changes which were input to the model, were expected to have a noticeable effect on the patronage of the metro line. These were as follows:

  1. Cancellation of tram lines 49 and 47.
  2. Extension of tram line 18 to Budafök and increase in frequency to meet demand.
  3. Reduction in frequency of bus family 7s to match reduced demand.
  4. Efficient connection of Kelenföld terminal station to bus services serving the M1/M7 corridor by appropriate pedestrian walkways (For the Budaörs extension, this connection is placed at the Budaörs terminal).
  5. Volán commuter bus services to terminate at Kelenföld terminal station.

It is not possible to provide an accurate account of this reorganisation at this feasibility stage as with changing volume and patterns of demand on a micro scale, services which are currently operational are likely to be modified further, before the opening of the line. Further detailed reorganisation of less patronaged bus services is expected to take place at the design stage of the metro line.

However, on the hypothetical assumption that all existing services will remain as present at the opening year of the metro system, we have provided a service reorganisation schedule. The analysis is based on the overall patronage forecasts for the study corridor. Figures B.8, B.8A, B.9, B.9A, B.10 and B.10A are bandwidth diagrams of forecast patronage for bus services which will be affected by the operation of the metro line. The diagrams (Figures B.8 to B.10A) are presented in pairs of Do-minimum alternative, as defined within Section A, Chapter 9, and Metro phase alternative(Main alignment, denoted with the suffix A) to provide a visual representation of the change in daily passenger flows.

The main issues of the reorganisation are as follows:

  1. Introduce a new frequent feeder service from Gazdagrét to Kelenföld Railway station.
  2. Introduce a new service to connect Albertfalva area to Kelenföld station.
  3. Re-route bus 41 to terminate at Kelenföld Railway station.
  4. Re-route bus 72 to terminate at Kelenföld Railway station.
  5. Re-route bus route 139 to serve Kelenföld station stopping at Õrmesö.
  6. Re-route bus route 153 to terminate at Kosztolányi Square.
  7. Extend bus route 73 from Keleti station to the Buda side of Erzsébet
  8. Curtail bus route 40 to terminate at Kelenföld Railway station.
  9. Curtail bus routes 87 and 87A to terminate at Kelenföld Railway station.
  10. Cancel bus route 40 Express and 41 Express
  11. Cancel bus services 7 Express, 7A and 173.

Patronage forecasts

Patronage forecasts were based on a public transport model of Budapest which was developed as a part of Stage 1 of the study, refer to Section A, Chapter 3. The model was further refined in Stage 2, based on a more detailed network description, considering in particular the metro alignment refinement and stations details.

Results of the patronage forecasts

Three main staging alternatives were assessed, as follows:

  1. Metro alignment from Kelenföld Railway station (Etele Square) to Keleti Railway station (Baross Square) via Tétényi road., referred to as the 'main alignment' hereafter.
  2. The whole Metro alignment from Budaörs through Kelenföld Railway station to Keleti Railway station, via Tétényi road.(i.e. as in (i) above, including the extension towards Budaörs, referred to as the 'extended alignment' hereafter.
  3. The first possible Metro phase from Kelenföld Railway station through to Kálvin Square station, referred to as the 'partial alignment hereafter.

The resulting patronage forecasts are summarised in Tables B-2 (two-way all day flows), and B-3 (peak hour peak direction flows) and shown as flow bandwidths in Figures B.1 to B.4 and boarding / alighting / through traffic bandwith and bar charts in Figures B.5 to B.7.

Total daily boarding passengers for the main Kelenföld-Keleti alignment in 2020 is estimated at some 474,000 (33,000 during the peak hour in the peak direction- phpd). The Budaörs-Kelenföld extension results in a small increase in boardings to 487,000 per day (34,000 phpd) whereas the partial Kelenföld-Kálvin alignment carries a total of 306,000 passengers per day (21,400 phpd).

The maximum loading point in 2020 for all alternatives is the river crossing which is forecast to carry some 298,000 per day in both directions (20,800 phpd) with the main Kelenföld-Keleti alignment, 300,000 per day (21,000 phpd) with the extended alignment and 210,000 per day (14,700 phpd) with the partial Kelenföld-Kálvin alignment.

Both the main Kelenföld-Keleti alignment and the extended route alignment result in a significant relief of the adjacent river crossings. Erzsébet bridge is estimated to enjoy a relief of some 61% (77,000 passenger per day, 5,400 phpd) and a reduction of some 33% (35,000 per day, 2,500 phpd) is forecast on the Petöfi bridge with the main alignment and the extended alignment.

The partial alignment to Kálvin Square will relieve Erzsébet bridge by some more limited 26% (33,000 passengers per day, 2,300 phpd) and Petöfi bridge by 16% (16,600 passengers per day, 1,200 phpd). The limited relief provided by the partial alignment is because the main alignment to Keleti station, firstly, serves the main loading points of bus family 7 and also provides a shorter and faster route for a significant number of passengers using part-orbital tram routes 4 and 6.

Table B 2- Year 2020 passenger flows on key sections of the network - two way all day

Cross River Passenger flows
Cross River
Alternatives
Erzsébet
Szabadság
Petöfi
Lágymányos
Bus 7s
Tram 47
Tram 49
Trams 4&6
Metro
Total Passengers
Do-minimum Abs. value 126263 108147 106566 14915 93495 53913 54234 96506 0 819480
Kelenföld - Keleti Abs. value 49298 0 71328 7453 21832 0 0 63607 297813 846300
Abs. ch. fr. DM -76965 -108147 -35238 -7462 -71663 -53913 -54234 -32899 297813 26820
% ch. fr. DM -61% -100% -33% -50% -77% -100% -100% -34% 0% 3%
Budaörs - Keleti Abs. value 49148 0 71198 7288 22187 0 0 63486 299962 848365
Abs. ch. fr. DM -77115 -108147 -35368 -7627 -71308 -53913 -54234 -33020 299962 28885
% ch. fr. DM -61% -100% -33% -51% -76% -100% -100% -34% 0% 4%
Kelenföld - Kálvin Abs. value 93383 0 89936 7841 64483 0 0 82043 209482 829449
Abs. ch. fr. DM -32880 -108147 -16630 -7074 -29012 -53913 -54234 -14463 209482 9969
% ch. fr. DM -26% -100% -16% -47% -31% -100% -100% -15% 0% 1%

Table B 3- Year 2020 passenger flows on key sections of the network - peak hour peak direction

Cross River Passenger flows
Cross River
Alternatives
Erzsébet
Szabadság
Petöfi
Lágymányos
Bus 7s
Tram 47
Tram 49
Trams 4&6
New mode
Total Passengers
Do-minimum Abs. value 7576 6489 6394 895 5610 3235 3254 5790 0 49169
Kelenföld to Keleti Abs. value 2958 0 4280 447 1310 0 0 3816 20847 55010
Abs. ch. fr. DM -4618 -6489 -2114 -448 -4300 -3,235 -3254 -1974 20847 5841
% ch. fr. DM -61% -100% -33% -50% -77% -100% -100% -34% 0% 12%
Budaörs - Keleti Abs. value 2949 0 4272 437 1331 0 0 3809 20997 55144
Abs. ch. fr. DM -4627 -6489 -2122 -458 -4278 -3235 -3254 -1,981 20997 5975
% ch. fr. DM -61% -100% -33% -51% -76% -100% -100% -34% 0% 12%
Kelenföld - Kálvin Abs. value 5603 0 5396 470 3869 0 0 4923 14664 53914
Abs. ch. fr. DM -1973 -6489 -998 -424 -1741 -3235 -3254 -868 14664 4745
% ch. fr. DM -26% -100% -16% -47% -31% -100% -100% -15% 0% 10%