Adelaide public transport most convenient in the nation, but our usage lags behind other capitals

ADELAIDE’S public transport is the most convenient in the country but fewer people use it to get to work than Australia’s other big cities, data reveals.

A tram in Glenelg. A third of Adelaide homes are within 400m of a frequently serviced public transport stop.

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ADELAIDE has the most convenient public transport in the country but fewer people use it to get to work than in Australia’s other major cities, new data reveals.

Australia’s most comprehensive city rankings show a third of Adelaide homes are within 400m of a frequently serviced public transport stop.

It means Adelaide has the best public transport accessibility of 22 cities across the country. Nationally one in five houses are close to public transport.

Yet just 8.7 per cent of Adelaideans use public transport to commute, a lower rate than Sydney (22.7), Western Sydney (12.3), Melbourne (15.5), Brisbane (11.4) and Perth (10.2).

The data was collected and analysed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to provide a comprehensive portrait of our biggest cities.

Congestion on Adelaide roads was not as bad as other major cities, but in peak hour travels times rise by 45 per cent.

Cities Assistant Minister Angus Taylor said the data also tracked for the first time how cities were going on the “30-minute city” goal the Government was working toward.

While Adelaide ranked 14th, with 78 per cent of people able to drive to work within 30 minutes, the result was much better than other capital cities.

In Sydney and Melbourne about 40 per cent of motorists were stuck in their cars longer than half an hour.

Cities were also ranked on other key measures including jobs, housing and innovation.

Adelaide’s performance was particularly weak on youth unemployment, third highest at 16.4 per cent. The average was 11.9 per cent.

Mr Taylor said: “It’s not a matter of one city being better than another, it’s a matter of them having different attributes and therefore different challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed.

“Customising solutions for individual cities is crucial and a national government has to be part of that.”

Details for each city are at smart-cities.dashbaord.gov.au