Improve Travel Conditions and Enhance Connectivity in 15, 20, and

45-Minute Urban Circles Based on Public Transportation Systems

Yuxiao Chen

College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh,78540, U.K.

Keywords: 15 Minute City, 20 Minute Town, 45 Minute City, Public Transportation, Sustainable Neighborhoods.

Abstract: In the field of urban planning, researchers are paying more and more attention to the accessibility of units and

their convenience, so that residents can reach necessary places in a short time. This article examines the

connections between 15-minute cities, 20-minute cities and 45-minute cities and public transport systems.

This paper also conducted case studies on different representative cities to understand different urban

strategies and public transportation policies, and conducted research on how to make more effective,

convenient and fast connections in 15-minute, 20-minute, and 45-minute city circles. This paper provides a

positive response on how to encourage more people to use convenient public transportation, improve its

convenience in terms of price and riding methods, enhance urban sustainability, and ensure environmental-

friendly. This paper studies the connection and practicality of urban circles and public transportation, and

provides opinions and suggestions for future urban planning and urban transportation planning. It provides

guidance and help for governments and transportation departments to make better and more localized

decisions.

1 INTRODUCTION

After experiencing a severe epidemic, researchers

realized that the main challenge facing cities is

transportation convenience and accessibility.

Therefore, since the epidemic, the concept of 15-

minute cities has become an important research

direction to solve this problem. This transportation

network can effectively suppress the spread of viruses

and respond to large-scale urban disasters in a short

period of time, provide new solutions for future risk

prevention, reduce the risk of cross-infection, and

meet the needs of cross-regional activities. In

addition, the planning of the 15-minute city will

promote sustainable development and ecological city

construction, alleviate current urban problems,

improve people's travel convenience, and make the

city more environmentally friendly.

It provides a more efficient and convenient

experience in urban planning and transportation

policy formulation and promotes people's daily lives

and transportation, also helping solve the problem.

Urban issues not only respond to urban emergencies,

but also provide more diverse choices for people's

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5821-6005

daily needs. This concept was originally considered

the community and residential area units as the basic

units and plans convenient conditions for pedestrians

and bicycles to reach necessary places within 15

minutes. In recent years, people have increasingly

applied its concepts and ideas to urban planning and

transportation in many fields such as living, work,

health, education, and entertainment. It is no longer

limited to meeting basic needs or high-end emergency

services. The demand for efficient transportation has

also increased many demands with wider coverage

and richer fields. At the same time, it has also put

forward higher requirements for urban planners and

transportation route planning. At present, scholars

mainly focus on the application and research of 15-

minute cities in terms of providing travel efficiency

and arrival efficiency and propose different targeted

solutions based on specific cases in different countries

and regions.

Most current research focuses on 15-minute urban

walking and bicycle-sharing trips. However, there are

no good plans and measures for longer distances and

larger travel circles to connect with small traffic

circles, resulting in many communities and residential

Chen, Y.

Improve Travel Conditions and Enhance Connectivity in 15, 20, and 45-Minute Urban Circles Based on Public Transportation Systems.

DOI: 10.5220/0013337600004558

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Modern Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MLSCM 2024), pages 439-446

ISBN: 978-989-758-738-2

439

units. It is only conveniently accessible within a small

area, and for many people who work in remote areas

or have other needs in further locations, there are no

good convenience measures, so the process of

reaching other transportation hubs they need to reach

is still low. Efficiency and congestion have resulted in

frequent traffic accidents and serious traffic

congestion in many large cities. Public transportation

routes and planning also have their unique drawbacks.

For example, when designing transportation lines, the

connectivity between arrival points was not

considered the connectivity between arrival points

was not considered transportation transfers from 15

minutes to longer distances were very inconvenient,

causing people much time and effort to switch from

short-distance transportation to long-distance

transportation routes.

As far as London is concerned, in 2022, drivers

will need to spend an average of 156 hours in traffic

jams to reach their destination, and this has also

caused a loss of $5.7 billion to the city and a cost of

£1,377 to drivers and individuals. loss. By connecting

the 15-minute transportation circle with a variety of

public transportation modes, closer linkage can be

achieved. People may combine buses and subways

but also reduces urban congestion. Create a

sustainable travel model, improve people's quality of

life and travel satisfaction, and make the city greener,

more efficient, and safer. Solving the congestion

problem, it also reduces the pressure on urban traffic

through efficient public transportation networks and

also makes greater contributions to the environment

and sustainability. This article intends to conduct case

studies and analysis on the 15-minute city combined

with 20-minute and 45-minute transportation circles

and provide opinions and improvement measures for

a more convenient future transportation system so that

the 15-minute city will have more possibilities in the

future.

2 OVERVIEW OF 15-MINUTE

CITY

2.1 The Concept and Importance of a 15-

Minute City

The concept of 15-minute cities is of great

significance in urban planning. It emphasizes

reasonable spatial and functional configuration within

community units to ensure that residents can meet

basic living needs within a 15-minute walking the

process of creating an ideal city, the meaning of cities

and community units no longer carries the travel

needs of people but has more social and economic

value. On the basis of the 15-minute city concept,

scholars have also proposed the concepts of 20-

minute city and 45-minute city. These urban planning

concepts of different time frames emphasize different

levels of community services and life convenience.

Among them, the 15-minute city serves as the detailed

basis of this series of concepts, focusing on providing

a more compact configuration of life services to

ensure that residents can obtain the basic facilities

they need in a shorter time. Based on this concept and

promotion plan, the city's various forms can have

more interpretations and changes. Taking the

community as the basic structural unit, which was

first proposed by Clarence Perry, later scholars

combined the 15-minute travel circle to make it more

integrated with specific residential units and people's

life scenes and connect the necessities in people's

daily lives facilities such as schools and hospitals. As

shown in the Figure 1, the 15-minute city combined

with community units also makes urban space and

functional planning and allocation more orderly and

efficient, providing great convenience for people to

travel short distances and meet travel needs.

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of 15-minute neighborhoods circle (Photo/Picture credit: Original).

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2.2 The Sustainable and Advantages of

15-Minute Cities

Governments and urban planning researchers are also

promoting the creation of more sustainable and

ecological future cities. In the past few years, great

progress has been made in transportation,

infrastructure, and green layout, activating the

inherent potential of many cities(Moreno, 2021). The

resulting 15-minute city mapping activity the

researchers present is an important starting point that

provides an initial overview of the innovation

portfolio and analytical methods for collecting

experiences, tools, and international practices for the

steps of the guide for urban planning and urban

transportation(Pozoukidou, 2021). The 15-minute

city model aims to create more livable, sustainable,

and equitable urban environments, aligning with

broader goals of sustainable development and climate

action. For access to essential services like grocery

stores, schools, healthcare, parks, and recreational

facilities without needing a car. Enhanced walkability

and bike-ability foster a sense of community by

encouraging social interactions and local

engagement. And for the environment, fewer car

journeys mean lower greenhouse gas emissions,

contributing to the fight against climate change.

Decreasing reliance on cars alleviates traffic jams and

reduces air pollution, leading to better urban air

quality. Increased walking and cycling promote the

15-minute city model not only has environmental

advantages, but also has positive impacts on health

and the economy physical health, reducing the risk of

chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and

diabetes. More green spaces and reduced noise

pollution from traffic contribute to improved mental

well-being. For economic benefits, local businesses

benefit from increased foot traffic and community

support, potentially leading to more vibrant and

resilient local economies. Households save on

transportation costs, which can be significant over

time. 15-minute cities can adapt better to crises such

as pandemics by reducing the need for long commutes

and enabling easier access to essential services.

At the same time, the economic benefits brought

by the 15-minute city cannot be ignored. With

increased walking and cycling within communities,

local businesses receive greater support, promoting

economic prosperity and resilience. These different

dimensions of benefits are interconnected and

together drive more sustainable and inclusive urban

development. Ensures that all residents, regardless of

socioeconomic status, have equitable access to

essential services and opportunities. Promotes

inclusion by making urban amenities accessible to

people of all ages and abilities.

By fostering local interactions through walkable

neighborhoods and public spaces, the 15-minute city

also strengthens community bonds for local events,

markets, and communal areas become central to daily

life. Reducing the need for long commutes and

promoting energy-efficient buildings and

infrastructure within 15-minute neighborhoods can

lower overall energy consumption. Decreased

reliance on fossil fuels, lower energy bills for

residents, and a smaller carbon footprint for the city.

By addressing these issues through the principles of

the 15-minute city, urban areas can become more

livable, sustainable, and resilient, providing a higher

quality of life for all residents.

2.3 The Transportation Within

15-Minute

In recent years, public transportation combined with

people's walking travel has attracted more and more

attention from all parties. From people's convenient

travel circle to subway or bus station, it also provides

a reference for the setting of public transportation

stations. The continuous growth of the population has

aconstantly increasing. At the same time,

transportation lines cannot be rigid but need to be

flexible to provide people with various combinations

among various lines, allowing them to freely choose

and match travel modes, and the distance from each

point to the transportation station must be relatively

reasonable and reasonable. Fair, and the lines cannot

be too complicated and stacked. Economy and

efficiency must also be considered, combined with

sustainable urban planning. Most urban areas with

existing public transportation seem to do a good job

of making sure stops and routes are laid out

intelligently to serve origins and destinations.

However, for most people, taking transportation to

work or traveling is still not as convenient as traveling

by personal vehicle.

3 THE APPLICATIONS OF 15-

MINUTE CITY

3.1 15-Minute+20-Minute Towns

The 20-minute city is an extended concept based on

the 15-minute city, which covers longer distances and

Improve Travel Conditions and Enhance Connectivity in 15, 20, and 45-Minute Urban Circles Based on Public Transportation Systems

441

Figure 2: Definition and policy for 20-minute city (Photo/Picture credit: Original).

has more complete facilities. 20 Minute

Neighborhoods is a platform for supporting strong,

sustainable communities, where people can access

community services, activities, facilities, social

activities, greenery, a variety of buildings, secure

pedestrian and bicycle networks, good public

transport, and a rich social and cultural life. Making a

plan for the zone-based 20-minute program is a place-

based approach to planning. It can improve public

health and well-being and social outcomes and

integrate transportation and logistics optimization,

including networks like public transport, walking, and

cycling. The essence of the 20-minute zone is its flow

and priority pedestrians for 800 meters, 20 minutes

neighborhood distance or 20 minutes at a time, based

on the average walking distance for a healthy adult

and taking into account waiting at intersections and

roundabouts.

As the Figure 2 shows, in Melbourne, the policy

focus on meeting people’s daily travel needs; while

in Portland, their government also emphasize safety

and services. As for the royal town planning institute,

they are promoting the concept of 20-minute cities

around the world, making contributions for both

urban planning and urban developments. And for

Sustrans and Scottish, they want to ensure it is easy

and convenient for people to travel the neighborhoods

within 20 minutes. It is quiet different emphasis on

the same topic, based on different regions and

national conditions, in actual policy formulation,

institutions and governments need to consider the

specific conditions of cities.

A bike ride would be nice infrastructure for the

idea of a 20-minute neighborhood, also suitable for

pedestrians and walks. They would move towards

pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods create more

airspace and create more economically useful places.

In addition, walking areas improve healthy lifestyles

and skills, and make it convenient for everyone. In

Portland, urban planning policies are well integrated

with the concept of the 20-minute city, which is

reflected in the fact that 90% of residents can meet

their daily non-work needs by walking and cycling.

The same policy is extended in Melbourne with the

concept of 20-minute communities. They replace the

concept of private car travel, making travel more

efficient and safer, and providing new vitality for

transportation. 20-minute travel cities are different

based on each community, but they are all planned

improvements for public health and well-being. They

also make community units more ecological and

sustainable and can be completed in 20 minutes based

on the community, the basic needs of life are

expanded and more infrastructure distribution is

reasonably satisfied(Weng, 2019).

3.2 15-Minute+45-Minute Towns

The concept of "45-minute cities" refers to urban

planning where residents can meet most of their daily

needs, such as jobs, shopping, education, health care,

and recreation - within a 45-minute commute through

walking, cycling, and public transport. The idea is to

expand the "15-minute city" concept, emphasizing

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even shorter travel times and more convenience for

more people. The idea was first proposed in

Singapore, and its vision is to provide people with a

'convenient, well-connected, and fast' public

transportation system(Abbiasov, 2022). Three main

concepts were introduced on how to realize the vision:

20-Minute Towns and 45-Minute City; Transport for

All; and Healthy Lives, Safer Journey. Among the

three concepts, 20-Minute Towns and 45-Minute City

gained wider attention nationwide. This concept

means that they must be citizens who can access the

center of the nearest district, another 20 minutes to go

to work and do business. Centered within 45 minutes

with vigorous movement, for example, walking,

biking, or riding PMD. In Singapore, their first step is

to bring more into the country facilities such as

schools, hospitals, shopping centers, parks, and

customers closer to neighborhoods. Another strategy

is the expansion of walk and bike options available

through expansion infrastructure and policies.

Walking and cycling options consist of active forms

of movement and, such as walking, biking, driving

with PMD. For travel options they use public

transport and cars provided by Grab and Uber are a

great example.

4 RECOMMENDATIONS AND

PERSPECTIVES FOR THE

FUTURE

4.1 Sustainable Urban Transportation

Urban transportation systems are central to

sustainable urban development and influence

everything from economic vitality to environmental

health and social justice. By combining the principles

of the 15-minute city with sustainable urban transport

strategies, cities can reduce car dependency, reduce

carbon emissions, and create a better livable

environment. This research explores how these two

concepts can be effectively combined to transform

urban areas into greener, more accessible, and

sustainable communities. For walking and cycling

infrastructure, they significantly reduce carbon

emissions. Streets are better designed to be safe and

pleasant for walking, with wide sidewalks, pedestrian

crossings, and traffic-calming measures. And for bike

lanes, protected bike lanes make cycling safe and

accessible for everyone. While considering shared

mobility services, shared bikes and scooters provide

flexible, last-mile transportation options. In terms of

evaluating the connection between 15 minutes and

further urban circles (20 minutes and 45 minutes city),

integrated transportation hubs, use these hubs to

connect various forms of transportation, making it

easier for people to switch between modes of

transport efficiently. Therefore, streets and public

spaces are enhanced with greenery, making the city

more enjoyable for walking and cycling and

improving air quality. Continuous involvement of

residents in planning ensures that transportation

systems meet their needs and remain sustainable. By

tailoring sustainable transportation strategies to the

specific needs of 20-minute and 45-minute cities,

urban planners can ensure that residents have

convenient, low-impact access to everything they

need, regardless of the size and structure of their city

(Figure 3).

Figure 3: Comprehensive sustainable development for cities (Photo/Picture credit : Original).

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443

4.2 Benefits for Solving Congestion

Issues

Taking Paris as an example, its clear road network

units make the routes for people, bicycles, and other

travel modes very clear and definite, which can

effectively improve people's travel efficiency and

divert traffic during peak hours (Figure 4).

Figure 4: The integrated bicycle and pedestrian

network (Abbiasov, 2022).

By planning cities so that all essential services and

amenities are within a 45-minute from people's homes,

the need for long commutes and car-dependent travel

is significantly reduced. This shift can lead to a

variety of positive outcomes related to congestion.

With essential services nearby, people are less likely

to rely on cars for daily needs. This reduction in car

trips leads to fewer vehicles on the road, directly

decreasing congestion. Even when private vehicles

are used, travel distances are shorter, reducing the

overall time cars spend on the road. The common

usage of public transportation is more efficiently

utilized for longer trips, with fewer people driving,

leading to reduced congestion on main roads. With

citizens using public transportation, there are fewer

cars on the road, and the demand for parking

decreases, particularly in central areas. This frees up

space that can be repurposed for other uses, such as

green spaces or pedestrian zones, further reducing

traffic congestion. By planning neighborhoods to be

self-sufficient, with local services and amenities. This

creates a more peaceful and less congested

environment. People can use convenient public

transportation during peak hours, which greatly

increases the carrying capacity and improves

congestion on the roads (Sikorska, 2023).

4.3 New Policies and Regulatory

Frameworks

First in Singapore, the concepts of 20-minute and 45-

minute cities were proposed. This concept was

considered to realize transportation services for the

majority of the population, advocate healthy and

green living and traveling methods, and create safer

journeys. In terms of new policies, while we consider

the specific conditions of the city, we also need to

strengthen the rationality of the layout of

transportation stations and improve the efficiency of

transportation between different transportation

transitions. For transportation network for connect the

15mintue, 20minute and 45minute cities, the local

government can Invest in expanding and upgrading

public transportation networks, including buses,

trams, metro lines, and regional trains, to ensure that

all neighborhoods are connected within a 45-minute

transit radius. And for transit hubs, each city can

develop major transit hubs that seamlessly connect

different modes of transportation, for bus, train, bike

and waling paths, enabling smooth and efficient

transfers and save time for complex transit. Build

dedicated cycle highways that connect outlying

neighborhoods to city centers, encouraging longer

commutes by bike, particularly with the support of e-

bikes, and provide more convenient equipment for

bicycle riders. Additionally, to promote green travel,

cities can take a page from the Dutch example and

provide more convenient facilities for cyclists. For

example, in the Netherlands, Implement a smart,

unified ticketing system across all public transit

modes, allowing for easy and cost-effective transfers

within the 45-minute city. Provide subsidies or tax

incentives for the purchase of e-bikes, particularly for

commuters who travel longer distances (Ferrer-Ortiz,

2022).

4.4 Incentives for Public Transportation

For the aspect of prices and measures, in terms of

public travel expenses, governments can offer

reduced fare options, such as student discounts, senior

discounts, or off-peak fare reductions, to make public

transport more affordable (Chiabaut, 2021). Provide

discounted rates for monthly or annual passes,

encouraging long-term use of public transportation.

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And encourage employers to offer transit benefits,

such as pre-tax deductions for public transportation

costs, or subsidized transit passes for employees.

Offer first-time users free or deeply discounted rides

to encourage them to try public

transportation(Manifesty, 2022). Implement a

rewards program where frequent riders earn points or

discounts for future rides, similar to airline miles

programs.

For improving the convenience of taking public

transportation, governments are able to create a

seamless travel experience by offering integrated

ticketing that allows users to transfer between

different modes of transport with a single ticket or

card (Nieuwenhuijsen, 2020). Enable easy payment

through mobile apps, contactless payments, or smart

cards, making the process more convenient.

Implement bus-only lanes or priority signaling at

intersections to reduce travel time and make public

transportation more reliable and efficient(Háznagy,

2015). Offer express bus or train services during peak

hours that make fewer stops and minimize travel time.

For environmental-friendly process, governments

can provide real-time information about bus and train

arrivals through apps or digital displays, helping users

plan their journeys more efficiently. Offer incentives

like reduced fares or rewards for eco-friendly

transportation options, such as electric buses or trains

option to contribute to carbon offset programs, where

a portion of their fare goes towards environmental

initiatives. Organize car-free days in cities, where

public transport is free or discounted, encouraging

people to leave their cars at home. Partner with local

events, such as festivals or sports games, to offer

discounted or free transportation to and from the

venue, promoting public transport use. Collaboration

with different institutes is important as well, partner

with educational institutions to provide free or

discounted public transport for students, encourage

lifelong public transport habits, and work with

businesses to create incentive programs that

encourage employees to commute via public

transportation, such as rewards or recognition

programs. By implementing these incentives, cities

and transit authorities can make public transportation

a more attractive option, reducing reliance on private

vehicles and contributing to a more sustainable urban

environment.

5 CONCLUSION

This article explores the 15-minute, 20-minute and

45-minute city, combining public transportation to

provide a combination and reference for sustainable

cities of fast and convenient transportation methods.

In the future, people’s routes can reduce transfer

time and use less time to reach necessary places. It

also enables cities to increase their ability to respond

to risks and bear risks when dealing with severe

natural disasters or social unrest , and at the same time,

they can quickly disperse people to make them safe

hygienic.

Through research on different cities, different

travel distances and needs, combined with public

transportation, we have explored more efficient green

travel modes, and at the same time provided a

reference for future urban planning and urban route

setting. At the same time, the article analyzes the

existing urban travel problems at the specific

application level based on specific cities and travel

circles, and cuts in from different perspectives from

multiple dimensions to provide current solutions to

solve serious traffic congestion problems. Through

the incentive mechanism for public transportation,

explore ways to enable more people to take public

transportation, and improve the existing model to

make public travel more ecological, convenient and

sustainable.

In the future, cities can have clearer road grading

that combines different modes of transportation, and

work with urban planning for roads and daily

equipment. Make the city more ecologically

sustainable while maintaining a green and ecological

travel concept, making the environment better and

travel more efficient. Convenient public

transportation systems can also solve many urban

problems.

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