Aussie Prices Fuel Bus Usage
Australian Motorists Affected by Fuel Prices Choose Mass Transit
Consumer Watchdog, the Australian Consumer Competion Commission, reports that petrol reached a record high of $1.50 per litre in the second week of May 2008. In response, commuters are choosing other ways of getting to work, and overcrowding has become a problem.
In Perth motorists advocacy group the RAC predicts that public transport patronage will rise as much as 30%. RAC conducted a survey of motorists in May that found that $1.50 per litre was the “tipping point” at which people would elect to use other means of transport.
Melbourne public transport body, Metlink has reported record increases of up to 15% in the last week. 600,000 commuters use the Melbourne public transport system daily, where overcrowding is already a daily occurence.
Adelaide's bus and tram users are also feeling the crush as overcrowding becomes a problem amid an 18% growth in patronage. Bus and tram drivers are regularly apologising to angry commuters for the cramped conditions. Torrens Transit, a mass transit provider, attributes the crowding to petrol prices, CBD development, environmental concerns and a recent extension of the tram lines.
Queensland Rail claims a 9% increase in patronage, while Brisbane buses remain crowded in peak times. Queensland premier Anna Bligh has pledged $2m to encourage public servants to cycle to work by providing them with a purpose built bike parking lot. The measure is expected to help ease traffic congestion in the city heart. A similar bike lot opened recently in Brisbane city has attracted criticism for its high daily fees.
Motorist advocate body the NRMA, claim that many prospective commuters in Sydney are being forced to drive because of lack of parking facilities at suburban train and bus stations. Sydney has been plagued by transport problems and has been pledged $20m in the 2008 Federal budget to develop public transport infrastructure.
However, under-servicing remains a problem. While in most cities underservicing of buses and trains is an issue, in Melbourne for instance, as many as 90% of the population cannot access any form of public transport.
Critics say the petrol crisis has highlighted the lack of government investment in the public transport sector and governments are now desperately playing catch up.
Senator Christine Milne, the Australian Greens energy spokesperson, said in a press release that the government can do a lot more to alleviate the oil crisis and investment in public transport is one. She notes that “$4.2 billion goes to more roads, while only 4% goes to rail infrastructure.”
Milne says the $78 million budget for metropolitan transport is “a drop in the ocean”. Milne sites the need to be “re-designing and rebuilding our cities for mass transit, walkways, cycle paths and urban villages. This needs serious Commonwealth funding to make it happen.”
