Prospective Evaluation of the Public Transport System in the Petrosani Basin

Abstract

Public transport is one of the most important functions of a city, which can have a major impact on the elements that support sustainable development: society, the environment and the economy. In order for residents and tourists of the Petrosani Basin to benefit from a predictable, systematized public transport system with well-established travel times, it is necessary to analyze some current factors and trends regarding public transport in the Petrosani Basin. This prospective study confirms that the use of the public transport system in the Petrosani Basin is decreasing, a decrease mainly associated with the lack of spatial accessibility, comfort and safety for passengers (inappropriate stations, the lack of air conditioning in means of transport, the lack of a modern fare system, the lack of means of information in the stations, etc.) but also with the change in people’s attitudes imposed by the protective measures taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, it should be noted that the public transport system in the Petrosani Basin is strongly influenced by the geographical characteristics of the Petrosani Basin, by the sharp decrease in the population (a negative natural increase and a reduction in the school population) and by the increase in the number of private cars.