Today’s urban transport network is more diverse than ever before, though cars remain the dominant transport mode for Australians. What will it take for this to change?
Today’s urban transport network is the most diverse it’s ever been. Australian city dwellers choose between public transport, walking, cycling, scootering, ride hail, car-share, car-travel or combine modes to get where they want to go. Several factors affect transportation decisions, including: travel time, travel cost, reliability, convenience, trip purpose, available options and number of travellers. Evolving technology and infrastructure changes have major impact on how people choose to move and these will only continue to play a larger role as populations increase.
While transit and active transport modes are gaining popularity, car travel remains the most popular mode for Australians. Cars are freedom. Watch any car advert on television and you’ll see happy people on empty city streets or coastal highways. Cars are deeply symbolic of social status, freedom and excitement. Getting your driver’s licence is still a major life milestone.
Even though the average Sydney commuter spends 142 hours a year stuck in rush hour traffic, many people still feel most comfortable behind the wheel. Driving gives us a sense of joy, perhaps a combination of control, speed, and the phenomenon of “carcooning”. Some savour the still moments of morning traffic, knowing that it will be the only quiet time in their day.
Reliable Rides
Cars are reliable. Your car is parked right outside your door, whether at work or at home. Unlike public transport, there’s no need to wait for your ride to arrive or transfer mid-way. Once you’re in, you’re ready to go. So long as you maintain your car, drive safely and avoid collisions - driving a personal vehicle is a very reliable means of transportation.
Of course, that’s easier said than done as car maintenance is usually quite costly when compared to other modes. For example, a compact car in Australia costs just over $12,000 per year to own, operate and maintain, and this figure is significantly higher for popular SUVs and utes. Australia’s suburban sprawl also means even if someone’s commute includes public transport, they may still need a car for the first and last leg of their journey.
Are Cities Encouraging Congestion?
In most Australian cities, cars have an abundance of dedicated infrastructure and technology which includes not just roads, but highway systems, complex traffic control and tolling systems and multi-level car parks. This infrastructure is built and paid for by the public, maintained, kept clear of debris and repaired on a regular basis. And when new roads are built to disperse heavy traffic, this often only encourages more people to drive.
It’s no secret that single-occupant vehicles are the cause of congestion; clogging highways and car parks. Getting people out of their cars and onto efficient passenger transport systems will result in reduced congestion, better transit efficiency and environmental benefits. It’s estimated 56% of cars travelling in greater Brisbane’s rush hour have one person in them, consider the impact if half or a third of these people travelled by bus or train. It’s estimated one standard bus takes 54 cars off the road, an articulated bus 71 cars and a light rail transit is the equivalent of 208 fewer cars on the road.
Change on the Horizon?
Infrastructure and technology changes are taking place across Australia to provide freedom and reliability for transport modes other than the single-occupant vehicle. In a revolutionary trial, the Queensland Government recently announced they will be starting a six-month trial of 50c fares on the bus, train ferry and light rail networks to encourage people to use public transport, commencing in August 2024. In the announcement it was acknowledged public transport usage has not returned to pre-COVID levels and that is a key contributor to city congestion. Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said: “We hope they [the reduced fares] will make a lot more people in the South-East consider using public transport for their daily commute, which reduces congestion for everyone.”
Across Australia, cities are planning to construct dedicated infrastructure for trains: Light Rail Transit (LRT), metro lines and even high-speed rail. Can we invest more in Bus Rapid Transit? In Sydney, residents are often faced with long walks to metro stations or bus stops. Whilst construction of new Sydney Metro lines is underway, the addition of new bus routes and extra stops would improve connectivity for residents and be a cost-effective improvement to reduce overall commute times. And consider our aging population. Taxis are expensive and people can’t drive keep driving into their elderly years – can we invest now to improve transit ease and accessibility for the people in our communities who don’t have the option to drive a car.
Through dedicated infrastructure and technology, can we change the dominant urban transport mode? Can we improve travel times and reliability and provide more choices? The future of our cities will be shaped by our investments in which mode we want to be most reliable.
Margaret Parkhill is a seasoned Professional Engineer with 20+ years of experience in transport planning. She excels in guiding projects from strategic planning to implementation, fostering consensus among stakeholders for balanced solutions. Margaret's portfolio includes major projects such as: 24 km BRT network planning and preliminary design for London (Ontario, Canada), 35 km LRT planning and design (Toronto, Canada), and 36 km BRT corridor planning and business case (Durham Region, Canada). Margaret has used digital tools and solutions to optimise transit routes, station locations, and assess the business case for investing in transit.
