Australia’s public transport needs investment, says report

According to Australasian Bus and Coach, a new report warns that public transport investment in Australian needs an increase to avoid overcrowding The State of Australian Cities report shows patronage on public transport has grown significantly over the last decade, with a rate of average annual growth of 2.4 per cent. The report warns investment in Melbourne and Sydney’s public transport network should be increased to meet future demand, since patronage is growing fast and overcrowding becomes an is
July 14, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
According to Australasian Bus and Coach, a new report warns that public transport investment in Australian needs an increase to avoid overcrowding

The State of Australian Cities report shows patronage on public transport has grown significantly over the last decade, with a rate of average annual growth of 2.4 per cent.

The report warns investment in Melbourne and Sydney’s public transport network should be increased to meet future demand, since patronage is growing fast and overcrowding becomes an issue. It shows Melbourne has a much lower proportion of inner-suburb residents using public transport to access the city and inner-suburbs for work, compared to Sydney. Only 35 per cent of inner-city Melbourne residents use public transport compared to 50 per cent of inner-city Sydney residents.

The report highlights the investment in Perth and Brisbane which has possibly encouraged and accommodated increased patronage of public transport.

The report also found people tend to use public transport only if they work in the city or inner-suburbs and if they work in the outer-suburbs they are much more likely to drive.

In Parramatta, New South Wales, for example, 72 per cent commute by private vehicle.

Related Content

  • June 20, 2016
    Do buses need subsidies in congestion charging areas
    David Crawford takes a look at the debate surrounding bus subsidies. Subsidies for public transport are a well-known and frequently-used policy tool directed at reducing the high environmental and social costs of peak-period traffic congestion. But at the end of last year the Swedish Centre for Transport Studies published a working paper entitled ‘Should buses still be subsidised in Stockholm?’ This concluded that the subsidy levels currently being applied in Stockholm could be nearly halved by setting bus
    Read More
  • November 23, 2018
    Milwaukee’s bus service offers jobs lifeline
    A bus-to-jobs project in Milwaukee provides a useful service for low-paid workers. A new report shows the economic impact of potential closure on local employers - and demonstrates the importance of public transit networks for disadvantaged communities The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has a problem. Getting people into out-of-town districts for work is an engine of economic growth, but it costs money. The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus routes 6 and 61 - also known as JobLines - provide acces
    Read More
  • May 18, 2016
    Car traffic in London is down but congestion is up, says new study
    London Congestion Trends, an in-depth study of the causes of traffic congestion in London between 2012 and 2015 published by Inrix, indicates that congestion in London is increasing, with journey times in Central London growing by 12 per cent annually. Inrix says this is consistent with data that shows that the London economy and population are growing, which normally results in an increase in gridlock. Further, unemployment and fuel prices are down, both of which usually mean a rise in traffic. Despite thi
    Read More
  • April 2, 2024
    No city is a traffic island
    Beate Kubitz reflects on the rising tide of suburban drivers - and how cities across Europe are dealing with them as worries over air quality multiply
    Read More

Highlighted Content