Urban passenger transport ? how people move about in Australian cities

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From http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Fortnightly%20Updates/09-06-05%20Fortnightly%20.pdf

Urban passenger transport ? how people move about in Australian cities

Urban passenger transport
? how people move about in Australian cities
by Phil Sochon - Deputy CEO ARA

The Commonwealth?s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) recently released Information Sheet 31 ?Urban passenger transport: how people move about in Australian cities?. It is available for download at www.bitre.gov.au/publications.aspx

This looks at passenger travel in Australia?s eight capital cities, providing data for private motor vehicle and urban public transport usage from 1977 to 2008.

With the current great interest across Australia in the Senate?s urban passenger transport Inquiry, the BITRE release provides timely additional information to support ARA?s submission to the Senate Inquiry.

BITRE estimates that nationally urban public transport has a 10% share of all-day passenger ? km travelled. However, when commuter travel is considered, the share of urban public transport rises to around 16%. This supports the view that urban public transport, particularly rail and tram, have an important role to play in our cities particularly to reduce congestion.

The following interesting observations are made about relevant changes from 2004 to 2008 relating to people moving about in the eight capital cities:

? Petrol prices - rose by 31%
? Population ? grew by 6%
? Private road vehicle use (cars, motor cycles and
commercial vehicles) ? increased by 1%
? Heavy rail ? increased by 23%
? Light rail ? increased by 10%
? Bus ? increased by 11%
? Urban public transport ? increased by 18%

This means that overall, urban public transport use rose 18 times the percentage increase in private road vehicle travel. Similarly heavy rail use rose 23 times and light rail use rose 10 times the percentage increase in private road vehicle travel.

--> S 31 Urban Passenger Transport: How People Move About in Australian Cities