MELBOURNE TRAVEL SURVEY RESEARCH PROJECT REPORTS NOS. 1, 2 AND 3

The three reports in this working paper describe the review of the needs for travel demand data, a comparison of travel survey methodologies, and recommendations for a future travel survey program for the Melbourne metropolitan region. Report 1 provides guidance and recommendations on: (a) the range of policy, planning and other issues for which travel and transport system information is necessary; (b) current practice in data collection methodology and techniques; (c) the uses which may productively and beneficially be made of travel and transport data, and (d) the management of data and information once collected. Report 2 is a summary of report 1. Report 3 presents a future direction for a new travel survey program for Melbourne. The basic conclusion of the MTSRP study is that a new survey program covering person and freight transport demand for the Melbourne metropolitan area is essential for the continuation of credible transport planning and decision making in the 1990s. The data collected in this program form an essential component of the information needs of the transport portfolio. This report has identified and described a preferred direction for the survey program, which is a rolling sequence of surveys, based on stratified sampling, and running on a five year cycle for comparability with the ABS census. The recommended technology for this survey program is a combination of telephone interviews and self administered questionnaires (with travel and activity diaries), providing survey instruments capable of repeated use over the required time frame. The administration of this survey program and responsibility for the interpretation, analysis and dissemination of the information it collects should be the responsibility of a specially created Transport Information Unit. The existence of the unit is required to ensure the maintenance of the knowledge and skills required to provide current and credible travel information to the transport portfolio and other interested bodies.