3.14 Customer Experience

3.13 Integrated Mobility

Integrated mobility is key to an inclusive, well connected, and sustainable transport system and must be facilitated through the National Roads network.

The most effective provision of sustainable mobility is through an efficient and well-integrated transport system, where each mode of transport has its own role to play, but also complements and provides resilience for the other modes within that system. The context for Ireland’s transport system changes between rural and urban areas. Where there are high levels of trip demand, the case for the provision of public transport alternatives to car travel increases. Where there is dispersed population in rural areas it may not be sustainable to provide bus services that fully meet the mobility needs of all users.

The goal for transport agencies is to enhance accessibility and opportunities for interchange to enable trip-makers to choose the most efficient and convenient combination of modes. However, transport agencies must also ensure efficient provision of transport services and infrastructure, as well as enabling and encouraging travel choices that are socially and environmentally sustainable.

3.14 Customer Experience

TII recognises the need for a customer-centric approach when planning for the National Roads network.

A diverse range of customers use the National Roads in different ways and for different reasons. These include regular users of National Roads, and includes those who do not directly use it but benefit from it, e.g., a household receiving deliveries. It is important to understand evolving customer needs and acquire better insight into the wide spectrum of customer expectations, mode preferences and purposes.

TII continues to seek a better understanding of customer expectations depending on location, mode preference and travel purposes.

One area of research targeted by TII has been that of gender and transport. Designing sustainable transport infrastructure becomes synonymous with designing inclusive, safe, equitable and high-quality experiences that consider all users. Doing so requires an integrated approach, including several physical, social, and policy interventions across public and private bodies. For National Roads, this can take the form of improved lighting for transport facilities on the network or improved public transport service frequency on National Road routes.

New initiatives will survey users periodically to help understand issues and develop customer orientated solutions, to meet existing and future needs.