Spatial analysis of the potential demand for public transport in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Jeddah's rapid urban growth over the last four decades has caused significant and critical changes in travelling patterns and the modes of transportation used throughout the city. The share of daily trips by public transport has significantly decreased from 19% in 1970 to 2.3% in 2007. The promotion of efficient public transport has received a high level of political interest in Saudi Arabia and it is a major issue in Jeddah. It is one of the main policy recommendations of both the 2005 Jeddah structure plan and the 2009 Jeddah strategic plan. However, the analysis of potential demand for public transport in Jeddah has received a little attention. This paper analyzes the deficiencies of the current public transport system in Jeddah and identifies the potential demand for public transport using GIS based approach. The results show that 50% of the Jeddah population have low or no access to the current public transport system, which is characterized by deficiency and poor condition of the infrastructure. Results also reveal both a dispersed and clustered patterns of high need for public transport in Jeddah. The results of this study facilitate the identification of potential demand for public transport in Jeddah. © 2014 WIT Press.