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The report was prepared in 2002 to assess international evidence on elasticities of demand for passenger transport (both public and private) and to recommend elasticity values that could be applied in forecasting the impacts on travel demand of urban transport policy measures in New Zealand. While considerable information is available, both in New Zealand and internationally, on passenger transport demand elasticities, no comprehensive guide exists on appropriate values for use in New Zealand. The project was designed to fill this gap.

The research included a review of the international literature on passenger transport demand elasticities, relating to the following:

• effects of changes in public transport system variables (principally fares, service levels, in-vehicle time) on public transport demand
• effects of changes in private transport system variables (principally in-vehicle travel time, fuel prices, parking charges, toll charges) on both private transport demand and public transport demand.

Recommendations for elasticity values applicable to urban areas of New Zealand are given.

Keywords: demand, elasticity, fuel price, New Zealand, parking charge, passenger transport, private transport, public transport, road, service level, toll charge, traffic, transport, travel time, vehicle operating costs