Page 4949 - Week 15 - Thursday, 15 December 2005
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• integrate transport and land use, which is land use planning to reduce travel distances and to increase choice of transport modes and encourage greater use of sustainable transport;
• transport infrastructure, including roads, public transport systems such as dedicated busways, pedestrian facilities, lighting and signage, cycleways and shared paths and parking infrastructure;
• transport technology, through transport vehicle technologies and less reliance on fuels;
• behaviour change, such as TravelSmart programs, travel access plans and community awareness;
• intelligent transportation systems such as smart cards, global positioning systems and real-time information;
• economic and institutional reform, such as transport pricing, regulatory reform, parking supply and charging, and taxation reform;
• alternative modes of transport, including public transport, demand-responsive services and non-motorised transport; and
• planning models, such as transport modelling, data collection and analysis, investment assessment and funding.
The plan includes a package of mutually supportive initiatives to create a cultural change for transport. It is not easy, and it is often easy for people to make a cheap political point. The range of measures includes busways and bus priority measures; real-time information; improved public transport interchanges; improved cycling and walking facilities; investment in TravelSmart programs and integrated land use and transport planning.
A major thrust of the plan is the progressive improvement of the public transport system so it becomes a more attractive and viable alternative for many people and many trips. As congestion on the road increases, the improved public transport system will accommodate more of the demand, with a consequential lowering of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. We are achieving this already.
As I outlined only in question time today, public transport patronage amongst adult users—that is, those people who have the choice of using a car but are choosing instead to use public transport—is growing substantially. ACTION estimates it now achieves 8.13 per cent of all journeys to work by public transport and our target by 2011 is nine per cent. We are well on the way.
The other part of the plan is to investigate the development of busways. Busways will improve public transport facilities and help create a culture of public transport use. They will also provide dedicated public transport corridors and a system that enables transformation towards a public transport system that is less reliant on the private motor vehicle.
Corridors for public transport will be reserved into the future and allow for future technologies such as light rail or driverless vehicles if these are justified. We have
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