How can we encourage public transport use and alleviate Sydney s congestion problem? Sydney s rail future 2013 26-28 February 2013 Professor Corinne Mulley Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies
Introduction Aims of presentation 1. Role of transport why reduce congestion? 2. Trends 3. Individual v Government decisions 4. Public transport objectives 5. Public transport use 6. Encouraging public transport use 7. How important is road pricing reform? 8. Key steps Source: vianext.com 2
1. Role of transport Transport is an enabler - Provides access to allow participation in society and life opportunities: work, education, health, shopping, social/recreation, volunteering Transport provides accessibility - Provides independence and choice in social inclusion Public transport has a wider role - Health and environmental benefits - For all members of society Bankstown Bites Festival 3
Why reduce congestion? Traffic congestion in Sydney will cost nearly $8 billion in lost productivity by 2020 (Financial Review, October 2011) Traffic congestion makes travel slower and more stressful for drivers but they can get out of their cars Reducing congestion can help freight with quicker journeys productivity benefits Reducing congestion can make public transport in mixed traffic move more quickly, making it more attractive Reducing congestion for cars reduces the attractiveness of public transport Congestion reduction has to have clear policy motivations 4
2. Trends The past is the best guide for predicting the future Understanding what travellers do is the evidence base for strategic policymaking 5
High level trends: urban public transport use in Australia Beginning of motorised buses Rapid growth during WW2 Steady growth since mid-1975 mostly growth in heavy rail Source: Cosgrove 2011 6
Modal share for urban public transport: Sydney (2010/11) 70.0% Mode of Travel (trips) 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% Vehicle driver Vehicle passenger Train Bus Walk only 0.0% Sydney Newcastle Illawarra GMA Source: BTS, Transport for NSW 7
Modal share for urban public transport: Sydney Mode of Travel (distance) 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Sydney Newcastle Illawarra GMA Vehicle driver Vehicle passenger Train Bus Walk only Source: BTS, Transport for NSW 8
Post-war metropolitan public transport patronage: Australian capital cities 900 million passenger trips 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth Hobart Darwin Canberra 0 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Source: Cosgrove 2011, Table 1 9
Post-war metropolitan public transport trips per capita: Australian capital cities 450 Annual Passenger Trips per capita 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth Hobart Darwin Canberra Source: Cosgrove 2011, Table 2 10
3. Individuals and Government: the role of economics Economics is fundamentally about allocation of resources Individual decisions v Government decisions Government responsibilities - Commitment to networks and systems (not projects or corridors ) - Importance of network effect Individual responsibilities Source: http://mappery.com/map- of/melbourne-australia-public-transportation- Map 11
Analysis of Networks Analysis of key corridors giving constraints to the network is imperative Understanding how key corridors add to the network Improving corridors which contribute to the network effect Source: Draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan, 2012, p.84 12
4. Public transport objectives Public transport policy objectives are multidimensional - Economic aspects - Environmental sustainability - Social aspects Why is urban public transport more successful - Density - provides a greater potential pool of passengers - diverse purposes fills up vehicles and gives viability Much of Sydney is low density where it is more difficult to make public transport work - Too much discussion about projects - Not enough discussion about the network as a system - Very little discussion about balancing the conflicting needs of coverage versus frequency 13
Public transport use What we know - the forget the timetable frequency - journey times - parking Source: http://selc.com.au/living-in-sydney/ 14
What sort of public transport? Coverage versus frequency trade-off Coverage Frequency but when it s presented this way, they see why it s a tradeoff. Source: Dr Jarrett Walker 15
Networks, objectives and performance Objectives met through frequency Patronage growth Financial - Fare return Environmental impact reduction - from reduced private vehicle trips. - Reduced emissions. Objectives met through coverage Social Inclusion Equity - Entitlement to a public service. - We pay taxes too Redistributive aims 16
6. Encouraging public transport use short run Australia has to live with the urban form/low density cities it has, at least In the short run Improving public transport in the short run is not about doing the big things eg creating new links - but making sure money is well spent Key issues - Network planning, co-ordination, integration and high frequency - Fares systems and policies - Supportive policies: eg parking policy - Concentrate on frequency to motivate modal switch - Innovative ways to deliver coverage - Travel demand management eg TravelSmart Source: eastlandshomes.co.uk 17
Encouraging public transport use long run In the longer run Key issues - transport and land use planning - Planning the network with view to a future vision - Providing the right price signals - Individuals can make informed decisions which relate to resources consumed - Reform the taxation principles in particular in relation to road use 18
How important is road pricing reform? Car drivers behave as if they only consider their marginal costs - Fuel - Tolls Driving on congested roads - Gives rise to significant externalities - Reduces the ability to sustain productive growth Driving per se gives rise to significant health costs from sedentary behaviour Pricing reform which shifts more costs to running costs and away from standing or fixed costs could provide behavioural change - Could also make reform more acceptable 19
Conclusions Transport is an enabler that facilitates access What needs to happen to encourage public transport use? - Policy choices need to be clear and prioritised in a way that society understand. - And not just short term politics. Australia has a history of car dominated travel change will involve attitudinal change as well as improvements to the public transport system Much can be done in the short run to improve use of current facilities whilst preparing the correct framework for strategic changes in the long run. 20
References Cosgrove, David C (2011) Long-term patterns of Australian public transport use, Australasian Transport Research Forum, Adelaide. Available from www.atrf11.unisa.edu.au/assets/papers/atrf11_0030_final.pdf 21