Rush hour ramps up: Improving public transport infrastructure key to reducing congestion and transport emissions

Dr Christa Pudmenzky examines car usage in Brisbane. Plus, how can we provide alternatives to driving in all aspects of life?

Few inventions have had as profound an impact on the world as the car.

It has not only changed how we live, it has also influenced business, the economy and the environment in unexpected ways.

Despite investment in alternative modes of transport like trains, trams and bike paths in metropolitan areas, even city-dwellers continue to use cars frequently.

And throughout the pandemic, many of us have waited with the engine running as we line up at Covid-19 testing sites.

In Brisbane, 60 per cent of trips were taken by car in 2020.

What does all this driving mean?

Driving is becoming an increasingly significant economic and environmental issue.

From tradies to office workers, we're all too familiar with the traffic after a long day at work.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics estimated that congestion cost Australia $16.5 billion in 2015 - a figure that is predicted to reach up to $37.3 billion by 2030.

These costs take into account the value of the time lost by people sitting in traffic rather than working, wasted fuel, and elevated shipping costs.

In most large economies, public transport provides a significant share of transport requirements.

But in Australia, buses, trains, trams and ferries account for just 10 per cent of distance travelled.

As the climate warms it is likely we will continue to rely heavily on cars unless we see significant investment in improving public transport.

With a rapidly urbanising population, premium space is taken up because of high rates of car ownership.

Spaces reserved for roads and car parking could otherwise be used for housing or green space.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change advocates for an approach to passenger transport planning called "Avoid, Shift, Improve".

"Avoid" refers to reducing the need for transport in the first place by planning new urban areas and redeveloping old ones so people will not have to travel as far.

"Shift" means switching necessary travel to more sustainable, active and higher-occupancy modes of transport.

And finally, "improve" involves switching from fossil fuel run transport to electric.

Luckily, states and cities are already taking steps towards 'green' public transport including a solar-charged electric bus in Adelaide, an electrified bus fleet in Canberra and the Gold Coast, and trams and trains run by electricity from large-scale solar farms across Victoria and NSW.

With more alternative and sustainable transport options on the horizon, our roads could become a lot more bearable.

A local perspective:

Want more information on how your climate is changing? Check out the last article in this series.

Dr Christa Pudmenzky is a climate scientist at the University of Southern Queensland.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.